This week, Forbes released its “30 Under 30” list of young leaders who are reinventing the world in 20 different professional fields. TFAS is proud to congratulate five alumni honorees among the class of 2018, including three of the 30 honorees in the category of Law and Policy. Chosen from thousands of nominations world-wide, these five alumni are shining examples of the TFAS Journey – all young leaders who are continuing the TFAS legacy of making a difference in their communities and the world and forging the way for new generations in a free and prosperous society. You can read more about each of the alumni honorees below:
RYAN CHAN (EFL 08)
Forbes “30 Under 30” in Manufacturing & Industry
Ryan Chan came up with the idea for UpKeep, an app that helps blue-collar workers do their jobs, while working as a process development engineer. After work hours, Chan built the mobile-first group collaboration and productivity tool in his mother’s garage. Upkeep now estimates revenue of more than $1.2 million in revenue in 2017 and is trusted by some of the world’s biggest companies including the USDA, McDonalds and Yamaha.
During high school, Chan attended Economics for Leaders (EFL) at Claremont McKenna College in 2008, a program that teaches student leaders how to integrate economic thinking into everyday leadership. EFL is sponsored by TFAS partner organization, the Foundation for Teaching Economics.
TRAVIS NEMBHARD (LSI 11)
Forbes “30 Under 30” in Law and Policy
This summer, Travis Nembhard became the youngest administrative law judge in Washington, D.C. where he oversees hearings and mediations for the D.C. Department of For-Hire Vehicles.
A graduate of Villanova Law School, Nembhard interned at Graves, Horton, Askew & Johns, LLC while participating in the TFAS Legal Studies Institute (LSI) in 2011.
Before becoming a judge, Nembhard worked in the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State Office of the Attorney General and investigated white-collar crime with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
MARY ELIZABETH TAYLOR (IBGA 10)
Forbes “30 Under 30” in Law and Policy
Mary Elizabeth Taylor has led the Senate confirmation of more than 100 nominees this year, including Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch.
She is also a lead White House strategist for dealing with a number of Senate committees.
Taylor participated in the TFAS Institute on Business and Government Affairs (IBGA) in 2010, and in 2012, she was selected as a TFAS Public Policy Fellow, a year-long networking and education program for TFAS alumni.
JASON WILLICK (Novak 17)
Forbes “30 Under 30” in Law and Policy
Jason Willick is a current Robert Novak Journalism Fellow at TFAS, where he is spending his year-long fellowship writing on the topic “Not Your Parents’ Culture War: The New Battles Over Speech, Sex and Identity.”
His Forbes “30 Under 30” profile highlights his work confronting cultural issues such as nationalism, political correctness and identity politics, and demonstrating how to accommodate diverse points of view while preserving liberal institutions.
Formerly a staff writer for The American Interest, Willick is now assistant editorial features editor for The Wall Street Journal.
ELVIS ZHANG (EFL 15)
Forbes “30 Under 30” in Social Entrepreneurship
At 13 years old, Elvis Zhang moved to the U.S. and began pursuing research on combatting pollution. From his studies, he built many products and ultimately created Oxy2, a company built to create cleaner cities and improve people’s lives through science and design. Now 19, Zhang focuses on Oxy2 at Stanford’s Designership Press.
Zhang participated in FTE’s Economics for Leaders (EFL) program at Brown University as a high school student in 2015.