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Meet the Staff

Career Staff

  • Gerardo Arellano (he/him/his)

    Gerardo Arellano (he/him/his)

    Executive Director of HSI Initiatives and RRC Director

    Gerardo N. Arellano received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and his BA from UC San Diego in the departments of comparative ethnic studies. Dr. Arellano is the inaugural director of the Raza Resource Centro at UC San Diego. His research interests include trans-border culture and migrations, de-colonial pedagogies, Latinx post-secondary educational achievement, and retention. He has extensive experience working with underserved students of color at the community, high school, and university levels. He loves to work with students and he enjoys advising graduate and undergraduate students, strategic planning, curriculum design, program development, and assessment. He is passionate about coaching students to obtain scholarships, internships, research, and conference experience.

    Office: 858.246.1650

    Email: gearellano@ucsd.edu

  • Claudia Martinez (she/her/hers)

    Claudia Martinez (she/her/hers)

    Associate Director of the RRC and HSI Family Programs

    Claudia Martinez was born and raised in Tijuana, México. She moved to the United States at the age of 14 with her parents and younger brother in 2001 just in time to enter high school. She graduated from the University of Redlands with a Bachelor’s degree in Race and Ethnic Studies and Spanish in 2009 and is finishing her Master’s Degree in Higher Education. She served as the First Generation Student Programs Coordinator at the University of Redlands from 2012-2014 and has been part of the RRC since July 2014. 

    Claudia Martinez nació y fue criada en Tijuana, Baja California, México. Ella, junto con sus padres y hermano menor, se mudo a los Estados Unidos a la edad de 14 años en el 2001 para poder ser admitida en la preparatoria. Claudia se graduó de la Universidad de Redlands con su Bachillerato en Race & Ethnic Studies y Español en el 2009 y esta terminando su maestria. Fue la Coordinadora de Programas para Estudiantes de Primera Generación del 2012-2014 en la Universidad de Redlands. Claudia a trabajado en el Raza Resource Centro desde el verano del 2014 como parte del personal inaugural en la posición de subdirectora. 

    Office: 858.246.1844
    Email: claudiamartinez@ucsd.edu

  • Omar Padilla (he/him/his/él)

    Omar Padilla (he/him/his/él)

    Associate Director of Academic Initiatives  

    Omar is originally from Santa Monica, California where he grew up in the Pico neighborhood. His family has migrated between Santa Monica and the region of Los Altos de Jalisco for three generations and Omar is first generation born in the U.S. Omar also identifies as a first-generation college student, having attended UC Santa Cruz for undergrad where he majored in Latin American/Latino Studies and Politics, and was involved in the ChALE peer-mentoring program and an RA for his residential college, and was involved in establishing a chapter of his Latino-based fraternity at UCSC.

    Before UCSD, Omar worked at Santa Monica College with the Black Collegians and Adelante Programs while attending CSU Los Angeles for his master's in Mexican American/Chicanx studies. Omar arrived at UCSD in 2013 to pursue his Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies where his research focuses on “queer public memory.” Omar’s dissertation research focuses on the public responses to the deaths of Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, Mexican-born make-up artist Jacob Yebale, and the PULSE Nightclub shooting to produce a queer afterlife. Through his dissertation research, Omar is interested in seeing how public forms of mourning and remembering empowers LGBTQIA-identified people to narrate possibilities of queer life.

    At UCSD Omar has worked with undergraduate students as STARS Advocate, SPACES Grad Mentor, and Instructor in DOC Writing Program and Ethnic Studies Department. He is passionate about helping graduate students create a sense of community at UCSD and has worked to do that through his roles at Grad Division and Engaged Teaching Hub.

    Omar is very excited to come into the role of Associate Director for Academic Initiatives and continue to work in collaboration with the RRC team in creating spaces for students to develop a community of scholars.

    Phone: 858.246.5081
    Email: o1padilla@ucsd.edu

  • Monica Gonzalez (she/her/Ella)

    Monica Gonzalez (she/her/Ella)

    Student Life Operations Specialist 

    Meet Monica Gonzalez,  the Student Life Operations Specialist. In her new role, Monica leads the RRC internship program, assesses campus-wide needs around Latinx student organizations and student life, and provides operational support. Monica is a native of San Diego and a UCSD alumnus. She received her master's in Higher Education Leadership from the University of San Diego.

    Before joining the RRC team, Monica worked with commuter students at the University of San Diego Commuter Commons and served as a Residential Director for Summer Bridge and Summer Sessions at UC Berkeley through the ACUHO-I Housing Internship Program. She also worked as a Peer Mentor for Summer Bridge OASIS at UC San Diego and researched extracurricular activities for Latinx first-generation students under the McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program with Dr. Frances Contreras. 

    Monica enjoys walking, painting, playing with her cat, and trying new foods in her free time. She is passionate about research, service leadership, and mentorship and has been working on an action research project for her master's degree that focuses on building community, engagement, and leadership with commuter students.

    Monica is excited to join the RRC team and work towards creating a space for Latinx empowerment, leadership, and community at UC San Diego and the greater San Diego area.

    Email: magonzalezherrera@ucsd.edu

    Phone: 858.534.9095

  • Ivvan Reyna (She/Ella/He/El)

    Ivvan Reyna (She/Ella/He/El)

    Facilities and Operations Coordinator  

    Ivvan Reyna is the newest member of the Raza Resource Centro and has taken on the role of Facilities and Operations Coordinator. They were born in Moreno Valley, California, but grew up in Nestor, California very close to the San Ysidro Border for most of their life. Bilingual in both Spanish and English, but grew up with Lebanese culture/influence. Ivvan’s parents come from El Salvador and San Luis Potosi and both migrated to the U.S. to increase the educational opportunities for Ivvan and their siblings. Ivvan would like to highlight and thank their parents for their sacrifice since it allowed for them to become a 1st Generation QTPOC student. They attended UC San Diego for their undergraduate experience from 2017 to 2022 and majored in Marine Biology, and was involved with Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, Inc. from 2018 to 2022. 

    Ivvan has previous work experience with Raza as a two-time returning intern during their undergrad and after graduating as a temporary administrative assistant for the following three resource center’s: Black Resource Center, Raza Resource Centro, and Intertribal Resource Center. They are passionate, eager, and motivated to provide support on QTPOC student retention and want to assist students that may or may not know their career paths.

    Feel free to stop by and say hello to them and feel free to discuss your career plans, critical thinking tactics, and more!

    Email: i1reyna@ucsd.edu

    Phone: 858.534.5019

  • Araceli López-Arenas (she/her/ella)

    Araceli López-Arenas (she/her/ella)

    Licensed Psychologist & Raza Resource Centro CAPS Liaison 

    Araceli López-Arenas, PhD, MPH was born and raised in San Diego, CA. She is a first-gen college student,  bilingual/bicultural, Spanish-speaking Latina, and became an “educational nomad” as she engaged in a “parallel migration,” crossing state borders to pursue higher education. She earned her BA from UC Irvine, studied abroad in Mexico City at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), participated in the UCDC program, and completed a summer McNair research program at Washington State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and a Master of Public Health in Social & Behavioral Health from Texas A&M University. She then completed her internship at the VA Pacific Islands Health Care in Hawaii and completed post-doctoral training at UC San Diego and Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital. She currently serves as the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) liaison, hosted at the Raza Resource Centro.

     

    Dr. Araceli has over fifteen years of experience working in healthcare, academia, and community mental health with expertise in psychotherapy, research, program development, implementation, and evaluation, multicultural psychology, and public health psychology, with a focus on health equity. She is now delighted to work in her dream job of addressing the mental health concerns of Latinx/e undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at UCSD. Her mental health specialties include working with first-gen, Latinx/BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrants, entrepreneurs, frontline/healthcare workers, military/Veterans, undergrad/grad students, ABD doctoral students, and focuses on addressing life transitions, culture and gender roles, career, anxiety, depression, substance use, trauma/PTSD, and ADHD, among other co-occurring mental health concerns. She particularly enjoys working with individuals who are new to psychotherapy.

     

    Email: lopezara@health.ucsd.edu

    Phone: 858.534.3921

    Office: Raza Resource Centro, Pepper Canyon Hall, Level 2

Learning Specialists

  • Analine Aguayo

    Analine Aguayo

    Areas of Specialty: Biological Studies and STEM

    Analine (she/her) was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and is currently a PhD Candidate in the School of Biology. Her thesis work focuses on understanding the role endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins play in regulating lipid synthesis in a yeast model. As a first-generation Chicana, college student, and scientist, Analine aims to use her experiences in academia to help students find their paths through education and obtain their dream futures. As a Learning Specialist at the Raza Resource Centro, she strives to support Latine students in their academic pursuits, professional development, and by building community. During her spare time, Analine enjoys being outdoors, and spending time with loved ones, including her 3 year-old puppy Laika.

  • Cristian Fuentes

    Cristian Fuentes

    Area of Specialty: Social Sciences and Humanities

    Cristian (He/ Him) is a fourth year student who is double majoring in Political Science and Latin American Studies. If you would like to connect with people or get into research, let him know! 

  • Fatima Maciel

    Fatima Maciel

    Areas of Specialty: Social Sciences and Humanities

    Fatima (She/Her) is a fourth year student, double majoring in Public Policy and Ethnic Studies. She is from San Jose, CA. Fatima grew up in a primarily Asian immigrant community and struggled to find connection to her roots regardless of being first generation. Through her experiences, she values genuine human connection and tries to foster an environment where people can grow and embrace their Latinx culture with one another. She's had experience working with NGO's that advocate for refugees and immigrant rights as well as in the public sector as an intern for the City of San Diego Mayor where she currently works, part time. Fatima has conducted research at UC San Diego and at the University of Norte Dame, centered on policies regarding civil rights, voting, race, and equity. In her free time she enjoys going to the beach, collecting shells, cooking, walking, listening to music traveling, trying new foods and spending time with her friends. 

  • Paola Mendoza

    Paola Mendoza

    Areas of Specialty: Pre-Med, Biological and Social Sciences 

    Pao (She/ Her) is a first generation, fourth year student double majoring in Global Health and Human Developmental Sciences with a minor in Health-Care Social Issues. She grew up in a heavily-populated immigrant community in Costa Mesa, CA which led her to pursuing advocacy in health and conducting research in Spanish with the support of the Mexican Migration Field Research Program. Pao is involved with clinical work in Tijuana and volunteers at Rady's Children Hospital to pursue her career of becoming a doctor- where she hopes to serve migrant communities. During her free time, Pao loves talking about her dogs, going to the beach as it reminds her of home, spending time with family, and going to concerts where you can find her near the mosh pit.

  • Pedro Gerardo Castaneda

    Pedro Gerardo Castaneda

    Areas of Specialty: Mathematics-Computer Science

    Pedro (He/Him) is a Third year student at Warren college, majoring in Mathematics-Computer Science. He is Mexico born, LA raised and soon to be a software engineer. He's always enjoyed supporting other student with their academic careers. The Centro is a great source of support for him and now has the honor of providing the same support to other fellow students. Through the Centro, Pedro will be able to have a greater impact and ability to support the Latinx Community. 

Student Interns

  • Eli Gallegos

    Eli Gallegos

    QTPOC Initiatives Intern

    Eli (He/Him) is a fourth year undergrad majoring in Environmental Systems, with an emphasis in Ecology. He was born in the Los Angelino portion of the Mojave Desert in Palmdale, California to Mexican-American parents. He is the QTPOC Initiatives intern for the 2023 - 2024 School year and hopes to provide a safe space that recognizes intersectionality between queerness and Latine identity. In his spare time, Eli enjoys cycling, swimming, and learning about different animal species and ecosystems native to California. In the future, he hopes to work with conservation groups to protect San Diego's biodiversity. 

  • Jesus Medina Alcantar

    Jesus Medina Alcantar

    Yield and Access Intern

    Jesus (He/Him) is a fourth year, Math - Computer Science major who decided to also minor in Education of Math, and Law & Society. Despite his major in Math, he has a passion for education, especially the ever-present aspect of social justice within education. His family's move from Sinaloa to California made it evident that a school system can be decisive of a kid's academic achievement. As Jesus made his way into higher education, pursuing other passions, like Math and Computer Science, he grew to acknowledge education as a tool to promote equity and empower underserved communities. His long-term goal is to earn a Master's degree in education of Math, alongside the single subject teaching credential so he can help student at the frontline of education. Jesus will continue to work with his community of Latin American scholars as a tutor at the High School level and as a Yield and Access Intern at the University level. Feel free to contact him with any questions or concerns! 

  • Valeria Vallejo Montoya

    Valeria Vallejo Montoya

    Civic Engagement Intern

    Valeria (She/Her) is a fourth-year Public Health major with a Concentration in Community Health Sciences from Revelle College. She is a first-generation Mexican-American student born and raised in Pomona, CA, where her family immigrated to from Guasave, Sinaloa. Valeria grew up with a strong Latinx community back home which has motivated her to pursue a career in helping reform the healthcare system to better serve immigrant and Latinx populations have better access to healthcare services. In college, she has been a part of different educational programs on campus with Oasis and has cultivated a strong community at the Raza Resource Centro this past year. With her position Valeria hopes to engage with the Latinx/Chicanx community on campus by providing help and guidance to folks who come to the space. In her free time, Valeria enjoys hanging out with friends and family as well as with her frenchie, Otis. She loves finding new places to eat, going to concerts, and binge watching her favorite shows/movies. In the future, Valeria hopes to pursue an MPH and work with marginalized communities to have better access to the healthcare system.

  • Alexander Lomeli Garcia

    Alexander Lomeli Garcia

    Advertising and Marketing Intern

    Alexander (He/Him) is a third-year Business Economics major with a minor in International Business from Marshall College.  He is a first-generation college student born in Puebla, Mexico, and raised in Inglewood, CA. Alexander's interest lies in helping others and in Business/Finance. His participation in Hermanos Unidos and La Familia, alongside his time working as a Marketer for a landscaping company, led him to the Centro, where he hopes to support first-generation students navigate through college and increase outreach on student resources. In his free time you can catch him watching sports, eating out, jamming to any genre of music, enjoying time with his friends and practicing entrepreneurship.  



  • Daisy Torres

    Daisy Torres

    RRC Fellow

    Daisy (She/Her) is a third year, Honduran student. She is a first-generation student who will be achieving higher education for herself and her family. Daisy is transferring from community college and is a Business Psychology major here at UC San Diego. Outside of school, there are many things that she ejoys such as, concerts, going to the beach, and exploring new towns. Daisy is always seeking cool new coffee shops and vegan brunch places. She is happy to be a part of the Raza Resource Centro and feels honored to be a guide to the Latinx Community, especially folks who are transferring to a 4 year university like herself. 

  • Enrique Bracamontes

    Enrique Bracamontes

    Arte y Cultura Intern

    Enrique (He/Him) is a third year Public Health major from Muir College. He is a first-generation Mexican-American student born and raised in San Diego, CA where his family immigrated to from Tijuana, B.C. Throughout his life, Enrique has encountered many health experiences both directly and indirectly that were profoundly impacted by his cultural background and ethnicity. Now as a Public health major, he strives to be the bridge that aids his family, friends and the Latinx community to expand their health literacy by actively advocating for others to seek information via reliable sources and to always remind them, que la salud es lo primero. Enrique's dedication to the Latinx community has led him to play a key role in developing comprehensive health education programs targeting Spanish-speaking populations by successfully translating materials for the Burns Institution Fire-Safe Seniors program and the County of San Diego Community Health Engagement Team. He is excited to learn more about how his role as an Arte and Cultura Intern can influence individuals to learn more about other cultures and how that can foster mutual understanding amongst the community. Beyond school and work, Enrique enjoys craft's and art, baking, playing volleyball, collecting vinyl records, and indulging in different cuisines with friends and family. In the near future, he hopes to attend grad school to obtain an MPH and eventually pursue a professional career in Epidemiology. 

  • Isabel Rubio

    Isabel Rubio

    Program Assistant Intern

    Isabel (She/Her) is a third year, majoring in Literature with an emphasis in Creative Writing, from Seventh College. She was born and raised in Pico Rivera, California where she grew up with a strong sense of Latinx community, culture, and family. She is currently the Program assistant Intern here at the Raza Resource Centro and has previously been involved with the UCSD Oasis Summer Bridge program as a peer mxntor and is a current Alpha Omicron Pi sorority sister. Last year, she was one of the yield and access interns here at the Centro where she focused on providing equal access and opportunities for all current and future Latinx folks on the UCSD campus. Now as the Program Assistant Intern, she wants to focus on supporting current students in equal access to academic opportunities, as well as self care events where students can make sure they are also taking care of themselves. In her free time, Isabel enjoys going to any type of live music event, hanging out with her friends, and listening to the sounds of the ocean. One of her goals for this year is to continue building community for herself and others within the Centro with the help of her position.

  • Isai Valdespino

    Isai Valdespino

    Arte y Cultura Intern

    Isai (He/Him) is a third year double majoring in International business and Real Estate and Development. He is a part of Warren College. Isai is really excited to be a part of the Raza Resource Centro's team this year. A little fun fact about him is that he's originally from Houston, TX and he likes to go offroading!

  • Rafael Gonzalez Martinez

    Rafael Gonzalez Martinez

    Student Org Liaison Intern

    Rafael (He/Him) is a second year Human Biology major from Revelle College. He was born and raised in Castroville, Ca located within the Central Coast of California and moved to San Diego for his college years. He's currently pursuing a career in medicine in order to assist and serve low-income communities in the future. As a Student Org Liaison Intern, he wants to work alongside Latinx student orgs in order to bolster the amount of support for the Latinx Community here on-campus. Rafael sees student orgs as one of the essential pieces towards a student's introduction to professionalism, career development, social development, and overall a crucial building block towards the retention of Latinx students. On a different note, he enjoys listening to music, specifically Bruno Mars, going outside for a run and spending time with family and friends!