Our Family consists of people from every walk of life. We pride ourselves on being a team aligned in our mission. We extend our sincere Love and Gratitude to all of the incredible Donors and Volunteers that enable us to build a vision of a more equitable world. Ask any one of the individuals below why they contribute to the iRise University Initiative and they will all tell you the same thing:

We believe in Equal Opportunity for everyone, period.

iRise University’s Staff, Team and More…

Dominic Gonzalez

A radiant personality; Dominic is known to be the life of any room he steps into. Bringing joy, authenticity, and Love to every iRise University Event that he is apart of is what makes him so special. For nearly a decade; Dominic has been bringing his electric charisma to students, and helping to accomplish the iRiseU Mission along the way. You are most likely to find him at the Battle Arena during our Science of Habits Event, cheering on students as they learn the value of using Exercise to process Negative Emotion.

Lead Program Coordinator

Francisco Treminio

Francisco (or Frank) is a World-Class Youth Engagement Specialist. A young man with an incredible background; he uses his life experience to inspire students at the highest level. A founding member of the iRise University Family; Frank embodies the Heart and Soul of our Mission to bring Equal Opportunities to young people everywhere. You can find him telling fun, interesting, and at times; intense stories during our Habits 4 Life Event.

Founding Member, Keynote Speaker

Angela Colo

A woman with outstanding attention to detail, Angela is the glue that keeps iRise University together and running smoothly. Bringing with her an infectiously upbeat and kind-hearted attitude, she makes every iRiseU Event feel special and carefully constructed. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, and a wonderfully empathetic personality, Angela brings together the pragmatic planning and the idealist vision that makes our Organization so special. Making sure Donations reach the people who need them the most, we are incredibly grateful to have her talents on our team. You can find her on the floor at most iRiseU Events, making friends and learning from guests how we can improve our Programs.

Operations Manager, Program Designer

Nathan Boyle

Someone who is generationally gifted at making people smile, Nathan (or Nate) elevates every situation he is involved in. A Social Chameleon and artistic talent, Nate can pretty much do it all. A master of every function of iRiseU’s Event Suite; he brings sharp professionalism contrasted with warm conversation to every participant that he touches. Nate isn’t hard to find; look for the tallest man in the room, and you’ll find him surrounded by laughter and engagement.

Lead Program Coordinator

Allan Ashenfelter

If you are ever wondering where the beautiful photography and videography comes from on our website or our social media; Allan is the genius behind the magic. A young man with over a decade of formal media training and experience; we cannot say enough great things about the work that he is able to accomplish. His vision, skillset, equipment and presence of mind are second to none; and we would put his work against anyone in the world. You are unlikely to find Allan at an iRiseU Event… not because he isn’t there, but because he has mastered the ability to shoot his scenes without disrupting our interactions.

Marketing, Media, and Outreach Director

Daniel Petrille

Program Designer, Lead Program Coordinator

A beautiful and creative mind, Daniel (or Dan) brings innovation, science, and discipline to our art. With a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work; he brings expertise from his practice into our forum. One of the things Dan does best is keeping our team laser focused on the ultimate mission; bringing Equal Opportunities to young people who need them the most. His leadership and passion has a virality that encourages those around him to stay sharp. Dan is a jack of all trades; he can facilitate iRiseU Events at incredibly high levels, while also having the skillset to step behind the scenes to help create academically and socially impactful curricula. You’ll find him wherever he’s needed most.

Branden Hines

Founder, Executive Director, Keynote Speaker

The vision that led to the formation of the iRise University Initiative was born in a gymnasium by Branden at the age of 8. Born with a rare Heart Condition; Branden was named a National Spokesperson for the American Heart Association after his third heart surgery. Asked to tell his story in front of hundreds of students, staff, and even local news cameras, he was nervous and apprehensive. Encouraged by his Grandmother to “Be Yourself”, Branden spoke in front of a crowd for the first time in 2008. 10 years, hundreds of speaking engagements, and incredible amounts of support later; he founded iRiseU at the age of 18. At the core of Branden’s drive is the understanding of what it means to have less Opportunity than others; it doesn’t have to be anyone’s fault, but it is a problem that we all can benefit from addressing for our communities. More access to Opportunities for young people means more valuable input for our society; more solutions to our world’s toughest problems. Branden spends his days helping to construct a positive path forward for everyone; Fundraising, Community Building, Public Speaking, and developing the team at iRise University.

The extraordinarily talented individuals that sit on our Board of Advisors help to ensure that our work is as effective, transparent, and impactful as it possibly can be. We extend our sincere thanks to the skilled professionals on this Board for taking the time out of their demanding lives to help further our mission of bringing Equal Opportunity to students everywhere.

iRise University’s Advisory Board

Dr. James Presbrey; Ed.D.

Educational Programs & Curriculum Advisor

Currently serving as Vice President of the American Heart Association’s Youth Market, Dr. Presbrey brings decades of experience in the Non-Profit and Education spaces. As a Doctor of Education; his enthusiasm for, and expertise in Kinesthetic Learning is an incredibly valuable asset to the iRise University mission. Dr. Presbrey helps consult our team on matters of Curriculum and Programming; ensuring that everything we do meets and exceeds academic standards.

Dr. Kia McCray; DSW, LSW

Community Outreach & Curriculum Advisor

Dr. McCray is an incredibly bright and helpful partner of our mission at iRise University. With over 20 years of experience working with diverse populations of adults and youth; she brings with her an invaluable expertise in matters of Social and Emotional Learning. A Published Author, Adjunct Professor, and Doctor of Social Work; Kia helps advise our team on matters involving Curriculum, Donation Placement, and Community Building.

Dr. Robert Johnson; Ed.D.

Educational Programs & Curriculum Advisor

With over 2 decades as an Educator and Child Care Director, Dr. Johnson is truly a one of a kind professional. He brings with him the ability to marry together the strict Academic Discipline of ensuring program efficacy, and the skill to implement Advanced Educational Processes in the classroom. A Doctor of Education; Robert lends his expertise to the team at iRise University on matters of Curriculum and Program Design.

Marybeth Goldstein

Community Outreach & Non-Profit Functions Advisor

A stellar individual with World-Class experience as an Executive Board Member for the International Non-Profit Work Play Love; Marybeth is a standout addition to our Advisory Board. As an accomplished Fundraiser, Business Owner, and Philanthropist, Marybeth helps to advise the team at iRise University on matters of Fundraising, and Non-Profit Functions.