Our Founders
Johnny Vo, CPA, CRISC, CFE
Executive Director
A Vietnamese-American raised in Garland, Texas, Johnny aspires to make the world a better place. Johnny grew up in an underprivileged single-parent household. Relying on the free lunch program and bus transportation, he graduated from Garland High School in 2013. Through multiple generous scholarships, he attended The University of Texas at Austin and obtained both the Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master in Professional Accounting degrees. Johnny is currently a Risk Consulting Supervisor at RSM in New York City and pursuing his Master in Business Administration at New York University. His primary goal in life is to help the less fortunate as much as he can. He has this to say about the foundation:
“This foundation means the world to me because it allows me to empower the next generation of successful leaders, who may not have had the opportunity to dream due to financial obstacles.”
Joshua Garcia, MBA
Director of Finance
Joshua is a Filipino-American born in Quezon City, Philippines and raised in Garland, Texas by his single mother. During his teenage years, he was part of the Garland High School’s 2013 International Baccalaureate class and relied on programs such as free lunch and school buses. For undergrad, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) where he graciously received a full ride from financial aid and scholarships. He received his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from UT Dallas and currently works at State Farm as a Cybersecurity Product Owner in Dallas. He has this to say about the foundation:
“This foundation opens doors and opportunities for future generations as past generations have done for us. To grow as a society means to ensure future generations accomplish more than what our generation can even dream."
Jake Cruz, JD, MA
Director of Legal
Born in the Philippines and raised in Texas, Jake is a proud Filipino-American and graduate of Garland High School. He experienced firsthand how financial hardship limits the opportunities available to working-class people; to make ends meet during Jake’s childhood, his father worked 3 jobs and his family shared a two-bedroom apartment with five other tenants. To offset the burden of higher education, Jake attended the University of Texas at Dallas on academic scholarship. After graduating with a B.S. in International Political Economy and an M.A. in Political Science, he eventually followed his dreams and graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. degree. Jake is currently a Corporate Attorney at Skadden in New York City. He has this to say about the foundation:
“This is a chance to build a better world and give back to the community that raised me. Every kid deserves the same chance at an education, no matter what circumstances they're born into.”
Stephen Tran
Director of Technology
A Chinese/Vietnamese-American born in Dallas, Texas, Stephen grew up in a single-parent, underprivileged household. Growing up with a single parent with two dependent kids made managing finances difficult. After graduating from Garland High School, he was given a handful of generous grants to attend the University of Texas at Austin. He received his Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering and is currently a Product Owner at Fidelity Investments. He aims to help aspiring individuals keep dreaming without worry. He has this to say about the foundation:
“This foundation is a chance to support and encourage high-performing individuals to continue doing their best in achieving their dreams. Let dreamers dream.”
Moosai Assefa
Director of Operations
An Ethiopian-American born in Dallas, Texas, Moosai grew up in a household struck by financial burden due to the 2008 recession. After graduating from Garland High School, Moosai chose to attend a local college, the University of Texas at Arlington, to reduce the financial burden of tuition. Through grants, loans, and working in between classes, Moosai acquired his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He is also currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration at the University of North Texas while working as a Project Manager in Commercial Construction at Structure Tone. He has this to say about the foundation:
“This foundation gives students from our community the ability to attain an education with no second-guessing due to financial woes.”
Andrew Pham, PharmD
Director of Public Relations
A Vietnamese-American born in Dallas, Texas, Andrew grew up in a single income household and required Free and Reduced Meals while attending Garland High School. After graduating with an International Baccalaureate Diploma, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, studying Biology and Pre-Pharmacy. Andrew then enrolled at The University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy, earning a Doctorate of Pharmacy. Scholarships and grants aided Andrew through both his undergraduate and graduate programs. He is currently a Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor at Medical City Las Colinas while attending Ball State University online in pursuit of a Master’s of Business Administration. His goal is to educate and empower the next generation of students. He has this to say about the foundation:
“Giving back to the community that built us; we hope to build a bigger and brighter future for our community.”
Andrew Reyes, MHEd
Director of Fundraising
A Filipino-American born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Andrew attended the University of Texas at Dallas originally to attend medical school, though deciding later to pursue a career in education. After completing his Bachelor’s of Science in Neuroscience at UTD, he acquired his Master’s in Higher Education at the University of North Texas. While at Garland High School, his father was in the middle of a career change and went back to school for two years, leaving his family as a single-income household. Andrew learned the importance and necessity of supplementary assistance as he received reduced lunch. Andrew is currently a 3rd Grade Teacher at Hillside Academy, in the school district where he grew up. His personal belief is that everyone deserves an opportunity to learn. He has this to say about the foundation:
“This foundation was founded by my best friends. It represents all the opportunity Garland has given me and all it has to offer its students. This organization is my way of connecting with and nurturing my home community.”