Meet Our Team!

Demiana Hanna, SI Mentor

Email: hanna055@csusm.edu

Demiana is a third-year student majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Balancing her academic responsibilities, she also serves as an SI Mentor and gains hands-on experience as a Medical Assistant in a primary care clinic. Her commitment extends to volunteering at a nearby hospital, where she is actively involved in patient care and community service. Driven by a passion for pediatric medicine, Demiana aspires to become a physician who not only delivers exceptional care to young patients but also sheds light on the intricacies of medicine to those who need it. 

Nessa Jamalian, SI Mentor 

She/her

Email: jamal005@csusm.edu 

Nessa is a psychology major with a minor in biology. Apart from being a supplementary instructor, she works as a data coordinator and manager in Dr. Pulver's NIH-funded study, as well as a research assistant in Dr. Sherafat's rodent lab. She's super passionate about research and educating others on the brain! Her current research projects focus on the interaction between nicotinic modulators and implications on learning and memory in the hippocampus, as well as getting her manuscript with Dr. Pulver's finalized and published. 

Maggie Dunn, BIOL 177 SIL

She/her

Email: dunn060@csusm.edu 

Maggie is in her fourth year at CSUSM as a Kinesiology-Health Science major and she is hoping to pursue a Masters Degree in Physician Associate Studies (MPAS). She just became a certified phlebotomist and enjoys helping others through hands-on clinical experience. When she is bored she's probably doing photography, shopping, or at the gym.

Rayne Marasigan, BIOL 177 SIL

She/her

Email: maras009@csusm.edu  

Rayne is a third-year Kinesiology (Health Science) major with a minor in Public Health. After discovering her passion for public health over traditional healthcare, she is now focused on becoming an epidemiologist and/or pursuing a career in research. In her free time, she enjoys reading, sleeping, playing video games, and spending time with her friends.

Julianne Calaguian, CHEM 160 SIL

She/her

Email: calag004@csusm.edu 

Julianne is a third-year Biological Sciences major with a concentration in Molecular Cell Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She hopes to move on to Medical School after her fourth year. In her free time, she loves to draw, bake, play video games, hang out with her friends and family, and watch her favorite shows!

Mackenzie Crabtree, CHEM 160 SIL

She/her

Email: crabt011@csusm.edu 

Mackenzie is a 2nd-year Chemistry major, she loves video games, music, and the outdoors. She wants to keep pursuing chemistry in grad school and become a researcher someday. In her free time, she likes to make music, hike, go on drives, and go rock climbing.

Kaylin Sparks, CHEM 160 SIL

she/her/hers

Email: spark036@csusm.edu 

Kaylin is a 3rd-year Biology major with a major passion for the field. She plans to pursue a doctorate in conservation ecology and dreams of being a research biologist. She is also a COMPASS intern working in Dr. Patricia Byrne's reproduction lab at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Seriously, this girl loves biology). Kaylin loves driving, shopping, singing, making crafts, listening to music, and playing video games in her free time!

Katya Frazier, CHEM 160 SIL

she/hers

Email: frazi045@csusm.edu 

Katya is a biology major, minoring in both psychology and chemistry. Her background as a Russian-American adoptee from Siberia has given her the ability to have a never-ending thirst for learning. She challenges herself to explore as much as possible in her free time, such as rock climbing, soccer, flag football, and snowboarding. If she is not at the gym, she is finding a new hiking trail somewhere in California. After being exposed to a research lab studying neurodevelopmental genes using zebrafish as a model, Katya wants to pursue a research career in behavioral neuroscience and someday go to grad school. She strives to continue developing skills and understandings about us, as a community, and how we function to be our best selves.

Jacob Badillo, CHEM 201 SIL

He/him

Email: badil029@csusm.edu 

Jacob is a second-year biochemistry major. He plans on becoming a General dentist in the future. On his own time, he enjoys playing basketball, going to the beach, and hanging out with friends and family.

Jerrvin Cendana, CHEM 201 SIL

He/him

Email: cenda003@csusm.edu

Jerrvin is a 5th year Chemistry major. He wants to become a teacher when he grows up. He is ready to saddle up this semester and hopes to make a difference. YEEHAW!

Symphony Rutkowski, CHEM 201 SIL

She/her

Email: rutko005@csusm.edu 

Symphony is a second-year biological science major with a minor in literature. She dreams of becoming an astrobiologist and conducting research in space. Her days consist of reading, listening to music, and hiking.

Kiera Ramirez, CHEM 201 SIL

She/her

Email: ramir1121@csusm.edu 

Kiera is a 2nd year biochemistry student with a minor in psychology. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, reading a good book, watching trashy TV, and hanging out with friends. She plans to join an MD/PhD program funded by the US Navy in pursuit of becoming an officer anesthesiologist and doing research.

Nathan Sutor, CHEM 202 SIL

He/him

Email: sutor001@csusm.edu 

I am a third-year BioChem Major and current SI leader for Chem 202. Besides that, I am a musician and an avid reader.

Emma Anderson, CHEM 202 SIL

she/hers

Email: ander477@csusm.edu 

I am a third-year biochemistry major. I plan to attend medical school. I like to hang out with my friends and family, especially my niece. I also like to shop, go to the beach, and watch movies.

Marnie Solis, ECON 201 SIL

she/hers

Email: solis177@csusm.edu 

Marnie is a 2nd-year business major, who is interested in pursuing accounting. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, knitting, shopping, and hanging out with friends.

Maria Matias, ECON 201 SIL

she/hers

Email: matia031@csusm.edu 

Maria is a second-year business student with a specialization in accounting. She wants to become a forensic auditor in the future and hopefully get to work in the FBI someday. In her free time, she likes to go for walks, cook and bake.

Alex Rowe, ECON 202 SIL

He/Him

Email: rowe048@csusm.edu 

Hello, I am a second-year Business Finance major. In my free time, I enjoy fishing, hiking, and playing basketball.

Katie Brunson, PSYC 360 SIL

She/her

Email: bruns015@csusm.edu 

Katie is a 4th-year psychology major and public health minor. She is interested in a career in health psychology and plans on achieving a doctorate. Since spring '22, she has been a research assistant in Dr. Caine's Animal behavior lab. Katie enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog and trying new things in her free time. She can't wait to help her fellow students this semester!

Victoria Naficy, PSYC 360 SIL

She/hers

Email: nafic001@csusm.edu 

Victoria is a psychology major in her second semester at CSUSM after transferring from community college. She enjoys reading, crocheting, and spending time with her cat in her free time. She looks forward to supporting fellow students' success and allowing them to enjoy the course as much as she did!

Pauline Huynh, PSYC 360 SIL

She/her

Email: huynh198@csusm.edu 

Pauline is a psychology major who plans to pursue a Ph.D in neuroscience. Currently, she is a research assistant in Dr. Kreisler's rodent lab and is excited to expand her research capabilities. When she's not immersed in her studies or research, she finds joy in the company of her four cats, reading books, and video gaming.

Ellie Alexander, PSYC 360 SIL

She/hers

Email: alexa071@csusm.edu 

My name is Ellie, and I'm a fourth-year psychology major who's always been fascinated by the brain. I'm very passionate about studying neuroscience, which I hope to pursue at graduate school in the near future. Outside of school, I've worked professionally with kids in summer camps and teen programs for almost three years. Getting to now work with other college students is something new that I'm super excited about! In my free time, I love to eat at new restaurants and cafes, explore vintage stores, and see my favorite musicians live.

Alissa Tryforos, SLP 491 SIL

She/her

Email: tryfo002@csusm.edu 

Alissa is in Cohort 15 of the M.S. SLP graduate program. Her current interest is in adults and she hopes to work in an out-patient setting. However, she is keeping an open mind as she navigates through her clinical experiences and coursework to determine her area of specialty. In her free time, she enjoys weight lifting, running, spending time outside, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family. Alissa is excited to be the Supplemental Instructor for SLP 320 and is looking forward to helping students excel in this course!

Judith Granados, SLP 201 SIL & SLP 473 SIL

She/her

Email: grana060@csusm.edu 

Judith is in Cohort 15 of the M.S. SLP graduate program. Her future career goal is to work as an SLP in an elementary school. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing board games, and visiting museums. She is excited to be a Supplemental instructor for SLP 391 this semester!

Katy Grell, PHYS 357 SIL

She/hers

Email: hammo051@csusm.edu 

Katy is in Cohort 13 of the Bachelor of Speech-Language Pathology. While open-minded about her future career path, Katy is interested in the pediatric hospital setting. She has a curious cat named Neptune, who may appear in Zoom meetings from time to time. When not tutoring for SI, Katy tutors elementary school students in math! Katy's favorite place in the world is Stockholm and she hopes to go back one day.