Our Officer Team
Co-Founder
Jessie Kang
Hi, I’m Jessie and I am a Junior at Lake Washington High School. When I was 8 years old, I moved to Seattle from Shanghai, China, and I hope to build and help other immigrant students like me! In my free time I love to bake, paint, and play badminton. Please feel free to reach out with any questions!
Co-Founder
Angel Yeung
My name is Angel! I am a senior at LWHS, also a Running Start Student as Bellevue College. I had founded LTMH with Jessie in the hopes of helping other immigrant students like us to have a more fair chance in higher education. I had moved to WA 6 years ago from Hong Kong as an first gen immigrant. In my free time, I like to read, listen to music, running, and hang out with family and friends!
Co-VP
Divya Karthikeyan
Hi!! My name is Divya. I am sophomore in high school and I moved here from Bangalore, India. I am fluent in English and semi-fluent in Hindi and Telugu. In my free time, I love baking with my friends, reading and solving jigsaw puzzles. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Web Developer
Vihaan Rawal
Hello. I am a second-generation immigrant. As an active student involved in various extracurriculars such as robotics, Model United Nations, and Science Olympiad, I have developed a strong passion for leadership, problem-solving, and technology. I joined Letter to My Heritage as a web developer to apply my skills in web engineering to a cause that promotes cultural understanding and education.
Social Media Manager
Diyaa Sree Thoppay
Hi! My name is Diyaa and I’m a sophomore at Lake Washington High School. I’m an immigrant who moved to Seattle from India when I was 12 years old, and I’m looking forward to helping other immigrant students like myself through letter to my heritage! I love creating art, swimming, and playing badminton in my free time!
Outreach
Odmaral Tumenjargal
Hi! My name is Mara and I’m a senior at Lake Washington High School. I moved here from Mongolia when I was eight years old. I enjoy watching movies, hanging out with friends, and going to the gym! I am looking forward to helping other immigrants integrate into their community easier.
Treasurer
Nilla Mugundan
Hi! My name is Nilla Mugundan and I'm a senior at Eastlake High School. As I am currently in the thick of the college application processes, I joined Letter to My Heritage to help others like me navigate college application. In my free time I love trying new restaurants.
Co-VP
Alisa Fedorenko
Hello, my name is Alisa and I am a senior at Lake Washington High School. I was born and raised in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and I moved to the USA in 2017. I know firsthand how difficult adjusting to new schools is, so I am happy to provide help and resources.
Volunteer Coordinator
Berke Yilmaz
Hello, my name is Berke, and I am a senior at Tesla STEM High School. As a second-generation immigrant, I’ve always embraced my heritage by fostering cross-cultural understanding within my community. My passion for cultural preservation has led me to take on leadership with LTMH where I aim to help immigrant students as they navigate their academic and personal paths. In my free time, I love attending concerts, reading, and swimming!
Event Coordinator
Julie Chea
Hi, my name is Julie and I am a junior at Lake Washington High School. As a second generation immigrant, learning about my parents' immigration stories has made me extremely passionate about helping immigrant students. Some of my hobbies include dance, baking, and cake decorating!
Secretary
Laasya Bogadi
Hey! My name is Laasya and I’m and junior at Eastlake high school. My parents immigrated to America a few years before I was born, although I’m American by nationality, my Indian heritage plays a big role in my life. By joining letter to my heritage, I hope to learn more about college admissions process while also helping others on their journey. In my free time. I love drawing and baking!
Heritage Lead
Gabriella Newman
Hi! My name is Gabriella Newman, I am a Junior at Lake Washington High School. I was born in South Africa and lived there until I was 8 when I moved to Ireland, I then immigrated to America in 2020. I love volunteering, reading, watching movies, and hanging with my friends! I am so excited for another year at LTMH, I can’t wait for all that we will accomplish this year as a team!
Heritage Lead
Alisa Fedorenko
Hello, my name is Alisa and I am a senior at Lake Washington High School. I was born and raised in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and I moved to the USA in 2017. I know firsthand how difficult adjusting to new schools is, so I am happy to provide help and resources.
Heritage Lead
Anna Chou
Hello! My name is Anna and I'm a junior at Lake Washington High School. I was born in America, but my mom was not. Through hearing her stories and challenges, I was moved to help others seek the opportunities that my mom did not have, so I joined Letter to My Heritage. In my free time, I enjoy hanging with friends and playing golf.
Heritage Lead
Zhanerke Turar
Hey there! I’m Zhanerke, a sophomore at Lake Washington High School. I moved to Seattle from Kazakhstan when I was 12, and as an immigrant, I know how stressful preparing for college can be. I’m really excited about helping other immigrant students who share similar experiences. In my free time, I love doing pottery, crafting, playing badminton, hiking, and enjoying picnics!
Meet our Advisor
Justin Hopkins
My name is Justin Hopkins and I have been a secondary English teacher in Washington state since graduating from WSU in the spring of 2007. Outside of school I enjoy being a full time father to my two daughters (8 and 5) and visiting the beach as often as possible with the girls and my wife.
One of the greatest joys of my career is getting to work with students who come to my classroom with a new language and culture that enriches our community of learners!
