How It Started?

In the summer of 2012, Kris Hsu and his family traveled to a middle school and an elementary school in Fujian, China. He was surprised to find out that the kids there had never once seen a highlighter or a whiteboard. After weeks of planning, Kris had presentations ready to teach the rural students about his high school life to give them a feel of life outside of the farms. More importantly, he wanted to introduce the students to creativity. To test what the students learned, a small Invention contest was conducted where students sketched a design that would solve a daily problem. Through this contest, we saw that the inventions were very unique. These rural students are very creative and have much potential.

Kristopher Hsu  
Founder & CEO

Kristopher Hsu studied Cognitive Science and Film at UC Berkeley. He got exposed to problems with education firsthand when he travelled to teach rural schools in Fujian, China in 2012. His research with Stanford University's Rural Education Action Program (REAP) has made him want to utilize media to create societal change.  Leading Inspire Creativity Incorporated with his vision of equal education for all, Kris works to improve the academic experience for underprivileged students both domestic and abroad. 

Nathan Choe  
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Nathan Choe’s passion for education and government drove him to help establish Inspire Creativity Incorporated.  Working to turn Kris's vision into a physical reality, Nathan currently handles the nonprofit organization's paperwork, grant applications and budget.

MISBAH KHAN
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Misbah Khan has a non-stop drive to innovate and iterate since the inception of ICI. A computer scientist at heart, he brings his technical edge to ICI’s curriculum development, exploring ways we can integrate STEM concepts into our design workshops.

Valeree Catangay
Director of Curriculum

Valeree Catangay was always interested in service, as a member of Key Club International and the Tree Musketeers. Valeree joined Inspire Creativity Incorporated because it was another way for her to give back. She takes charge of the curriculum, changing it based on the different needs of the schools and students. 

BRANDON CHOE
DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING

Brandon Choe always says that you can't have "fundraising" without "fun". Brandon is an expert at rhetoric and design—and apparently anagrams—and works to make Inspire Creativity Incorporated a reality through managing the website, editing grant applications and creating T-shirts (which can actually be found here).

Maurene Param is described best by the term "Social Butterfly." She is part of her school's sports teams, clubs and student council, which made her a perfect fit for a position that revolves around member recruitment and retention, as well as publicizing the mission, needs and progress of Inspire Creativity Incorporated.

Emely Zeledon
Director of Operations

Emely Zeledon likes to keep things moving. In fact, without her, the volunteers of Inspire Creativity Incorporated would be totally grounded. Emely finds schools and students in need of supplies and inspiration and gets the pencils and people on the road. Emely also finds places where the volunteers can stay, often reaching out to the target schools for host volunteers. 

Sylvia Zeng
President, ICI Europe

Sylvia is a senior at a boarding school in Switzerland. Hoping to elevate rural education during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sylvia initiated monthly online workshops with students in rural Xinjiang and Guangxi. She designed an online summer program, guiding her students towards a more creative way of thinking. She'll continue her ICI journey and launch both online and face-to-face workshops, bringing new ideas and opportunities to rural Chinese students.

Chuhan lin  
PRESIDENT, ICI Rolling hills prep

Chuhan is an international student in grade 12. He organized a model United Nations club, served as the President of the student union, organized speeches on environmental protection, and participated in various public welfare organizations. His favorite motto comes from The Great Gatsby: When you want to criticize someone, remember that they don't have the advantages you once had. Growing up, he noticed most people don’t have the same educational resources. To him, people who have abilities should help those who don't. His mission as ICI president is to have more classmates fulfill their social responsibilities together. See his recent workshops!

yuEXI WEI  
PRESIDENT, ICI PVPHS

Yuexi Wei is a senior at PVPHS. Through comparing her experience with Chinese and American education, she realized that Chinese education often limits students from utilizing their creativity and discovering their potential to become independent thinkers. After joining Inspire Creativity Initiative on its summer teaching trip to China during her sophomore year, she decided to establish a club at her high school to get more students involved in the mission.

JIOH PARK
VICE PRESIDENT, ICI PVPHS

Jioh Park is a student at PVPHS. She spends her free time teaching at Kumon and volunteering to provide food for the homeless. She joined Inspire Creativity Club because she saw it as an opportunity to contribute to local and international communities and to help kids develop their potential for creative thinking. As the Vice President of the club, Jioh organizes fundraisers in and outside of school for the club.

mILANA TATARINTSEVA
SECRETARY, ICI PVPHS

Milana Tatarintseva is on the PVPHS tennis team and is a part of the Model United Nations program. As the secretary of the Inspire Creativity Club, Milana reaches out to elementary schools and schedules teaching days for the club. She enjoys helping others grow their love for learning and collaboration through ICI.

ANNIE WANG
TREASURER, ICI PVPHS

Annie Wang is the artist of the club. She contributed many hours to making posters for club rush and fundraisers. Through Inspire Creativity club, she hopes to encourage others to think outside of the box and apply creative thinking skills to their daily lives.

JAMIE AU
CLUB MEMBER, ICI PVPHS

Jamie Au is a Girl Scout and PVPHS Pep Squad member. Believing that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, she joined the Inspire Creativity Club on its summer teaching trip to China in the summer of 2018 and found it an unique and enriching experience.