QuestBridge | Our Staff

VANESSA CHEN

Associate Director, Partner Relations

Vanessa grew up in Southern California and earned her BA in Spanish from UCLA, where she developed her passion for higher education as an undergraduate discussion leader. This led her to pursue her Ed.M. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. While in Cambridge, Vanessa worked in the Graduate Admissions office at HGSE. Prior to joining QuestBridge, she was the Assistant Director of Admissions at UC Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business. She is excited to be in the Bay Area and contribute to the QuestBridge team!

GRACE CHO

Director, Systems & Engineering

Grace worked mainly in science and technology firms before she was inspired to join the vibrant QuestBridge team in the summer of 2008. Grace uses her technical skills to manage the systems and applications for the organization. Grace received her B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from MIT and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University.

YU-REE CHO

Data Analytics and Operations Manager, Partner Relations

Yu-Ree was born in Illinois and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She went to UC Berkeley where she received her BA in Psychology. After graduating, she further developed a passion and interest in education as she worked as a research assistant at psychology and education labs at Stanford, as well as through working with students from diverse backgrounds and needs. This led her to pursue her MA in Human Development and Psychology at UCLA, and upon graduating, she moved back up to Northern California where she worked as a research analyst at Stanford and took part in working with data that significantly impacted educational decision making. She is very excited to join the QuestBridge team!

ZIYAN CHU

Associate Director, Alumni Relations

Ziyan was born in China and grew up in the US, where she has lived in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and New York City. She received a B.S. in Biology from MIT and, upon graduation, worked as a Microbiologist/Virologist at a consumer products company. A few years into the job, she found education to be her passion and has since then worked in Americorps as a Mentor/Tutor and in an EdTech start-up as a Sales Consultant. She enjoys working at QuestBridge and being given the opportunity to meet such talented students every year through various programs and conferences. In her free time, she enjoys long distance running, international travel, reading, photography, rock climbing, and being a "foodie" (she loves swapping restaurant recommendations - especially hole-in-the-wall taquerias and ramen spots!).

LILY CUTITTA

Staff Accountant

Lily received her BA in Business Administration from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. Shortly after graduating, her family moved to San Francisco, California. She brings years of knowledge and experience in accounting, as well as management, to her role with the Quest Team. She began her career with the U.S. Federal Government, and has worked with corporations and several nonprofit organizations. She enjoys reading, photography, gardening, and daily coastal trail walks with her husband. She and her husband have a passion for travel. So far, they have traveled to 23 countries and 42 states. Lily enjoys working at QuestBridge and is thrilled to be a part of the talented and dedicated team.

Mercedes De La Riva

Senior Program Associate, QuestBridge Scholars Network

Mercedes was born in Mexico. While she visits her home country often, she now calls the beautiful state of California home! She graduated from the University of California, Davis with a BS in Community and Regional Development and became a Research Assistant with the Davis School of Education. As a first generation college student, Mercedes is driven to be a part of the movement making education more equitable and inclusive. She has dedicated her career to supporting students of all ages through working with mission driven non-profit organizations closing the achievement gap. Most recently, she was an instructional recruiter for a public charter school network based in the Bay Area. There, she worked to place great educators in high achieving schools serving historically under-resourced communities. In each of her roles, she strives to generate sustainable change by connecting and empowering mentors, educators, students and families. When she is not supporting students, she likes being a student and is happiest when she is learning something new! She is thrilled to be a part of the QuestBridge Team and excited to support the efforts of the QuestBridge Scholars Network.

Jordan Fan

Data Analyst, Data Science and Analytics

Jordan was born and raised in San Francisco and received a BA in Statistics from UC Berkeley. During his time at Berkeley, he was heavily involved in the community service club, Circle K, which influenced his desire to search for a career that would have a large positive impact. After hearing about QuestBridge and learning more about the company, he fell in love with the QB mission, and could relate to stories of QB students as a first generation college student himself. He is excited to work with QuestBridge where he can learn from the amazing staff, while also serving incredible students during their college years. In his free time he likes to cook, bake, and walk dogs at his local animal shelter.

TARA FILER

Senior Program Specialist, Strategic Programs

Tara grew up in the Seattle area and earned her BA in Spanish Language and Literature and an English as a Second language teaching certificate from the University of Montana. Tara’s love for teaching and language led her to Southern Italy where she completed her MA in Italian Studies and taught students of all ages (and enjoyed the fantastic food!). Back stateside, she taught at and managed various English Language schools in California. During this time, she further developed her love of educating youth and helping them realize their dreams. She had the opportunity to travel with and teach many talented young leaders of the world through the English Access Microscholarship Program and decided it was time to start making more of a difference. And then she found QuestBridge. She is excited to be a member of the team, helping us grow our educational resources and community among QuestBridge Scholars.

RACHEL FISHBEIN

Senior Program Specialist, Strategic Programs

Rachel grew up in Manhattan and received her BA in Psychology from Cornell University. Through research and volunteering, she became very interested in education, and upon graduation returned to New York City where she taught in the public and charter school system through Teach For America. During that time she earned an MS from Pace University in Childhood education, and decided to move her focus from academics to student support and college access. She attended the Stanford Graduate School of Education where she earned an MA in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies, and was first introduced to QuestBridge as an application reader. After graduation she spent time working at the Kellogg School of Management in Evanston, IL, and then ultimately made her way back to New York City where she lives with her husband and their dog Lily. Rachel has seen firsthand the wonderful work that Quest does, and is so excited to further those benefits through the Quest for Excellence NYC Award!

BETH HARRELL

Administrative Assistant

Beth is a Bay Area native with a heart for social justice. She graduated from San Jose State University with Bachelor’s degrees in both French and Art & Design. She has worked for humanitarian organizations in the United States, the United Kingdom and France with marginalized populations from Africa and Eastern Europe. She has diverse work experience in management, education, travel & tourism, design, and the preforming arts. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking, hiking, travel, watching science & history documentaries and trying new cultural experiences. She has seen education play a key role in giving hope and changing lives. She is excited to be a part of bringing hope to students with the QuestBridge team.

Susan Hartzman

Content Writer, Data Science and Analytics

Susan earned her BA in American Studies from UC Davis in 2013 and her Certificate in Professional and Technical Writing from San Jose State University in 2019. Before QuestBridge, she worked in marketing and in music education in the Bay Area. She is very happy to continue working in the education sphere despite no longer working in the classroom. Outside of work she enjoys playing music, learning new board games, and watching baseball with family and friends.

Jane Hsu Southwick

Director, QuestBridge Scholars Network

Jane grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA and earned her BA in Communications from New York University. Aside from a two year stint in advertising, she has spent ten years building a career on supporting students of diverse backgrounds. Her first jobs after college were teaching English in Taiwan and Ghana. Then she transitioned to student advising and program management at UC San Diego, as well as for-profit and non-profit education companies. After earning her Ed.M. in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she managed international medical fellowships at George Washington University and served as Assistant Director of Career Development at NYU's first degree granting campus in Shanghai, China. Now back in the U.S., Jane is thrilled to contribute to the QuestBridge mission and grow the impact of the QuestBridge Scholars Network. Though she misses the nightlife and cuisine of a big Asian city, she and her family are taking full advantage of California's beautiful weather, mountains and beaches.

MAUREEN KIM

Director, Student Relations

Maureen grew up in Northern New Jersey and attended the University of Michigan, receiving her BA in Communication Studies. After working at a corporate law firm in New York City for a few years, she found her passion for urban education reform by joining Teach for America. After teaching in Newark, New Jersey, she made the cross country move to the Bay Area with her husband and taught for another year in East San Jose. Through her experiences in the classroom, Maureen saw firsthand the impact that equal access to education and opportunities can have on students of low-income communities. She is thrilled to join the QuestBridge team, where she can continue her work in education on a greater scale.

Clay Kingsbury

Program Associate, Partner Relations

Clay grew up in both Fort Lauderdale and Raleigh before moving to Northfield, Minnesota to attend Carleton College. At Carleton he received his BA in History with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. Clay’s first interaction with QuestBridge was as a high school junior, when he was encouraged to apply for the College Prep Scholars Program. After applying for the National College Match, Clay would matriculate at Carleton as a QuestBridge scholar. Clay developed his passion for higher education equity and inclusion work through working for Carleton’s Admission Office as an Access Fellow and volunteering with the QuestBridge Scholars Network. He is thrilled to join the dynamic and collaborative QuestBridge team!

KELSEY KOJETIN

Senior Communications Manager, Student Relations

Kelsey grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and started making her way westward after receiving her B.A. in Journalism and International Studies from Miami University of Ohio. Following graduation, Kelsey moved to Colorado to work with passionate college students in a communications role at Engineers Without Borders USA and she witnessed the impact that the college years can make on both the student and the world. She is thrilled to join the QuestBridge team to help connect more students to the outstanding opportunities that college can provide. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, playing with her dog, and exploring new places around the Bay Area.

Mirae Lee

Associate Data Scientist, Data Science and Analytics

Mirae grew up in nine different California cities and is happy to say that she now lives in one of her favorite. She studied English and digital humanities at Stanford University, looking to pursue new and creative forms of data analysis. She has pursued her passion for activism as well by leading a theater group specializing in promoting representational equity. In combining her interests in data analysis and activism, Mirae completed an MSc in sociology at the University of Oxford, where she researched the effects of grade acceleration on U.S. students’ peer networks. She firmly believes in the storytelling power of data, and is thrilled to be working with QuestBridge in its important mission through data analytics.

MIRIAM LEE

Chief Operating Officer

Originally from a small town in Northern New Jersey, Miriam attended Boston College and graduated with a BA in Human Development and Sociology. She worked for over three years as an Assistant Buyer for a department store before deciding to turn her growing interest in education and student development into a full-time career. It was at Teachers College at Columbia University that Miriam discovered her passion for educational access. She graduated with an MA in Higher Education and went on to be an Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston University. She is excited to be in the Bay Area and working at QuestBridge, where she is able to combine her passion and experiences into helping students reach their academic potential.

Nayeli Lopez

Communications Associate, Student Relations

Nayeli graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Journalism. During her time as a student she was very involved in her community through student government, new student orientation, and various fellowships and organizations. She also worked at San Jose State University as a marketing assistant for Associated Students, where she focused on web design and social media efforts. Through her work and involvement at SJSU, she discovered her passion for student affairs, and desire to seek opportunities to support students coming from underserved communities. She is excited to join QuestBridge where she can advance her career into the realm of student affairs through marketing and communications.

ANA ROWENA MCCULLOUGH, J.D.

Founder and CEO

Ana co-founded the Quest Scholars Program (QuestBridge) with Michael McCullough while an undergraduate at Stanford. For this, she received the Dinkelspiel Award for outstanding contributions to education at Stanford. Ana is Co-Founder and former VP, Content at Shmoop.com, and is a former management consultant at McKinsey & Company. In addition, she worked for five years as a consulting scientist to the Environmental Defense Fund, a national non-profit environmental organization, and served as a research associate for Stanford President Emeritus Donald Kennedy. Ana holds a J.D. degree from Stanford Law School where she focused on environmental and youth law. Together with her husband Michael, Ana serves as Co-Founder of QuestBridge.

MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH, M.D., M.SC.

Founder and President

Michael co-founded the Quest Scholars Program (QuestBridge) with Ana Rowena McCullough following his successful co-founding, direction and institutionalization of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program from 1987-1989. After attending medical school at the University of California San Francisco, Michael trained in emergency medicine at the Stanford University Hospital. In his early years, Michael became the first undergraduate to teach at the Stanford Medical School. Michael attended Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, served as the student advisor to the Oregon State Board of Education, and has successfully founded several local, regional and overseas health related public service projects. Michael, together with his wife Ana, serves as Co-Founder and Co-President of QuestBridge.

VI NGUYEN

Director, Data Science and Analytics

Vi studied economics, computer science, and public policy at Yale University and the University of Chicago. Before joining QuestBridge, she conducted research and cost estimates at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington D.C., and provided analytics and strategy support for executives at the seven City Colleges of Chicago. Vi’s first interaction with QuestBridge was as a high school junior growing up in Iowa when QuestBridge reached out and encouraged her to apply. Having been guided directly by QuestBridge through the college admissions process, she’s excited to come full circle to join the team in this meaningful work. When not talking data/education/tech, Vi explores the Bay Area, looking for opportunities to use her inflatable kayak.

SANDRA OLIVEIRA

Program Manager, Student Relations

Sandra grew up in Somerville, Massachusetts and earned her Bachelor of Science in print journalism with a minor in history. After writing for her hometown paper for a bit, she decided to pursue a Masters in Teaching and went on to teach high school and middle school. She went on to manage various educational research programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School and Harvard Medical School. These experiences, plus her own experience as a first-generation student, led her to go back to school at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education where she earned her second masters in educational policy, with a focus on college access issues. She joins QuestBridge from NYU Wagner, where she was Associate Director of Admissions. She’s excited to work with educators and helping them support students through the QuestBridge process. She, her husband John, and her pitbull rescue Max live in New York City.

HOLLY PAULSEN

Associate Director, Student Relations

Holly is originally from Colorado, just outside of Denver, and still considers herself a Coloradan at heart. She received a BA in English from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. After graduation, she moved to the Bay Area where she spent many years in higher education publishing as a production editor for textbooks in the humanities and social sciences. She first came to QuestBridge in 2012 to assist during the College Match application process, and enjoyed it so much she returned to stay early in 2013. She loves being a part of the team, and enjoys helping outstanding students realize their dreams of attending a top college.

Marla Ross

Program Associate, Student Relations

Marla grew up in a small, rural community in Ohio, and first heard of QuestBridge when she came across a flyer in the mail for the College Prep Scholars program. Her QuestBridge journey ultimately led her to the University of Southern California, where she received a BA in Cognitive Science and minors in Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. During her time at USC, she became involved with multiple organizations seeking to increase college access for students in the surrounding community, and even worked with some high schoolers to fill out QuestBridge applications of their own. After graduating, she pursued a Fulbright English teaching fellowship at Universidad EAN in Bogota, Colombia, which further solidified her passion for working in the realm of higher education and introducing students to little-known resources. She is ecstatic to join the QuestBridge team and grow in equipping students with the tools necessary to realize their academic goals.

ERIC SANSONE

Senior Program Associate, Partner Relations

Eric, a New Hampshirite, initially attended Ithaca College in New York where he studied Spanish, French & Dance but eventually transferred to earn his B.S. in Mathematics-Physics at Keene State College. In the summer of 2011 he held a research internship in Astronomy at the University of Hawaii-Manoa in Honolulu. For three months he researched planetary dynamics in Binary star systems while gallivanting amongst the Hawaiian Islands. After graduating, Eric taught Math, Astronomy, and Mythology at KSC Upward Bound where he met the most talented, resilient, and inspiring population of students he had ever come across after ten years in the classroom. While graduate school in Physics & Astronomy lured him to the Bay Area originally, it was the love of those students that inspired him to remain and join the QuestBridge team.

LESLIE SULLIVAN

Director, Partner Relations

Leslie grew up in rural Northern Wisconsin, with lots of trees, lakes, and wild animals. She then moved out to the East Coast, where she not only earned her BA in Economics at Harvard University, but also began working to help low-income students gain access to higher education by working in financial aid at the university. Besides working in financial aid for over eight years, Leslie also spent time doing education research in Washington DC and working as a project manager for an education technology company before joining QuestBridge in 2011.

GRACE SUN

Director, Alumni Relations

Grace has experience in higher education administration and non-profit communications. Shortly after graduating from Stanford University, she served as a college counselor at an education start-up in the Bay Area. She received an Ed.M. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and then served as the school's Assistant Director of Admissions, and as the communications manager at an educational non-profit in the Boston area. Back in northern California, she returned to her interest in undergraduate admissions by reading applications for Stanford University, and is now happy to contribute to the work of QuestBridge. Grace is originally from Southern California, and spends her free time running after 3 young kids, including a set of twins.

TOMMY YU

Data Scientist, Data Science and Analytics

Tommy grew up in Shanghai, and studied international business & finance at the University of Hong Kong. During college, he co-led a team of volunteers on a trip to Ghana for voluntary teaching and latrine construction, which turned out to be one of his most memorable journeys. After working at Teneo for about a year in Hong Kong, Tommy went on to pursue his passion for the social good, and obtained his MS degree in data science and public policy from the University of Chicago in 2018. He feels truly honored to join the QuestBridge team that has changed the lives of numerous low-income youth. In his spare time, Tommy plays tennis and idolizes Roger Federer. He also loves Broadway musicals, wildlife, dogs, and traveling.