Ilene Richards is a College Coach at Making Waves Education Foundation where she supports college students in discovering their own, unique paths toward graduation and beyond. She studied English Literature and Astrophysics at Rutgers University and then earned her Masters in Teaching from Brown University. After teaching high school Math and Physics in the Bay Area for over 10 years, Ilene is excited to transition to full-time college coaching and make a positive difference in her community. She will always love the thrill of seeing her students gain confidence in overcoming challenges and finding the freedom and the joy that comes from learning. Ilene loves astronomy, learning languages, rock climbing with friends, and cooking with her family.