CHRISTOPHER YANOV is the only person to have earned an Alumni Award from both UC San Diego and the University of San Diego. After working with gang members for five years, Mr. Yanov founded
Reality Changers in 2001 with just $300 and the goal of building first generation college students. During his 18 years with the organization, the program helped produce dozens of Gates Millennium Scholars and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described Reality Changers as "a model for the nation."
Currently, in partnership with former President of Mexico Vicente Fox and First Lady Marta Sahagún de Fox, Mr. Yanov is the Co-Creator of the
Centro Fox Experience, which provides select partners with a unique platform to inspire lifelong leadership. In his free time, Mr. Yanov has appeared on Wheel of Fortune, flown with the Blue Angels, writes books without publishing them, and recently scored a top-ten finish in a competitive, nine-person, stand-up paddleboard race.