For more than 35 years, Making Waves has believed that every young person deserves access to opportunity. 

Thanks to our community and the vision and commitment from our founders John and Regina Scully, we support thousands of students from middle school through college. Wave-Makers are thriving, attending and graduating from college at rates that exceed their peers across the country. 

And yet, the workforce our students are entering is changing. 

We keep hearing from our students and alumni: a college degree alone is no longer a guarantee of economic mobility. Too many graduates are underemployed – working hard, but not yet reaching the futures they set out to achieve. 

We have helped students across one critical threshold. Now, we’re going further. 

At Making Waves: Preparing students to thrive in both college and career

At Making Waves Academy, we are launching a college and career model that prepares students to thrive in both college and the workplace.

From middle school through high school, every Wave-Maker will engage in career exploration, work-based learning, and professional skill-building – alongside the college advising we already provide. Making Waves Education Foundation’s college coaching program will be integrated into the Academy, bringing everything under one roof so students experience a more connected, more powerful path from day one.

The Foundation will continue to fund scholarships and manage the Making Waves Academy campus, providing the stability and resources that make this model possible.

At Ridgeline: A new nonprofit to connect high schoolers to in-demand career pathways

This summer, Patrick O’Donnell will step down as CEO of the Foundation to co-found and lead Ridgeline, a new independent nonprofit that complements Making Waves’ mission by building career pathways into high-demand, high-wage industries across the Bay Area. Visit ridgelinepathways.org to learn more and to sign up for the Ridgeline email list.

Leadership for the next chapter at Making Waves

• Elizabeth “Liz” Martinez is stepping into the Executive Director role at Making Waves Academy after serving as the Academy’s Chief Operating Officer for five years.
• Siobhan McCarthy is stepping into the Executive Director role at Making Waves Education Foundation, following five years as head of the finance team. 
• Alton B. Nelson, Jr. will continue as CEO of Making Waves Academy for the 2026-27 school year and will later transition to support the mission in new ways.
• We are also deeply grateful to the board members completing their service and to those continuing to guide this work forward. 

As Regina Scully recently shared, “the best is yet to come.” Thank you for being part of this story.