I am Saud Alomair, a PhD student in the department of Environmental Health Sciences. I am an international student and my background is in Health. I did my bachelors in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) at KSU and did my Masters of Public Health (MPH) here at UCLA.
On some personal notes I love all forms of art, basically any form of expression. I enjoy music from different parts of the world and feel that music is a language that can touch us more than words. I love being active and enjoy different sports such as tennis and soccer. I live my life by what I call the rule of three Es. Experience, experiment and explore.

Hi everyone!  My name is Jailene Cruz (she/her/ella), and I am a first-generation Latina born and raised in Los Angeles.  I am currently a second-year MPH student in Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.  I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Queer Studies from UC Riverside in 2022.

During my undergraduate studies, I followed a pre-medical track that emphasized clinical approaches to health.  After graduation, my career goals shifted as I gained exposure to research and public health’s multi-level strategies.  My research interests include how intimate partner violence impacts health outcomes among birthing individuals during the postpartum period.  I hope to pursue a PhD in Public Health to advance my research and academic goals.

As a first-generation student, I deeply value mentorship.  Support and guidance from mentors helped me succeed academically, feel a sense of belonging, and ultimately pursue my current path.  As a CAM, I hope to provide that same encouragement and support to other students.  I look forward to connecting with you and being part of your UCLA experience!

In my free time, I love exploring new coffee shops.  I’ve visited more than 180 so far!

Hi everyone!  My name is Allison Gallardo (she/her), and I am a Master of Education in Student Affairs student at the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies.  I am studying to be a student affairs professional, committed to nurturing learning environments outside of the classroom that are rooted in social justice and student development.  I went to undergrad at Fresno State, where I studied History and Chicano Studies.  During my time there, I served as Central Americans for Empowerment President, ASI College of Social Sciences Senator, and New Student and Family Programs Student Coordinator.  Following graduation, I moved to the Bay Area and worked for the ethnic studies programs at the University of San Francisco.

As a Latina born and raised in California’s rural Central Valley, I remember feeling overwhelmed navigating college as the first person in my family to go from high school to a 4-year university.  With the support of my academic counselor and mentors I was able to find my sense of belonging and succeed academically.  In my role as a CAM, I hope to provide you that same guidance and support as you navigate your higher education journey.

Fun Facts: I enjoy trying out new cafes because I love iced lattes, matcha, and chai.  I am a big movie fan and use my AMC membership to catch a movie weekly.  And of course, I am a Dodgers fan!

Hello, my name is Xiong Her (he/him), and I’m a third-year Ph.D. student in the Higher Education and Organizational Change (HEOC) Program in the School of Education and Information Studies. My current research interests focus on increasing access and support for low-income and/or first-generation students, affirmative action policy, and diversity issues in U.S. higher education. I earned my M.S. Ed. in International Educational Development from University of Pennsylvania and BA in International Affairs and Political Science from Marquette University. In my spare time, I enjoy biking, playing sports (soccer, badminton, volleyball, pickleball, etc.), hiking, and cooking Hmong food. I look forward to working and supporting you in any way I can.

Hello!  My name is Rebecca (she/her), and I am a doctoral student in Sociology at UCLA.  My research and teaching interests focus on medical sociology and the sociology of mental health.  Before coming to UCLA, I pursued interdisciplinary studies in the humanities and social sciences and worked in roles that combined academic research with community engagement.

As a Teaching Assistant, I’ve found that mentorship and connection are essential for building students’ confidence and a sense of belonging and I’m excited to carry this forward in my role as a CAM.  Whether it’s navigating coursework, adjusting to a new environment, or finding balance, I look forward to supporting you in your own journey here at UCLA.

Hi there!  My name is Lizette Mendez (pronouns: she/her/ella) and I am a PhD student in Epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.  My research focuses on how psychosocial stressors impact adverse pregnancy outcomes.  As a first-generation student born and raised in Los Angeles, my academic journey began as a pre-med Biological Sciences major at Wellesley College, but a passion for Public Health shifted my path during my junior year when I discovered related courses.

I’ve navigated the challenges of moving to a new state (MA) for undergrad with no established support system and learned to build meaningful connections and community.  I later earned my Master of Public Health in MA, where I worked in the maternal health research field before starting my PhD program at UCLA.  All of this was possible thanks to the support of mentors from different parts of my life.  I’m excited to carry this forward as a CAM and look forward to supporting and guiding you as we navigate UCLA together!

Fun fact: When I’m on campus, you’ll often find me playing Pokémon Go or discovering new boba spots nearby while listening to my Spotify Discover Weekly!

Hi, I’m Amayrani!  My pronouns are she/her.  I’m a Master of Public Policy student at UCLA Luskin and the first in my family to attend graduate school, a result of their constant encouragement and many sacrifices.  Before becoming a CAM, I held various roles that have intersected immigrant rights within the legal, policy, and higher education fields.

There has been a fair share of bumps, roadblocks, and detours on the way here, especially as a low-income Mexican immigrant.  However, with the help and genuine care from mentors/advisors, I eventually transferred from Mt. San Antonio College to UC Irvine, where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a global/international focus.  Similarly, when we meet, I aim to create an environment where you can comfortably express your needs or concerns and feel supported in your journey at UCLA and beyond. 🙂

During my downtime, I enjoy walking and weight training (a relatively new thing) and kicking off my day by listening to a good podcast.  I also love spending time near bodies of water – it’s my go-to mental pick-me-up!

Hi hi everyone!  I’m Joss (they/them) and I’m a 2nd year dual degree student working on my Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences and Master of Social Welfare.  I received my B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Human Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University.  After graduating, I took a 5 year break where I mostly worked at K-5 schools and volunteered at different LGBTQ+ non-profits in order to gain new experiences.  I also developed and taught inclusive, comprehensive sex education to elementary schools and LGBTQ+ teens.  I am passionate about making sex education more accessible to more communities and learning the importance of it.  After receiving my degree, I plan to work with LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and/or low-income communities, but unsure in what capacity at the moment.  Community building is a big part of my life and mentorship plays a role in that.  Community is resistance against the layered systems that many times makes academia very difficult to navigate so I’m here to guide y’all in whatever capacity.

A little bit about me aside from academics and professionalism: I was born and raised in SoCal, I’m first-gen and Salvadoreñe, I enjoy laying under the sun at the beach or anywhere near water, I love spending time with my cat, Miko, and with friends and family, I love coffee and sweets, and can be a big crafter (like making jewelry or collages) when I have the time 🙂

Hi there!  My name is Carley Towne (she/her).  I am a second year student in the Masters of Public Policy Program at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.  I have a degree in Political Science and Critical Gender Studies with a minor in History from UC San Diego.  While at UCSD, I participated in UCDC and held a position as a peer educator at the Women’s Center and as an academic mentor our Writing Center.  After graduating from UCSD, I worked as a campaign organizer for a feminist nonprofit and, for the past two years, I have worked at the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy at UCLA Law.  When I’m not working, I love to cook, thrift, and find the best coffee shops in LA!  I’m looking forward to being your College Academic Mentor this year.  I believe college is an exciting time to grow both academically and personally, so I am excited to meet you and help you navigate UCLA and all of the exciting opportunities students have here.

Hello!  My name is Julia (pronouns she/her/hers), I am a third-year doctoral student in the department of Education (Social Sciences Comparative Education) with an academic background in sociology with a minor in Cultural Studies and French (undergraduate) and socio-economics (graduate) as well as theater, film, and media studies (diploma, equivalent to Master of Arts).  I studied at universities in Vienna, Austria and Paris, France.  Before starting this Ph.D. program, I worked at Deloitte Advisory Social Innovation and Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalization, educational planning and guidance being core aspects of both jobs.
As a first-gen student, I know how challenging it can be to navigate the first steps in a new environment, especially at a prestigious research institution like UCLA – let’s do this together, I am here for you!  As a nontraditional student, returning to academia after 10 years, I have experienced that personal trajectories and stories bring unique perspectives and require approaches that see you as a whole person, acknowledging what you bring with you and where you are at holistically – I am looking forward to connecting with you and to support you in your UCLA journey and beyond!
My research interests revolve around nontraditional students and lifelong learning, Writing Pedagogy as well as educational policy.  For fun, I love spending time with friends, being by the ocean and exploring L.A.

Hi! My name is Meaghan (she/her) and I’m a third-year PhD student in Community Health Sciences in the Fielding School of Public Health studying food insecurity and childhood obesity among immigrant families in California.  I first began my academic journey in community college in the North Bay and later transferred to UC Davis to study Global Disease Biology.  Being a first-gen and transfer student, it was a long process to find my groove in school, which took lots of time and resources.  In my senior year, I participated in UCEAP for an immersive public health internship in Thailand, which led to me deciding to pursue my Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.  After I graduated with my MPH, I was certain I would not be coming back for my PhD.  However, it only took a couple months for one mentor to convince me otherwise.  That being said, I am deeply passionate about equal access to higher education and being able to use my experiences to elucidate the process for others.  When I am not thinking about school, you will find me on a long walk either in nature trying to identify mushrooms or through cities admiring architecture.