Chris Evans

PRESIDENT, CO-OWNER

Chris is the President and Co-Owner Aspiring Higher. In 2024, he completed his 33rd year in education. He began his career as a classified employee and went on to serve as a classroom teacher, site principal, Associate Superintendent, and ultimately retired after 12 years as a Superintendent in the same district.

Helping students get to college has been a consistent passion throughout his career. Chris oversaw counseling services on three separate occasions—at the site, district, and individual counselor levels—each time resulting in California’s H.B. McDaniel Award for Counseling Excellence.

Chris has been recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for his leadership and service. He received a Congressional Record in recognition of his years as a Superintendent. Schools under his leadership earned California Distinguished School Awards and national recognition among the best schools in America. He also served as a Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) Board Member, sat on two Sacramento State advisory boards, and worked as an adjunct professor. Direct to U by Aspiring Higher is a passion to change the way parents and students get support for their college decisions.

Dr. Fred Van Leuven

VICE PRESIDENT, CO-OWNER

Fred Van Leuven, Ed.D is Vice President and Co-Owner. Fred began his career as a teacher in the Anaheim Union High School District and later served as a teacher, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. During this time, he also coached men’s basketball at Saddleback College. He went on to become Principal of Poway High School and later Director of Secondary Education in the Conejo Valley Unified School District.

From 1996 to 2008, Fred served as Superintendent of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, where he led significant districtwide improvement efforts. Following his retirement as superintendent, Fred continued his work in education by supporting schools and districts, coaching superintendents and executive leaders, and assisting school boards throughout California, Hawaii, and Guam.

In 2013, Fred was appointed President of the Accreditation of Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). Under his leadership, ACS WASC aligned accreditation cycles for elementary and middle schools with their feeder high schools, resulting in meaningful K–12 systemwide improvement. During this time, ACS WASC also developed a District Accreditation process, allowing entire school districts to become accredited. Both initiatives have been formally recognized by the California State Board of Education and the California Department of Education as key components of the state’s accountability and support system. Fred stepped down from this role in June 2018.

From 2018 to 2022, Fred served as an Associate Partner with Leadership Associates, California’s premier executive search and leadership development firm. In this role, he specialized in executive coaching, superintendent searches, and district governance, drawing on his experience leading both high-performing and challenged school districts.

Fred earned his bachelor’s degree from California State College, Fullerton. He holds master’s degrees from the University of San Francisco and the University of La Verne, as well as a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California.

Fred and his wife, Judy, reside in Solvang, California. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.