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Management

Kelly Chu

Director

  • Founder and CEO of PA College Prep and Pacific Academy

  • 19 years experience in education 

  • Helped thousands of students get into their dream schools

Counseling

Chris Bonneau

Director of Counseling

  • B.S., Communication, Boston University

  • More than 10 years of counseling experience

Margaret Fajardo

College Counselor

  • Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in the Humanities, University of California, Berkeley

  • Ph.D., Literature, M.A Literature in English, University of California, San Diego

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Michael Lathrop

Assistant Director

/Counselor/SAT&ACT Teacher

  • M.A., English Literature, Portland State University

  • English Composition Professor, UC Irvine and Irvine Valley College

  • 10 years of SAT/ACT teaching

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Laura Hwang

Assistant Director of Counseling

  • M.A., Social Psychology, San Francisco State University 

  • B.A., Psychology, University of California Irvine

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Cedric Papa

College Counselor

  • B.A., Ethnic Studies: Asian-American

  • Minor: History, Cal State Fullerton

  • 5 years of experience teaching high school writing

Science & Math 

Ben Chen

Director of Mathematics

Curriculum

  • SAT Mathematics Specialist. More than 50% of Ben's students have achieved perfect SAT II Math scores.

  • 14 years of SAT teaching experience

Francis Vu

Science & Math Teacher

  • B.S., Biology, UCLA

  • ACT, Math & Science, AP Chemistry and Biology

Gale Eslamian

Math & Science Teacher

  • ​M.S., Biomedical Engineering, UCI

  • B.S., Biomedical Engineering, UCI

  • Over 10 years of teaching experience

Kimberly Beck

Math Teacher 

  • M.A., Educational Technology, San Diego State University    

  • B.A., Sociology, University of California Los Angeles    

  • Administrative Credential University of California Irvine

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David Wen

Math and Science Teacher

  • B.A.,Electrical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

  • TOEFL Certificate

  • High School AP Chemistry & AP Calculus Teacher   

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Matthew Fan

Math Teacher

  • B.A.,Sociology and Minor in Education, University of California, Irvine

  • M.A.,Education, Azusa Pacific University

Catherine Chu

Math Teacher

  • M.S., Computer Science and mathematics, Cal State Long Beach 

  • B.S., Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University

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Mandy Tsai

Math Teacher

  • Ph.D. study in Toxicology, UCLA (1994-1995)

  • M.S. Environmental Science, UCLA

  • B.S. Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

  • B.S. Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

English, Writing & ESL

Christina Banagas

Honor Writing Teacher

IUSD Teacher of the Year

  • MS., Education, University of Southern California

  • BA., English Language and Literature/Letters

Hilary Granado

English Lead Teacher

  • M.A., English Literature

  • B.A., English, UCLA

  • 13 Years teaching experience

  • Designated Subjects Credential and Single Subject Credential - English/ESL 

Jason Hwang

Honor English Teacher

  • University High School Honor English Instructor

  • M.Ed., Education, University of Oregon

Vadim Rubin

English / History Teacher

  •  M.A, Political Science, Columbia University  

  • Teaching credential, UC Irvine

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Francesca Santoro

English & Writing Teacher

  • PhD History, University of Missouri - Columbia

  • M.A., Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, University of California, Berkeley

  • B.A., Classics; B.A., History, University of California, Irvine

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Cristina Jung

English Teacher

  • Northwood High School Teacher

  • M.A., Curriculum and Instruction, Concordia University

  • B.A., English, University of California, Los Angeles

  • Teaching Credential, University of California, Irvine

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Jane Lee

English Teacher

  • B.A.,Political Science and Asian American Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

  • M.A., Public Policy, University of Southern California

Cedric Papa

 English Teacher

  • B.A., Asian American Studies/Minor History,     Cal-State Fullerton

  • Cal State Fullerton Teaching Credential Certification Program

James Kang

English Teacher

  • Single Subject Credential (Social Science), Cal State Fullerton

  • B.A., Liberal Studies & Political Science - Cal State Fullerton

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Alexandros Vassilakis

English & History Teacher

MUN Coach

  • MEd, Secondary Education

  • B.A.,Political and International Studies

  • Social Science 6-12 Teaching Credential

  • Supervising Director at THIMUN (Singapore), SPIMUN (St.Petersburg), NHSMUN (New York City), etc

Jessica Kimi Karatsu

English Teacher

  • SB.A. European Studies, UC Irvine

  • M.A. Teaching, UC Irvine

  • Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, UC Irvine

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Kelley Goodale

English Teacher

  • B.A., Liberal Studies, Cal State Fullerton

  • Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

Shauna Johnson

English Teacher

  • Multiple-Subjects Credential Program, Cal State Fullerton

  • M.S.,Reading, Cal State Fullerton

  • B.A., Liberal Studies, Cal State Fullerton

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Michael Lathrop

Assistant Director/

Counselor/SAT&ACT Teacher

  • M.A., English Literature, Portland State University

  • English Composition Professor, UC Irvine and Irvine Valley College

  • 10 years of SAT/ACT teaching

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Austin Troutt

English & History Teacher

  • Graduated with Single Subject Social Science Credential,University of California, Irvine

  • Master of Arts in Teaching, University of California, Irvine

  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of California, Irvine

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