Student Club Members

Adrianna Nguyen is serving as the Director of Design of Improving Vietnam’s Student Club. She contributes her time teaching other students how to dance, Associated Student Body as Vice President of Special Events, Pre-med volunteering, Vietnamese Student Association, and Interact Club to list a few. She believes that being able to provide help to make one’s life more bright, is time worth committing to. As she is entering her next chapter in college, she is interested in studying pre-med in desire to become a future OBGYN to work with pregnant women and help their families in need. She decided to participate in Improve Vietnam because she comes from a first generation, immigrant Vietnamese family and wants to help provide for families in need no matter the distance. 

As the director of design, Adrianna is responsible for creating the club’s visual materials. She collaborates with other officers to plan the overall aesthetic for projects to capture the club’s values of kindness and community.

Annie Michaelsen serves as the graphic designer at Improving Vietnam. She loves spending time outdoors hiking, walking, or being in the sun and loves baking for friends and family! She is the assistant coach for a second grade soccer team and a frequent community volunteer. She has volunteered for many organizations, such as JPMorgan Chase, and Surf Rider Program. In the past, she has developed her experience in digital media through opportunities such as school newspaper design, website design, as well as other official graphics for companies and clubs such as Gardening Club. She is planning on majoring in psychology and cognitive science in order to better understand and support individuals with behavioral needs. She is extremely passionate about helping others and is excited to contribute her compassion to Improving Vietnam’s effort of supporting communities in need. 

Annie Michaelsen has helped greatly in designing Improving Vietnam’s logo and also helps with designing the website. These projects have benefitted from her artistic eye and passion for creativity. 

Amelie Ibel is a high school junior at Punahou School. She has always wanted to help people, which led her to join this organization. She joined Cindy Nguyen on a trip to help the vulnerable in Vietnam, namely cancer patients and their caregivers, elders, and school-aged children. This firsthand experience of helping people who were truly in need is what really drove her to join Improving Vietnam.  Right now, she's focused on working with this nonprofit, school, and college applications. She is passionate about helping others and giving back to the community. When in college she wishes to pursue a career in social service.

Ella Taraborelli serves as Treasurer Aid and Web-designer for Improving Vietnam's Student Club. With a dedicated team, she designed and developed the organization’s official website. As Treasurer Aid, she helps handle incoming donations and finances of the organization. A dedicated athlete, she has played volleyball for eight years and recently began coaching. In her free time, she enjoys bird watching with her dad and volunteers as a bird tour lead. Ella dreams of attending a University of California campus to major in cognitive science, drawn by her fascination with the human mind and behavior. She found cognitive science to be the interdisciplinary major she was searching for, which offers both a broad skill set and a deep exploration of human behavior. While her exact career path remains open, she hopes to use the knowledge she would gain through this major—perhaps combined with her interest in biotechnology—to help others. Rather than waiting for the future to make a difference, Ella joined this organization to help people now and support them in achieving their dreams. 

Emily Hypes is serving as the Social Media Manager. In her free time she plays soccer, volunteers at homeless shelters, bakes, and bonds with her cats. She works at the YMCA as an after school teacher for kids. She enjoys helping others to create positive change in their lives and building supportive communities. She joined Improving Vietnam to help establish more opportunities for others, while also improving the care they receive. Continuing her education in college, she plans to study Human Biology at a University of California to later become a Sports Medicine Physician. 

As Social Media Manager, Emily Hypes handles all the social media programming and promotion. She works to design and create posts and handles the Public Relations side of the Student Club.

Georgia Martinez is the Director of Fundraising. She loves to bake, especially for others, and enjoys spending her free time with her cat and dog. Since 2017, she has been actively involved with Meals on Wheels, volunteering and supporting their mission to serve the community. Her dream major is Sociology because she wants to learn how to solve real-world problems, help communities, and make the world a fairer place. Georgia decided to join Improving Vietnam to make a real difference by helping people who don’t have much access to basic necessities.

As Director of Fundraising, Georgia Martinez works to brainstorm fundraising plans for the Student Club to carry out. When she’s not doing this, she does what she can to help other Student Club members, and has contributed greatly to the website. 

Marcel Hsu is the Director of Recruiting of Improving Vietnam. He joined the organization because he wants to make a positive impact and help improve the lives of people in Vietnam. Marcel is still exploring what he would like to study in college but is interested in finding a path where he can help others and make a difference. His hobbies include playing soccer, which he has done for most of his life, spending time with friends, and cooking, something he has been able to do for the homeless alongside his dad.

As Director of Recruiting, Marcel Hsu works with new members who would like to join Improving Vietnam. He briefs them about our organization and what we do, as well as ensures that they are committed and are the correct fit for us.

Phoebe Seigel is the Student Club Secretary. She is contributing to Improving Vietnam because she believes that everyone should have equal opportunity for a safe and happy life. She is interested in majoring in Political Science, and wants to expand and preserve democracy in the US. She was a youth advisor  with the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and is the arts ambassador for her school’s ASB. She enjoys reading, sewing, and journaling. 

As secretary, Phoebe records meeting notes, and makes sure Student Club members know their roles and current club affairs and responsibilities. 

Vy Vu is the Associate Director of Fundraising. She loves to collect mickey ears, try new foods, and do different clubs at her school such as HOSA, Key Club, Polynesian Club, Filipino Student Union, and Vietnamese Student Association. Her goal is to major in nursing and pass the NCLEX for a registered nurse title so she can pursue her dream to become a pediatric oncology registered nurse. Vy loves working with kids and contributing any help she can offer to those in need. As a child of first generation immigrant parents who worked endlessly to provide for Vy, she finds this organization very personal to her heart and wants to help any of those in need to give them a fair chance at a brighter future. 

As Associate Director of Fundraising, Vy Vu helps pitch ideas for fundraisers, promotion, and recruiting others to help donate to Improving Vietnam Nonprofit.