Elaine Chan

About Elaine Chan

After a successful career designing and managing customer research projects for high-tech firms, government agencies, and educational institutions, Elaine now applies her research and customer-focused skills to help students access and succeed in college. She was inspired to enter the college advising profession after guiding her own two children through the admissions process to UC Santa Barbara/UC Berkeley and the University of Southern California.

As the first in her family to attend college, Elaine is deeply committed to under-resourced and first-generation students. She has worked with students at the Acalanes Union High School District, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, UCSF, Oakland Promise, and the YMCA’s Y-Scholars Program in Berkeley. In 2018, she was awarded an Imagine Grant by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) to design and deliver workshops on careers and affordable college options.

Elaine is dedicated to staying current in the ever-changing college admissions landscape. She participates in professional organizations, attends conferences, tours colleges, collaborates with colleagues, and pursues continuing education on admissions trends. She is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), engages with regional advising groups in the San Francisco Bay Area, and adheres to the Guide to Ethical Practice in College Admission published by NACAC.