2024-25 EXECUTIVE BOARD
ROBERT MCPHIE
PRESIDENT
Robert McPhie is a dedicated leader with a deep commitment to community service. An Eagle Scout and active member of Irvine's High School Youth Action Team, Robert has shown remarkable initiative in bringing people together for a greater cause. As co-president of the Orange County Interfaith Youth Alliance, he united students from diverse faith backgrounds to work on impactful projects that strengthened their local community. His leadership during Global Youth Service Day in both 2023 and 2024 earned him a Hershey’s Heartwarming Hero grant and a Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation youth grant. Beyond his volunteerism, Robert competes as a varsity rower at the Newport Aquatic Center and serves as a member of the Huntington Beach Junior Guards. Robert is a junior at Pacifica Christian High School in Newport Beach.
EVIE JACKSON
VICE PRESIDENT
Evie Jackson brings energy and heart to everything she does. Now in her fourth year of volunteering with Open Sesame Coding for Kids, she’s passionate about making a difference in young lives. A senior at Mater Dei Catholic High School in Santa Ana, Evie shines both on and off the field. She plays for the girls' soccer and flag football teams and competes in the academic decathlon. Outside of school, her love for soccer continues as she plays for the Irvine Pateadores. Evie's dedication to service and her community truly sets her apart.
RYE MAUHAY
TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
Rye Mauhay, a senior at Irvine High School, finds immense joy in serving his community, and has been volunteering with Code Open Sesame since 2021. As the vice president of his school’s CyberPatriot Club, Rye has been a steady, encouraging presence for his teammates, helping them win the distinguished gold-tier team award in cybersecurity competitions. His musical talents shine as a violist in the Philharmonic Orchestra, and he’s honored to have played with the Irvine Unified School District Honors Orchestra. Rye plans to study Mathematics in college, driven by his passion for computers, cybersecurity, and math. In his free time, Rye enjoys gaming and honing his cybersecurity skills.
ARYANNA LEE
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Aryanna Lee’s passion for service shines through in everything she does. As the founder of Mementos of Memory, a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Aryanna is dedicated to improving the lives of memory disorder patients through innovative approaches like art therapy, technology, and advocacy. In addition to her nonprofit work, she serves as the chief operating officer of Sunrise Venture Inc. Aryanna’s commitment to making a difference has earned her the prestigious President's Volunteer Service Award Gold Medal for two consecutive years, recognizing her 500+ hours of service to underserved communities. She also plays a key role as a class representative for the City of Irvine's High School Youth Action Team, working to uplift and engage her peers in meaningful community service.
CONNOR CHAN
VOLUNTEER LEAD
Connor Chan is a dynamic and compassionate leader, blending academic achievement, athletic talent, and a genuine love for helping others. At University High School, he serves as Treasurer of the California Scholarship Federation, contributes to Future Business Leaders of America, and shines as a starter on the Varsity golf team. Beyond the classroom and course, Connor’s heart for service truly stands out. For the past two years, he has volunteered as a junior golf coach with First Tee of Orange County, teaching underserved kids not just golf, but valuable life skills through the game. In his free time, Connor enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, finding joy in cooking and sharing his culinary creations with friends and family.
ADVISORSY BOARD
MILAN NARULA
Co-Founder & Senior Advisor for Outreach
Since she was in middle school, Milan Narula has been dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged children. In 2015, Milan began volunteering with special needs children and their siblings at Intervention Center for Early Childhood, at-risk youth at KidWorks in Santa Ana, and homeless children through School on Wheels. Milan has absolutely loved this work. She has earned numerous awards and accolades for her community service: Spectrum News profiled Milan’s extensive volunteer work in a 4-minute video here, and the Orange County Register named her to their list of Top 100 Most Influential People in Orange County. Milan spent the pandemic tutoring kids experiencing homelessness, including one student who has worked with Milan since the summer of 2018. Milan is a junior at University of California Los Angeles, and intends to become a teacher one day so she can continue her life's passion of helping kids.
JESSICA SHAW
Community Service Advisor
Jessica Shaw has been a dedicated volunteer with Code Open Sesame since 2017, bringing enthusiasm and a passion for service to the organization. Now studying Business Administration at UC Irvine, she continues to apply her leadership skills and commitment to helping others. In high school, Jessica was actively involved in track, Model United Nations, and orchestra, showcasing her diverse talents and drive. Outside of her academic and volunteer pursuits, she enjoys playing the guitar and staying active through regular workouts, balancing her busy life with creativity and fitness.
EMILY McPHIE
Senior Advisor for Communications Strategy
Emily McPhie is a dynamic leader in digital communications and community empowerment. As the Digital Communications Manager at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, she combines her passion for storytelling and design to drive impactful initiatives. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with degrees in communication design and writing, Emily honed her leadership skills as managing editor of the campus newspaper. Her dedication to using technology for social good began in 2015 when she founded Code Irvine, an initiative to make computer science more accessible to children. Recognized for her creativity and service, Emily was named Orange County Graphic Design Artist of the Year in 2018 and has received both the Prudential Spirit of Community Award and the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS
BRIAN LE
Brian Le is a graduate of Woodbridge High School in Irvine. He enjoys playing basketball, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family.
JADEN CHEN
Jaden Chen is an undergrad at Boston University. He plays water polo and teaches swimming. In his free time, Jaden likes to play basketball and go to the beach with friends when he’s back home in California.
DYLAN SOONG
Dylan Soong is a graudate of University High School, where he served as founder and co-president of the school’s Machine Learning Club, a member of the Computer Science Club, and played trombone in band. He is also a nationally ranked olympic recurve archer who has been shooting for nine years. In his free time, Dylan enjoys playing volleyball and piano.
KAILI CHEN
Kaili Chen studies at Cal Poly SLO. In high school, he played soccer, served on Student Council, delivered meals through Irvine's Meals on Wheels program, and volunteered at the Second Harvest Food Bank. When he's not studying or volunteering, Kaili enjoys hanging out with friends to play soccer or video games.
ETHAN JACKSON
Ethan is a graduate of Mater Dei High School, and enjoys water polo, surfing, and swimming.
KAYLEY CHAN
Kayley Chan is a graduate of University High School where she partcipated in Varsity Song, Student Council, and Girls Who Code. Kayley is a Kode with Klossy Scholar and a Girl Scouts Gold Award and Presidential Service Award winner. Outside of school, Kayley loves fashion, dancing, and baking.
CHIRAG SINGH
Chirag Singh studied CS/EE at UCLA. He has been coding since 6th grade and is excited to share this skill with others. In high school, he enjoyed debating for the Troy Speech and Debate Club, as well as teaching debate and judging middle school debate competitions. His also loves soccer, whether playing for his school and club teams, watching La Liga or playing FIFEA.
MONSIE PALABRICA
Monserrat Palabrica graduated in Computer Science from the University of California Irvine, and has returned to her beautiful home in the Bay Area, where she is a Bioscience Research Associate at SRI International. In her spare time, Monsie loves watching movies, going to concerts, and attending hackathons.
ARYAN MATHER
Aryan Mather studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has competed on robotics teams at the national and international levels. In addition to volunteering with Code Open Sesame, Aryan has served in the Technology Tutoring Program at the Lakeview Senior Center, using his enthusiasm for technology and related skills to improve the lives of senior citizens.
EVELYN WU
Evelyn Wu is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Woodbridge High School, where she served as treasurer of the Girls Who Code club, and the Mu Captain for Mu Alpha Theta club. She also served as a programmer for STEAMpunks BRAVO, her school's robotics team.