Foothill Connect

Meet Our Success Coach Team

Chris Chavez, Program Coordinator

Chris is a Bay Area native, growing up in Saratoga, who has worked at Foothill College on the Foothill Connect Team since June 2017.

After graduating from Saratoga High School, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in History from the University of Michigan. After college, Chris moved back to California to the Sacramento area.

Prior to Foothill, he worked at Sacramento State for six years in the athletic department, as both an academic coach for student-athletes and volunteer assistant for the Hornet Football team. During his time there, he had the fortune of working with a diverse group of students who inspired him to pursue a career in public education.

While in Sacramento, Chris earned a Master's Degree in Higher Education from Drexel University's Center for Graduate Studies, located down the street from the state capitol building. He completed his Master's thesis on the Academic Coaching program at Sac State.

As a Doctoral Student in Ed.D. Leadership program at San Jose State, his intended area of research is in Academic/Success Coaching as it is a relatively new field and there is not much dedicated research on it at this time. Success Coaching is about meeting students where they are at, and helping them develop the executive function and study skills needed to help them succeed in their academic career and beyond. Chris is passionate about this work as not all students come from the same backgrounds and may not have been able to develop these skills, Success Coaching serves an important purpose of making learning equitable by helping students not only develop important skills, but to build confidence and self-agency that will serve them well past their academic careers.

Now living in San Jose, Chris likes to spend his time working out, watching sports, and playing video games.

Kaitlyn Koo, Student Success Specialist

After transferring from Ohlone College, Kaitlyn earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. Zot Zot! Currently, you can find her balancing work with taking classes in San Jose State University's Master's in Higher Ed Leadership program.

As a Success Coach, she meets with students to go over self-regulation skills (like time management) and study strategies (e.g., note-making, reading). She also connects students with campus resources and leadership opportunities. Outside work, she sets aside time for traveling, hiking, volleyball, softball, and exploring new restaurants.

Brandon Younger, Student Success Specialist

Brandon Younger is a Bay Area native who grew up in Oakland and currently serves as the Assistant Head Coach of the Foothill College football program. He is also the Co-Coordinator of the Umoja program.

A proud junior college scholar, Brandon began his academic and athletic journey at College of the Sequoias before earning an athletic scholarship to attend Langston University, an HBCU. He later completed his bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

Affectionately known as “BY” on campus, Brandon is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment that empowers students to succeed academically and athletically. Outside of his professional roles, he enjoys attending live sporting events, swimming, jogging, reading, and spending quality time with his wife, Emily, and their four children.