Romi Lassally '13

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The graduation celebration of Los Angeles-based nonprofit Ready To Succeed (RTS), founded by Romi Lassally '13, is Thursday, May 15, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at The Chief Clubhouse in West Hollywood, California. The organization helps college students impacted by foster care thrive personally, academically and professionally. The event, celebrating over 40 RTS scholars, will feature powerful personal stories and an atmosphere of hard-earned joy and hope.

Lassally, who majored in history as an undergraduate, brings deep insight into the systemic challenges former foster youth face and how RTS is changing the trajectory for hundreds of young people across Los Angeles.

In January 2016, she and another non-profit veteran, Patrick McCabe, saw the opportunity to transform outcomes with targeted support—to take the foster youth that were motivated, ambitious, and tenacious enough to make it to college and ensure they had the resources, relationships, and opportunities they needed to succeed there and in all facets of life. Lassally and McCabe believed that if every college student impacted by foster care had the kind of support they needed, when they needed it, they could be successful and have a shot at pursuing a future brighter than their past. Initially leveraging their own personal and professional networks, they began to close the opportunity and network gap their students faced.

Encouraging others to start opening their own networks as well, the RTS network began to grow exponentially, creating a deep bench of caring and connected professionals across all industries and at every level of the career ladder.

In January 2022, RTS expanded to include low-income first generation college students. Along with students impacted by foster care, these first-gen scholars have unique access to a diverse group of thought leaders, innovators and passionate professionals who offer advice, opportunities and a community of support.