Advisors

Lucas Abbott

Director

Lucas has been working with youth for well over 20 years in various capacities, including working at outdoor education camps, coaching club and high school volleyball teams and working in various academic enrichment programs. For the last 18+ years he has dedicated his career to the boost@BerkeleyHaas program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. He studied wildlife at Cal Poly Humboldt and after graduating, worked at Lindsay Wildlife Experience for close to five years running their youth programs and outreach environmental education programs until landing at boost where he has been for the past 18 years of his career.

Lucas is passionate about developing and implementing youth mentoring programs that give youth from marginalized backgrounds support when they might not otherwise be supported; witnessing the young people get inspired, grow their self-worth and become empowered by their own abilities is what he has focused his career on. He specializes in developing and implementing engaging curriculum that makes the program participants want to stay actively involved.

Tyrone Wise

Assistant Program Director

Tyrone Wise is navy veteran of 8 years with over 10 years of student affairs experience who graduated from the University of the Pacific with his Bachelors in Psychology and his Masters in Education Administration. Prior to joining boost@BerkeleyHaas, Tyrone was a staff member with the Haas Full Time MBA Program (FTMBA) where he served for 4 years as the Assistant Director for Student Experience and Leadership Development. Aside from his work in the FTMBA program, he co-created the Anti-Racism Challenge at Haas as well as the Dismantling Racism Study and Action Group, along with the Veteran Staff Organization for UC Berkeley. He has served in multiple executive roles for UC Berkeley’s Black Staff and Faculty as Vice Chairman, Chairman and now advisor. In addition to his student service and advocacy work at Haas and UC Berkeley, Tyrone has worked with a community non-profit called the Willie B. Adkins Scholars Project who focuses on helping  inner city kids 8th – 12th grade attain college access and graduate in Vallejo, and Stockton, California.

Vania Ruiz

DCAC College Adviser

Vania Ruiz is the oldest daughter of Mexican immigrants. She is also a first-generation college graduate born and raised in the Bay Area. Vania transferred from the College of San Mateo to UC Berkeley, where she earned her BA in Sociology and minor in Education. At Cal, Vania was involved in programs focused on student empowerment and destigmatizing community college (go community college!) Reflecting on her personal experiences, Vania is passionate about making higher education equitable for low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students. During her free time, Vania enjoys learning, hiking, arts n’ crafts, reading, and running with her two younger siblings.