EXECUTIVE BOARD
AYAN SAYANI
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President and Founder
Ayan Sayani is a Senior at Payton College Prep. He is passionate about behavioral economics, entrepreneurship, and investing. In addition to founding YSEA in 2022, Ayan co-manages the Payton chapter, where he coordinates guest speakers and creates content for the curriculum. Ayan has also created his own clothing brand to raise awareness for South Asian domestic violence and raise funds for community events and counseling resources. His team for the Wharton Investment Competition has also seen success as global semi-finalists, in which he was the Cheif Executive Officer of his team. Outside school, he serves as a youth commissioner on the Mayor's Youth Commission where he works to consult the Mayor's team on issues of sustainable economic development with his neighborhood development working group. Within the community, he works as a community health navigator to guide youth to mental health resources and find resources for domestic violence. In his free time, Ayan loves to skate, write for the Chicago Junior Economist, and play Table Tennis at regional and national tournaments.
CARLOS MURILLO
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Carlos Murillo, Chief Financial Officer, is a Senior at Whitney Young High School. He is particularly passionate about finance, economics, and music. At his school, Carlos runs the investment team, which placed top 10 in the Investing Challenge USA competition.Additionally, Carlos serves as the Director of Communications at the Junior Economic Club of Chicago. There, he handles member communications, facilitates onboarding, and helps plan events. On top of that, he served as the Editor in Chief of the Chicago Junior Economist, a publication that gives students a path to produce their own articles to a public market. Outside of business and economics, Carlos is an avid musician. He is a member of the Ravinia Jazz Scholars, a prestigious program that incorporates the best young jazz musicians in Illinois. In his free time, Carlos enjoys watching Formula 1, playing soccer, and creating music with others.
Daniel Garin Vila
Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Daniel Garin Vila is a Senior at Walter Payton College Prep and the Chief Technology Officer for YSEA. Daniel joined YSEA to continue to pursue his passion for finance and technology. He seeks to use the constant advancements made in the field of technology to promote entrepreneurship and bridge the gap in socio-economic disparities. Apart from YSEA, Daniel is an active member in his community and school. He is on the varsity tennis team for his school and a member of the Spanish Honor Society. Daniel also enjoys writing for his school newspaper, The Paw Print, and is a member of Walter Payton's Model United Nations team. Daniel has earned numerous awards at Model United Nations, using his interest in economics to develop his geopolitical arguments. In his free time, Daniel loves to volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, play sports with his friends and watch his favorite tennis players with his family.
Anzar Ebrahim
Chief Strategy Officer
Anzar Ebrahim is Chief Strategy Officer for the YSEA executive board and Co-President for the Whitney M Young High School YSEA branch. His unyielding persistence in the art of business in addition to his knowledgeability in the stock market displays his expertise in the field of entrepreneurship. In school he is the competitions manager and board member for the Investment team, which has competed in the Wharton Global and Investopedia competitions as well as placed top 10 in the USA Investing Challenge. Outside of school, he is a Boy Scout with a multitude of accolades, and will soon achieve the highest rank which is Eagle Scout. With the Boy Scouts of America organization, he has devoted years of experience assisting communities and providing leadership for others. Furthermore, he has worked as designer and group manager for the Be Your Own Boss internship, pitching ideas and developing new products. Through his experience in business and networking with YSEA, he created a non-profit organization called “The BENCH Initiative'' which provides youth from under-resourced communities attain gym memberships and free training. Anzar’s athletic endeavors include sports such as volleyball, powerlifting, soccer, basketball, and track. He has a keen interest in activities such as investing, personal training, music, philosophy, Model United Nations, politics, and film. Fun fact about Anzar is that he can speak three languages and is learning two more!
Khadeeja Ahmed
Assistant Technology Officer
Khadeeja Ahmed is a sophomore attending Lane Tech High School. Her role on the YSEA executive board is Assistant Technology Officer. Her growing interest in business, technology, and entrepreneurship encouraged her into becoming a part of the YSEA board. She wants to create a positive impact with her peers on society by encouraging others to pursue their interests in entrepreneurship. Aside from being on the YSEA board, she further pursues her interests at school where she is a part of business clubs, women empowerment in entrepreneurship groups, and has attended a few online sessions at UIC to develop her knowledge in coding and creating websites. Apart from business related activities, she is also passionate about the medical field and literature. She has attended Ortho Reach programs at The University Of Chicago, has volunteered at local pharmacies, and is a part of Future Doctors of Lane Club. Khadeeja did also attend a scholarship program called High Jump, has been awarded with The Silk Road achievement award in literature, and volunteers at FORA to tutor refugees. She enjoys being on the Track team, hanging out with her friends and family, and listening to music.
Nathal Berhane
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Chief Strategy Officer
Nathal Berhane is a junior at Walter Payton and is a Chief Strategy Officer at the YSEA. Nathal is an accomplished caregiver, athlete, and community member. He has spent over four years taking care of his twin siblings and has volunteered his time to tutor individuals. Nathal has a deep appreciation for the importance of health and well-being, which is reflected in his dedication to fitness and wellness. Nathal has participated in varsity cross country along with working out at a gym and informing others on how to succeed in said fields. He has also served as a Student Ambassador for his school, representing the school to prospective students and their families. He is committed to creating a sustainable and equitable world by participating in best buddies and other service clubs.
Nathal's diverse experiences and entrepreneurial mindset make him a valuable asset to any team or organization. He has a passion for finance and a track record of success in managing finances and developing profitable ventures. Nathal's dedication to helping others and creating a better world, coupled with his financial expertise, position him as a valuable asset to any team or organization he is a part of.
Evan Smith
Director of Communications
Evan Smith is a junior at Walter Payton College Prep High School and acts as the Director of Communications on the YSEA executive board. He joined the YSEA executive board in order to further develop his interest in business and finance by providing help to the operation and development of YSEA. He started attending YSEA meetings as soon as the club came to Payton and has shown commitment to the club ever since. In addition to YSEA, Evan has reached the semifinal round of the Wharton Youth Investment Competition with his team where he served as Market Conditions Analyst while developing their winning strategy. Outside of business related activities, Evan is a varsity tennis player at Payton where the team has seen a lot of success. In addition, he is a member of the 2023 Leading WIth Heart class that works with A Giving Heart Foundation in conjunction with Lurie’s Children’s Hospital to raise money for kids with Congenital Heart Disease. These funds go to preventative research and purchasing medical devices that help when surgery is required. Evan’s interests also include spending time with friends and watching movies.
Bianca Marchan
Head of Community Relations
Bianca Marchan is currently a Junior at Lane Tech College Prep High School. She is the Head of Community Relations for the YSEA Executive Board and is Ambassador of the Lane Tech YSEA branch. She joined YSEA Executive Board because she has grown passionate about YSEA and would like to help expand YSEA to help foster positive relationships between YSEA and individuals/organizations. She has a passion for business, finance, law and politics. Aside from business and entrepreneurship, she engages in the National Spanish Honor Society where she serves as treasurer. As treasurer she is in charge of collecting all funds due to the club and keeping the records of membership fees and dues. She is in charge of coordinating the collection and distribution of our funds. She was also awarded the 2022 Northern Illinois Affiliated Winner for the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award, a prestigious and notable award for young women engaged in Computer Science and STEM. Some of her hobbies and interests include Softball, Art, Debate, Cybersecurity and being part of the National Spanish Honor Society. In her free time, she helps coach her sisters softball team and volunteers as a mentor to her local Chicago Park District.
Samin Hemani
Assitant Marketing Officer
Samin Hemani is the Assistant Marketing Officer for YSEA. Outside of her work at YSEA, Samin is also an active volunteer at her local religious center, where she teaches children about religious values during their early childhood. She is passionate about imparting knowledge and inspiring young minds to embrace their beliefs and live a meaningful life. Samin's commitment to her work and volunteer activities is a testament to her character and values. She is a dedicated individual who is always willing to go the extra mile to achieve her goals. Her positive attitude and willingness to help others have earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues and peers.
Brandon Leib
Assistant Strategy Officer
Brandon Leib is currently a junior at Walter Payton College Prep High School. He serves as an Executive Strategy Officer on the YSEA Strategy Board. He began work with YSEA by winning a business pitch competition and would go on to join the Executive Board shortly after. He became involved in YSEA because of his passion for business and entrepreneurship. He has grown that passion through a Georgetown entrepreneurship course and the Junior Economic Club of Chicago, in which he has been a member for two years. Other extracurriculars he is involved in include Model United Nations, where he is a varsity member and has chaired committee, the Payton Prodigy, a school newspaper that he is an executive writer for, and French Honor Society. In his free time, he fundraises for the A Giving Heart Foundation, which he became involved with when he was accepted into their teen leadership development program, Leading With Heart. He also enjoys sports, and has played a different one for his school every year. His interests include spending time with friends, music, and video games.