Ivan was born in Mexico and immigrated to the US at the age of nine. His life experiences inspired him to pursue a career working to expand economic and educational opportunities for people from all backgrounds. He has developed nationally recognized career advancement and leadership programs in collaboration with top corporations, universities, and foundations. Dr. Barron began his career in the real estate industry as Deputy Director of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director at the PREA Foundation, he was at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Barron has a master’s degree from Harvard University and a PhD from the University of Washington where he teaches courses for entrepreneurs at the Foster School of Business.