Jul 2026
UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (2026–27)
High School Entrepreneurship program.
Irvine, California · Portola High School · Class of 2028
Alex Ding
Community Advocate • Student Leader • Aspiring Scholar • Business Professional • Difference Maker
I use business as a tool for social impact. Through an AI startup, national-level FBLA and DECA competition, and hands-on entrepreneurship programs, I've learned to think like a founder — and I put that thinking to work building nonprofits, organizing civic engagement, and creating communication between communities that don't always talk to each other. This site is where I keep a running record of that work along the way.
About
Turning business skills into social impact
I'm a sophomore at Portola High School in Irvine, California, with a business-first approach to creating change. Through Alexian AI — an AI startup I founded to help nonprofits manage social media and communication — and national-level competition in FBLA, DECA, and Virtual Enterprises, I've learned to think like an entrepreneur: find a real problem, build something that solves it, and measure whether it actually helps.
I apply that same mindset far beyond the business world. I founded Youth Public Service, a nonprofit that connects high schoolers — especially newcomers and minority students — with volunteer opportunities across Irvine, and recruited 200+ students into community service. I've worked on a congressional campaign, served on my city's Youth Advisory Council, co-founded a bilingual mental health program reaching thousands of teenagers, and spent years performing with a lion dance team that shares Chinese culture with the community I grew up in. Business gives me the tools; the goal has always been the same — creating communication between people and communities, and using that to make a real difference.
4.0Unweighted GPA
200+Students recruited to volunteer service
3.3KSubscribers, bilingual mental-health channel
2xNational business competition qualifier (FBLA & DECA)
Entrepreneurship
Building tools that scale good intentions
Alexian AI — Founder
An AI product built to help nonprofits and companies improve social media management and customer communication — born directly out of watching how much time small organizations like Youth Public Service spend on outreach they don't have staff for. The site is live and the product is currently in beta testing with selected NGOs. Visit alexianai.com.
Competitive Business & Finance
Placed 8th in the nation in Digital Video Production at the FBLA National Leadership Conference, after qualifying twice (2nd in CA SLC Digital Video Production; 4th in CA SLC Introduction to Financial Math). Also a two-time Virtual Enterprises Youth Business Summit International Finalist (Top 12 Finance Plan; Top 24 National Business Plan), and DECA ICDC qualifier (8th, CA SCDC Personal Financial Literacy).
Applied Skills
Design AI applications using no-code tools, Cursor, n8n, and Gemini. Comfortable across Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Adobe Premiere, and Canva for video and content production.
Leadership & Civic Engagement
Organizing people around a shared purpose
Jan 2026 – Present
Leadership Liaison, FBLA Southern Section Office (2026–27)
Plan events and host conferences for FBLA's Southern Section, and work to connect members, chapters, and sections across the region.
Dec 2025 – Present
Youth Advisory Council & Outreach Ambassador
Office of Irvine Vice Mayor James Mai.
Oct 2024 – Present
Founder & President, Youth Public Service
Founded a nonprofit that connects high schoolers — especially newcomers and minority students — with volunteer opportunities, recruiting 200+ students into community service. Partner regularly with the Irvine City Council, local community colleges, and organizations like Irvine Ranch Conservancy, the SoCal Youth Dragon and Lion Dance Team, the Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities, and local autism care programs.
Aug 2024 – Present
Student Leadership, Portola High School
Captain of Portola Track and Field; two-year member of Student Council and Student Senate; board member across five major clubs representing 500+ members, including VP of FBLA and Vice President of the National Economics Challenge team.
Jun – Dec 2024
Intern Leader, 47th District Congressional Campaign
Organized thousands of door-knocking and phone-banking contacts and helped host campaign events; served as a student representative and speaker in the candidate's campaign videos. Received the County of Orange Outstanding Volunteer Recognition from Orange County Supervisor Donald Wagner.
Community & Culture
Where identity meets service
Morning Star — Co-founder & Host
A bilingual (Chinese/English) video program producing an interactive series and assignments to promote mental health awareness among teenagers, reaching 3.3K subscribers.
Mental Health for Chinese Communities
Worked at the intersection of cultural stigma and mental health advocacy within Chinese-American communities.
SOCAL Youth Dragon and Lion Dance Team — Vice-Captain
Led a team of 40+ student performers through 100+ performances at events across the community — from Irvine City Days to senior centers and local libraries — sharing Chinese cultural traditions.
Honors & Awards
Recognition along the way
- FBLA National Leadership Conference (Jun 2026) — 8th Place in the Nation, Digital Video Production
- FBLA National Leadership Conference Qualifier (x2, Apr 2025 & 2026) — 2nd, CA SLC Digital Video Production; 4th, CA SLC Introduction to Financial Math
- DECA International Career Development Conference Qualifier (Apr 2026) — 8th, CA SCDC Personal Financial Literacy; ICDC School-Based Enterprise
- Virtual Enterprises Youth Business Summit International Finalist (x2, Apr 2026) — Top 12, Finance Plan Competition; Top 24, National Business Plan Competition
- Curieux Academic Journal Publication (Oct 2025)
- President's Volunteer Service Award (x3, Jun 2022 – Dec 2025)
- County of Orange Certificate of Recognition (x3, Feb 2023 – Dec 2025) — Outstanding Volunteer Recognition; Recognition of Chinese Traditional Culture; Recognition of Leadership in Sustainability — awarded by Orange County Supervisor Donald Wagner
- The New York Times Annual Summer Reading Contest (Jul 2024) — Honorable Mention
- Taekwondo Black Belt, 2nd Degree (Jun 2023)
Journal
Notes from the work in progress
A running log of reflections, project updates, and lessons learned — updated as things happen, not cleaned up after the fact.
Get in touch
Let's connect
Reach out about FBLA/DECA collaboration, nonprofit partnerships, or Alexian AI.
alexdd0015@gmail.com