Van began his journey at Byrnes High School, where he served as Student Body President and was involved in Leadership Byrnes, Junior Leadership Spartanburg, and the Beta Club. These early experiences sparked a passion for education, economic mobility, and community engagement, which continued to grow during their time in the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, a full-ride merit scholarship program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. 

While in college, Van served on UNC’s Public Service Awards Committee, as a Senior Advisor in UNC Student Government, and as a 6th-grade mentor in the SMART Mentoring Program. He was also an Entrepreneurship Coach and Programming Lead for echoReverb, a youth entrepreneurship incubator, playing a role in empowering middle and high school students to turn their ideas into action. He ultimately graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UNC and a certificate in Ethics & Society from Duke University. 

Today, Van brings his passion for problem-solving and leadership into the professional world. He has gained experience through internships on Wall Street and at the White House, where they developed a deep understanding of the financial sector and public policy. He is a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles, California, focusing on helping organizations address complex challenges and drive meaningful change.