Current Students

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Vincent Alcantar

He/Him/His

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: School improvement and instructional leadership, Latinx school leaders
• Professional Role: High School Math Teacher
• Hometown and Current Location: Porterville, CA

Amy Allen

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Engagement and support on campus for students who identify as multi-ethnic or multi-racial
• Professional Role: Interim Associate Dean - Student Involvement at Fresno State
• Hometown: St. John, Virgin Islands
• Current Location: Fresno, CA

Ariana Amaro

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 16: Class of 2025

• Research Interests: Social Emotional Learning and Teacher Sustainability
• Professional Role: 2nd Grade Teacher
• Hometown: Kerman, CA
• Current Location: Fresno, CA

Sara Baramy Constantinescu

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 6: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Graduate student achievements (access and success) and higher education institutional effectiveness
• Professional Role: Professional Services Consultant, Graduate Education Manager
• Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
• Current Location: Oceanside, CA

Stephanie Briones

She/Her/Ella

Face-to-Face Cohort 14: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Hispanic Serving Institutions, Grant-based cultural initiatives, Intersectional cultural identity representation within higher education leadership and belonging initiatives 
• Professional Role: Title V Project Director 
• Hometown and Current Location: Sanger, CA

Edie Brown

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Advising students of color in a predominantly white 4 year higher education institution, Diversity, equity and inclusion in Student Affairs with a focus on student services, How unions and universities can co-exist while serving students
• Professional Role: Union President
• Hometown: San Francisco, CA
• Current Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Cynthia Cervantes

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 6: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Facilities staff impact on residential students, affordable housing for students, first-gen students 
• Professional Role: Executive Director, Office of Housing Administration at San Diego State University
• Hometown: San Lorenzo, CA
• Current Location: San Diego, CA

Floridia (Flo) Cheung

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 7: Class of 2025

• Research Interests: Student Success 
• Professional Role: Middle College High School Principal 
• Hometown: Hacienda Heights, CA
• Current Location: Fresno, CA

Kathleen Cifuentes

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 14 : Class of 2023

• Research Interests: English Language Development, Latinx Students, Equity & Access for Long Term English Language Learners
• Professional Role: Elementary School Principal
• Current Location: Madera, CA

Corry Colonna

He/Him/His

Online Cohort 6: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Mid-level Lead Staff Development Studies in student well being to increase joy and mental thriving
• Professional Role: Executive Director, Housing & Residential Life
• Hometown: Punxsutawney, PA
• Current Location: Long Beach, CA

Eleanor M Esqueda

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 14: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Early Childhood Education, Equity and Access to programs and SEAL support
• Professional Role: General Ed Teacher, Kindergarten
• Hometown and Current Location: Fresno, CA

Venissia Garcia

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 15 : Class of 2024

• Research Interests: School Administration Preparation Programs; Special Education; At-Promise Youth; School Law
• Professional Role: Lead Teacher
• Hometown: Visalia, CA
• Current Location: Fresno, CA

Dai Guerra

He/Him/His

Online Cohort 6 : Class of 2024

• Research Interests: LGBTQ+ students of color in STEM 
• Professional Role: Student Academic Advisor 
• Hometown and Current Location: Los Angeles, CA

Omar Gutierrez

He/Him/His

Face-to-Face Cohort 14: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: The role of management in equity design: A case study for possibilities to embed equity-led goals within resource allocation models.
• Professional Role: VP Administrative Services
• Hometown: El Paso, TX
• Current Location: Visalia, CA 

Andrea Hall-Cuccia

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 14: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Academic factors impacting time to graduation at California Community Colleges (major switching, academic load, summer sessions, DFW, math/writing placement, total credits), particularly pre- and post- AB705 and Guided Pathways
• Professional Role: Institutional Researcher, UC Merced
• Hometown and Current Location: Merced, CA

T'Nesia TJ Hurley

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 7: Class of 2025

• Research Interests: Equity focused financing and student achievement.
• Professional Role: Assistant Superintendent of Business
• Hometown: Oakland, CA
• Current Location: Redding, CA

Erika Ireland

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Educational pipeline of dietetic students in higher education
• Professional Role: Faculty & Dietetic Internship Director
• Hometown: Fresno, CA
• Current Location: Clovis, CA

Gus Leonard

He/Him/His

Online Cohort 3

• Research Interests: Language and Culture learning; technology-enhanced learning. Dissertation Topic: Understanding Intercultural Competence in Civic Engagement/Citizenship through Photovisual Elicitation of Study Abroad Student Photoblogs
• Professional Role: CSU Monterey Bay, Language Lab Coordinator
• Hometown: Burlington, VT
• Current Location: Del Rey Oaks, CA

Sierra Lewis

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Professional Role: Associate Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Hometown: Boise, ID 

Cruz Madrigal Trejo

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 14: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Success of migrant students in higher education, Early Childhood Education and the importance of SEL
• Professional Role: School Psychologist
• Hometown and Current Location: Madera, CA

José A Maldonado

He/Him/His

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Undocu Students, Transfer Success, Student Resources, Collaboration Between Community and Campus, Connecting Students to Opportunity
• Professional Role: Full-time faculty
• Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Current Location: Ventura, CA

Ricardo Marmolejo

Cohort 11

• Research Interests: Social justice and equity in higher education
• Professional Role: Student Equity & Success Director, Porterville College
• Hometown: Visalia, CA
   

Kymbee McKay

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Early literacy; literacy practices; teacher efficacy
• Professional Role: Teacher
• Hometown: Amherst, TX
• Current Location: Valley Center, CA

Lupe Mendoza

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Impact of dual enrollment in Latinx community; Latinas in leadership roles in higher eduction
• Professional Role: High School Vice Principal
• Hometown: Dos Palos, CA
• Current Location: Clovis, CA

Tasneem Mohamed

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Professional Role: Academic Advisor
• Hometown: Oakland, CA
• Current Location: Marina, CA

Gretchen Monke

She/Her/Hers

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Using YA literature to discuss contemporary social justice issues and build academic discussion skills, Positive psychology in education, Building positive teacher-student and peer relationships to support students academically and emotionally
• Professional Role: English Teacher
• Current Location: Clovis, CA

Karla Montenegro Gonzalez

She/Her/Hers/Ella

Online Cohort 6: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Black and Latino Men Transfer Journeys
• Professional Role: Academic Advisor and Freshman Seminar Instructor
• Hometown: La Libertad, El Salvador
• Current Location: Los Angeles, California

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Oronne Nwaneri

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Black Student Success, Experiences of Black International Students, Affects of COVID on low income college and university students
• Professional Role: Director, Upward Bound Programs, Pasadena City College
• Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Current Location: Pasadena, CA

Roy Orosco

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Special Education Teacher Burnout MTSS Systems and Development
• Professional Role: Assistant Principal
• Hometown: Dinuba, CA
• Current Location: Visalia, CA

Edgar Parrilla

He/Him/His

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: The impact inmate education has on the Latino male population in our community. Finding correlations between this inmate education population and recidivism.
• Professional Role: Grants and Research Analyst 
• Hometown: Woodlake, CA
• Current Location: Visalia, CA

Raquel Piña-Holmstrom

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 6: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: HSI servingness - Latinx faculty and staff retention 
• Professional Role: Assistant to IDEA, Research, and Grants
• Hometown and Current Location: Oroville, CA

George Rodriguez

He/Him/His

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Superintendent longevity and school district success 
• Professional Role: Director of Educational Services
• Hometown: Selma, CA
• Current Location: Kingsburg, CA

Cynthia Rodriguez

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Providing access to culturally relevant social-emotional learning opportunities as well as making the educational space more equitable for all students. 
• Professional Role: School Counselor
• Hometown: Reedley, CA
• Current Location: King City, CA

Jolene Sagan

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 6: Class of 2024

• Professional Role: Case Manager
• Hometown: Westwood, CA
• Current Location: Long Beach, CA

Yadi Sanchez

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Professional Role: Manager of Outreach and Academic Services
• Hometown: Fort Bragg, CA

Kaitlyn Sedzmak

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 5: Class of 2023

• Dissertation Topic: Reducing biases in managerial decisions around salaries
• Professional Role: Chief of Staff, Student Affairs
• Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
• Current Location: Oceanside, Ca

Mike Snell

Face-to-Face Cohort 14: Class of 2023

• Research Interests: Exploring youth workers in expanded learning programs and the role they play in teacher quantity, quality and diversity
• Professional Role: CEO
• Hometown: Fresno, CA
• Current Location: Sanger, CA

Thatcher Weldon

Online Cohort 7: Class of 2025

• Research Interests: K-12 success connection to adult education program success
• Professional Role: Director of Adult Education at Kern Community College District
• Hometown: Fresno, CA
• Current Location: Burbank, CA

Michael Williamson

He/Him/His

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and secondary trauma in teachers and administrators 
• Professional Role: Teacher
• Hometown: Fresno, CA
• Current Location: Clovis, CA

Ia Xiong 

Face-to-Face Cohort 15: Class of 2024

• Research Interests: AsianCrit and males in community college 
• Professional Role: Adjunct Counselor
• Hometown and Current Location: Fresno, CA

Khou Yang-Vigil

She/Her/Hers

Online Cohort 7: Class of 2025

• Research Interests: Mental health, Advocacy and support for underserved at-promise students in Higher Education, AsianCrit - particularly Southeast Asians in Higher Education, Culture and Leadership
• Professional Role: Director of Equity and Access Programs
• Hometown and Current Location: Santa Rosa, California