Nathan Wang
Founder and Executive Director
Nathan is a s He started FYJI out of interest in writing and journalism and care for middle school students who lack the same level of exposure to journalism that high schoolers may have. In his free time, he enjoy baking, taking photos of food and scenery, and spending time with family and friends.
Jiaying Hou
Managing Director
Jiaying is currently studying at Cornell University and has experience writing investigative, features, and news stories. She is deeply committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and bringing forward diverse perspectives through journalism. She joined FYJI with the goal of expanding access to journalism education for all students, and to share her passion for storytelling with others.
Emily Zhou
Vice President of Programs
Emily is a senior at Irvine High School and serves as the Executive Editor and News Editor for the award-winning student newspaper, El Vaquero. A passionate journalist, she is also a writer and student advisory board member for several youth journalism platforms, including the LA Times’ High School Insider. Emily joined FYJI to mentor younger students, helping them discover and pursue their voices through journalism. In her free time, she likes hanging out with her friends and reading books.
Kaitlyn Kou
Director of Creative Programs
Kaitlyn is a current senior at West Ranch High School. Her specialty lies in creative writing, specifically science fiction and flash fiction. With FYJI, she aims to embed more creative writing opportunities in secondary classrooms. She's a lover of historical fiction, embroidery, and abusing the em-dash.
Claire Xiao
Director of Operations
Claire is a senior at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. She took photojournalism in tenth grade and wrote several news features from sixth to ninth grade. By joining FYJI, she hopes to inspire other students develop a passion in journalism and writing as a whole. She runs an entrepreneurial keychain business digitally.
Sheryl Turner
Advisor
Sheryl is Local News Pasadena's Publisher and Pasadena Media Foundation's Founder. When not saving local news, she devotes her spare time to finding the best meatloaf in town.
Phil Hopkins
Advisor
Phil is the Associate Publisher of Local News Pasadena. He is a 35-year resident of the city. Phil has won several national awards for magazine photography and received multiple Southern California Journalism Awards for news reporting and commentary. His favorite local delicacy is the Combo Grinder at Connal's.
Email: philh@localnewspasadena.com