Our Organization
Hear Close the Gap’s president and cofounder, Tai Tran, shares how his immigrant and low-income background shaped his personal journey to tech.
Our Story
Through their lived experience as FGLIs (first-generation and low-income), Tai Tran and Jessie Salas cofounded Close the Gap Foundation to mentor and give back to the very community that supported and nurtured their personal and professional growth.
As first-generation and low-income graduates, they experienced firsthand the challenges that students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds face when entering college and the workforce.
“[Close the Gap] cracked the code in helping first-generation and low-income students self actualize during COVID-19.”
- Ceyhun Yakup Özkardes-Cheung, Thrive Global
Meet Our Team
Close the Gap is 100% volunteer-run with leaders from top organizations and institutions. Volunteer with us.
- Tai Tran Cofounder & CEO Airbnb
- Kayla Lee Strategy & Ops Harvard Law
- Anwar DhananiFellowship TELUS
- Elizabeth RobozCompliance Point72
- Kandin AllenFundraising
- Jadyn NgoFellowship Great Minds
- Ruby MoraFellowship Tufts University
- Kathy TranSocial Media UC Berkeley
- Courtney ElstonDonor Relations MIT Sloan
- Fernando FernandezFellowship Yelp
- Diane Chau NguyenFellowship Hayward High School
- This could be you!Volunteer openings Learn more
- This could be you!Volunteer openings Learn more
Meet Our Board
We are advised by industry leaders and educators. Know someone who could help us bridge the opportunity gap? Send us a note to nominate them. Executive board members are also tasked to support our year-round fundraising efforts.
Our Defining Values
At Close the Gap, your individuality is your strength. Volunteering here gives you an opportunity to impact lives, invest in your growth and development, and be part of a fun and diverse team. Together, we can build a future without opportunity gaps.
We drive change through our defining values inspired by the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business’ Defining Principles.
Create change with a smile
We walk into our space knowing that above every cloud, the sky is always blue. We face each social issue with an open mind and optimism. We are pragmatic optimists.
Build impact with agency
We see every challenge as an opportunity for growth and continuously choose to live with agency. We believe in our ability to take ownership and drive change in our lives and for those in our community.
Lean in with empathy
We believe the first step towards positive change is listening. Being data-informed and empathetic doesn’t always need to be mutually exclusive. We take a people-first approach to drive change and serve our community by listening to their stories.
Uplift one another
As we help others close their gaps in life, we’re also working relentlessly to close our own. This means being reflective, creating a safe space, and sharing candid feedback so we can help each other grow. It also means being kind and leaving ego at the door to do right by others.
Celebrating equity and dignity
We remind each other and stay informed of all the situational gaps and diverse experiences that affect us. Those that might seek to divide, but that we know make us all the same: Human. We celebrate togetherness, even if our stories began in spaces far apart.
Get involved!
To fulfill our ambitious mission, we’re looking for passionate individuals to join us to close the gap.
We ask that core volunteer members are able to commit and volunteer at least 15 hours/week. This includes independent work, weekly team plannings, 1on1s, and events.