Clinch Fuente
Founder, President, and Chairman of the Board
Elizardo “Clinch” Fuentes is the Founder, President, and Chairman of the Board for Chance to Excel.
He is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of Northwest Vocal Arts, based in Portland, Oregon.
Clinch Fuentes graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Throughout his time at UCLA, Clinch worked several jobs while exploring his passions. He worked in the Koeffler Labs, focusing on leukemia research, and in physical therapy, specializing in biofeedback and advanced therapies for musicians. He also worked at the Wight Art Galleries and contributed to their transition into the Hammer Museum in Westwood. Working at the Wight Gallery sparked his love for the arts at UCLA.
After college, Clinch had the rare opportunity to work with a company developing lifesaving proteins for unmet medical needs. He joined Genentech, where he worked for over 20 years in Manufacturing, Project Management, Portfolio Management, Systems Integration, Enterprise Resource Planning, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Process Equipment and Calibrations. Clinch contributed in various capacities to bringing more than 15 molecules to market and worked on numerous research and clinical products. These products ranged from treatments for cystic fibrosis to lung and breast cancers.
In 2016, Clinch founded the nonprofit organization Chance to Excel. This organization works to ensure that youth have access to the arts, sports, and support for learning differences—providing pathways to early success in life. Chance to Excel also helps organizations learn how to monetize their programs to ensure financial sustainability.
In 2024, Clinch co-founded Northwest Vocal Arts. This organization educates and trains vocalists at all educational levels, offering mentorship from early learners to professionals. Its layered mentoring model is unique and fosters continual growth for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Clinch is thrilled to join the UCLA TFT Board and support Celine’s vision to “take UCLA TFT to its next eminence globally, nationally, regionally, and locally with a sense of accountability, respect, awe, reverence, and unstoppable strength, force, and joy that befits our institution’s history.”
