1. About

Meet Our Team

Leadership Team

Michelle McKelvey

Director, Thrive Center

mfig@arizona.edu
520.621.0709

Teejay Brown

Associate Director, Persistence & Completion

etbrown@arizona.edu
520.621.4157

W. Patrick Bryan

Associate Director, Mentoring & Cultural Programs

wbryan@arizona.edu
520.621.5584

Karla Cruze-Silva

Senior Manager, Student Success

kcruzesilva@arizona.edu
520.621.9226

Alexei Marquez

Manager, Persistence & Completion

alexeimarquez@arizona.edu
520.626.8689

Robert (Bob) McCune

Manager, Mentoring Programs

rmccune@arizona.edu
520.621.4648

Victoria Navarro Benavides

Manager, First Cats Initiatives

vnbenavides@arizona.edu
520.621.9266

Professional Staff

Derwin Begay

Strengths Coach

dbegay1@arizona.edu
520.626.3500

Dani Carrillo

Coordinator, Fostering Success

danicarrillo@arizona.edu
520.626.5710

Dawn Kahn

Coordinator, Operations & Logistics

dawnalaneclark@arizona.edu
520.626.9052

Mercedes Luna

Coordinator, Transfer Center

mtluna@arizona.edu
520.621.9453

Samantha (Sam) Morrow

Coordinator, Thrive Center

jlsjm5@arizona.edu
520.621.8554

Anamaria Navoa

Coordinator, First Cats Mentoring

anamarir@arizona.edu
520.621.3673

Chris Oka

Senior Coordinator, Cultural Programs

coka@arizona.edu
520.621.9609

Brian Palomo

Strengths Coach

bpalomo@arizona.edu
520.621.7707

Martel Serwenda

Coordinator, First Cats Initiatives

serwendam@arizona.edu
520.621.5470

Jacob Shirley

Coordinator, New Start

jshirley@arizona.edu
520.621.9565

Jenny Simon

Life Management Counselor

jsimon@arizona.edu
520.621.4812

Michelle Sogge

Senior Coordinator, Assessment

michsogg@arizona.edu
520.621.3456

Daniel Viramontes

Coordinator, Transfer Center

viramontes09@arizona.edu
520.626.0971

Graduate Assistants

Gabriel Martinez

Graduate Assistant, Digital Content

martinezg@arizona.edu

Ricardo Montejano

Graduate Assistant, Men's Outreach Initiative

rmontejano@arizona.edu

Vanessa Valenzuela

Graduate Assistant, Financial Wellness

vanessav1@arizona.edu

Cesar Villalobos

Graduate Assistant, Cultural Learning Communities

cesardvillalobos@arizona.edu

Genises Yin Vargas

Graduate Assistant, First Cats Mentoring

genisesyinvargas@arizona.edu

Student Staff

James Rozelle

Arizona Assurance Student Assistant

Esta Akoy

CLC Peer Mentor

Michelle Bustamante

CLC Peer Mentor

Joey Montes

CLC Peer Mentor

Kiana Poncho

CLC Peer Mentor

Amy Spotted Wolf

CLC Peer Mentor

Jenny Tram

CLC Peer Mentor

Shylah Watson

CLC Peer Menor

Rainna Sanchez Ybarra

CLC Peer Mentor

Julianna Lucero Alvarez

First Cats Peer Mentor

Pheonix Eskridge - Aldama

First Cats Peer Mentor

Alissa Atrero

First Cats Peer Mentor

Gabby Gardner

First Cats Peer Mentor

Paola Granados

First Cats Peer Mentor

Zeke Jimenez

First Cats Peer Mentor

Maria Ochoa

First Cats Peer Mentor

Julian Olea

First Cats Peer Mentor

Isabelle Perea

First Cats Peer Mentor

Natali Garcia Quezada

First Cats Peer Mentor

Victorino Rodriguez

First Cats Peer Mentor

Tony Samaniego

Thrive Guides Peer Mentor

James Talbot

First Cats Peer Mentor

Jordan Toyos

First Cats Peer Mentor

Jay Davis

Men's Outreach Community Coordinator

Kenny Gibson

Men's Outreach Coordinator

Eric Oum

Thrive Guide & Men's Outreach Coordinator

Noas Shaalan

Men's Outreach Community Coordinator

Sabrina Arreola

Financial Wellness Peer Mentor

Susana Mar

Financial Wellness Peer Educator

Alexis Nunez

Financial Wellness Peer Mentor

Jordan Torgerson

Financial Wellness Peer Mentor

Dennis Dafeng zhuang

First Cats Coordinator

Mariana Perez

First Cats Community Coordinator

Taylor Rios

First Cats Community Coordinator

Catie Canupp

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Josh Castellitto

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Ally Felix

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Sarah Leblanc

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Arianna Montes

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Sandy Nguyen

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

DeAndre Onyi

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Annete Vasquez

Fostering Success Peer Mentor

Hunter Ackerley

Thrive Guide

Carlos Calvillo

Thrive Guide

Hilda Colquhoun

Thrive Guides Peer Mentor

Keanu Gibson

Thrive Guide

Emma Mangiapane

Thrive Guide

Charlotte Ruth

Thrive Guide

Cooper Ryan

Thrive Guide

Kaitlyn Schaff

Thrive Guide

Elaina Tellez

Thrive Guides Peer Mentor

Wyatt Weisel

Thrive Guide

Ashling Whelan

Thrive Guides

Aina Afzal

Transfer Student Assistant

Mark Almanza

Transfer Student Assistant

Antonio Manzanedo

Transfer Student Assistant

Elsie Ojum

Transfer Student Assistant

Ana Valenzuela

Transfer Student Assistant

Ashley Zambos

Transfer Student Assistant

Lian Don

Digital Content Assistant

Xochitl Sosa

Digital Content Assistant