Sandor Rivera

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Sandor Rivera is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the True Opportunity Program (TOP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals build successful, productive lives through accountability, mentorship, education, and opportunity.

Sandor's leadership is rooted not only in professional experience but also in personal transformation. After serving approximately thirteen years of a lengthy prison sentence, he successfully overturned his conviction through years of legal research, perseverance, and self-representation. His journey exposed him to both the challenges of incarceration and the barriers many individuals face when attempting to rebuild their lives after release.

Throughout those years, Sandor was supported by a family that never stopped believing in his potential. His mother, Norma, and father, Jaime, maintained a bridge of support during his incarceration, providing encouragement, hope, and a connection to the life he intended to rebuild. Their unwavering support reinforced the values of perseverance, accountability, and personal growth that would later become central to his work.

During his time in prison, Sandor became deeply committed to education, self-development, psychology, sociology, leadership, and personal accountability. He spent years studying human behavior, decision-making, institutional systems, and the factors that contribute to both failure and success. These experiences ultimately became the foundation for the philosophy and curriculum behind TOP.

Following his release, Sandor entered the business world and became the Chief Operating Officer of TinStarSubs LLC, operating as a Jersey Mike's Subs franchise in Oak Harbor, Washington. In this role, he managed daily operations, financial oversight, employee development, hiring, training, budgeting, and community engagement while helping lead a business generating more than one million dollars in annual revenue.

Throughout his career, Sandor has remained actively involved in community service efforts, supporting local fundraising initiatives, youth programs, and nonprofit causes. His experience as both a business leader and someone who successfully rebuilt his own life provides a unique perspective on personal growth, workforce development, and second chances.

As the founder of TOP, Sandor's vision is to create a system that begins preparing individuals for success long before they leave prison. He believes that meaningful change requires more than resources alone—it requires self-awareness, accountability, discipline, mentorship, and the willingness to earn opportunity through consistent effort.

Sandor's wife, Crystal, has also been a steadfast supporter of both his personal journey and the development of the True Opportunity Program. Her encouragement, belief in the mission, and commitment to helping others have played an important role in bringing the vision of TOP to life.

His philosophy is simple:

"We don't give handouts. We provide opportunities for people who are willing to do the work."

Today, Sandor continues to develop educational programs, mentorship initiatives, reentry resources, and community partnerships designed to reduce recidivism, strengthen families, and create safer, more productive communities.

Through TOP, he hopes to demonstrate that a person's past does not have to define their future, and that some of society's greatest assets can emerge from its greatest challenges when given the opportunity to grow.

Sandor Rivera

Founder & Chief Executive OfficerTrue Opportunity Program (TOP)