Meet Alice

Alice Siu Chao, Ph.D.

Dr. Chao received her Ph.D. from the Department of Communication at Stanford University, with focus in political communication, deliberative democracy and public opinion. She received her B.A. degrees in Economics and Public Policy and M.A. degree in Political Science from Stanford University.  Dr. Chao is currently the Deputy Director at Stanford University's Center for Deliberative Democracy. Outside of the farm, she advises a variety of companies including ResponseLink/Alert1 (a medical alert device company, serves as the Senior Advisor and VP of Deliberative Democracy for ReframeIt, a business technology consulting firm, and previously served as CEO for Elegant Sports, a sporting goods company. She is also an a Honorary Fellow at the University of Hong Kong's Public Opinion Programme. 

Dr. Chao has advised policymakers and political headers around the world, at various levels of government, including leaders in China, United Kingdom, and Brazil. Dr. Chao's research in deliberation and public opinion is widely cited and used by policymakers and governments around the world.

Dr. Chao is a native of San Francisco. She is a product of the San Francisco public school system. As a young child, Dr. Chao studied ballet at Shan Yee Poon Ballet School and continued through college at Stanford. She is married and lives in Palo Alto, CA with her husband and three daughters.

Dr. Chao speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese. 

Meet Michelle

Michelle is a UCLA-certified college counselor with a wealth of experience guiding college-bound students both in the U.S. and internationally. With a B.S. in Molecular Cell & Developmental Biology and Biochemistry, and an M.A.T. in Education, she combines academic rigor with a passion for student success. As a dedicated advocate for women in STEM, Michelle is also a UC Berkeley certified full-stack web developer. Prior to her transition into private consulting, she taught advanced courses in cancer cell biology, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics.

With over a decade of experience in college admissions, Michelle has analyzed trends, reviewed applications, and conducted hundreds of interviews. Her students have earned admission to top-tier institutions, including Ivy League schools, MIT, Stanford, Duke, the University of Chicago, the UCs, MD/PhD programs, and leading liberal arts colleges across the U.S. Known for her ability to inspire, motivate, and collaborate closely with her students, Michelle has placed many into prestigious internship and summer programs such as MIT Launch, COSMOS, the Intel Science Talent Search (STS), Stanford SIMR, Siemens Foundation, and Lockheed Martin Space.

Michelle adopts a holistic approach to student success, with a focus on empowering students to develop strong self-efficacy. Her expertise extends to published works on child development, learning theories, and cognitive behavioral treatment for ADHD. Committed to staying at the forefront of educational consulting, Michelle continues to collaborate with experts in developmental psychology to refine her approach and ensure the best outcomes for her students.

Beyond her work in education, Michelle is a lead software engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area and a product of the Cupertino public school system. In her free time, she enjoys playing chess, learning languages, and spending time with family. She resides in San Francisco with her husband and two sons.

Michelle is fluent in English, Taiwanese, and Mandarin Chinese.