Speaker Bios

Dr. Ellen J. Neufeldt, President at CSU San Marcos

Dr. Ellen Neufeldt’s career has centered on student success and student social mobility, and she is firmly committed to ensuring that anyone who dreams of earning a college degree has that opportunity.

In her role as president, Dr. Neufeldt is focused on community-engaged learning, continuing to develop strong, innovative academic programs, and innovation that not only supports student ideas but also serves the community.

Dr. Viridiana Diaz, Vice President for Student Affairs at CSU San Marcos

Dr. Viridiana Diaz began her tenure as Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University San Marcos in January 2022. Her career in higher education has spanned 20 years, all dedicated to creating a more inclusive campus for first-generation, Pell Grant-eligible, migrant, immigrant, undocumented, LGBTQIA+, and out-of-school youth. Dr. Diaz holds a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and is an advocate and practitioner for cross-divisional campus partnerships and community engagement.

Dr. Aswad Allen, Chief Diversity Officer at CSU San Marcos

Dr. Aswad Allen, California State University San Marcos' Chief Diversity Officer, has more than 30 years of experience collaboratively leading various universities toward achieving student success and institutional effectiveness.

Dr. Allen has used a partner-leader philosophy to strategically incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to better serve students, staff, faculty, and alumni for more than two decades.

Dr. Allen’s desire to provide leadership in developing and implementing strategic, systemic, and sustainable models designed to promote social mobility and success for our most marginalized populations continues to fuel his work.

Dr. Tara Yosso, Scholar, Professor, Author, Artist and Screenwriter

Dr. Tara J. Yosso examines access to educational opportunities for Students of Color at critical transition points in their schooling trajectories (e.g. high school to community college, baccalaureate to doctorate). Her research seeks to recover counternarratives of race, schooling, inequality, and the law. Her extensively cited publications examine the ways People of Color utilize community cultural wealth to survive and resist racism and other forms of subordination. She is a first generation college student and is now a Professor in the School of Education at the University of California Riverside.

Dr. Amber Gonzalez, Professor at Sacramento State

Amber Gonzalez, Ph.D. is a tenured Professor in the Child and Adolescent Development (CHAD) program at California State University, Sacramento. Her research focuses on examining the influence of social support networks and institutional structures on Latine college student identity development and educational and career aspirations and motivations. In addition, she explores the ways in which students use these aspirations and motivations to ensure their success, manage failure, and persist. Her scholarly work has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Educational Research, and College Student Journal. Her institutional and community service and leadership activities center on advocating for equity and social justice for students and faculty of color. 

Samantha Bautista, Student at CSU San Marcos

Smantha Bautista, a first-generation Latina college student from Santa Ana, CA, is majoring in Human Development with a minor in Sociology and Women's Studies. She carries a wealth of experience, having worked in Housing, EOP, and currently serving roles at the Latinx Center and the Santa Ana School District's AVID program. Samantha is committed to fostering inclusive educational environments and plans to pursue a master’s in Student Affairs post-graduation to deepen her impact on student empowerment. 

Carlos Patino Santarosa, Student at CSU San Marcos

Carlos Patino Santarosa is a Human Development Major with a Spanish minor in his final semester. He has worked in various departments while a student at CSUSM, including the College Assistance Migrant Program, Orientation Team, and Learning and Tutoring Services. He has also interned with the Office of Undergraduate Studies at CSUSM and with the Educational Opportunity Program at SDSU. He discovered his passion to help students in their academic path through these positions and now hopes to guide students through their academic path. He wishes to start a career in counseling/Advising within Higher Education, here at CSUSM or any other local Community College.

Laura Guzman, Student at CSU San Marcos

Laura Guzman is currently in her third year at CSUSM, pursuing a major in Child and Adolescent Development. As the eldest daughter of hardworking immigrant parents, she takes immense pride in being the first in her family to pursue higher education. Laura's journey at CSUSM commenced with her active participation in the CAMP program during her first year, an experience that significantly influenced her academic and personal development. This involvement ignited her passion for supporting underrepresented students, mirroring her background. Laura serves as a dedicated student assistant and holds a position as a Peer Mentor in the CAMP program. Her involvement in both CAMP and EOP has strengthened her commitment to breaking barriers and fostering an inclusive environment where every student feels empowered and supported. 

Marcelo Muñoz Jr., Student at CSU San Marcos

Marcelo Muñoz Jr. is a first-generation student from Fallbrook, CA. He majors in Spanish Literature and Literature and Writing Studies. Marcelo has supported higher education through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. A firm believer in holistic community and educational involvement, he intends to be a stepping stone on the bridge to success for all students.

Melissa Teetzel, Manager, Grants and Contracts Development, Graduate Studies and Research at CSU San Marcos​

As the Director of Grants and Contracts Development at California State University San Marcos, Melissa loves supporting the research and programmatic goals of CSUSM. Melissa enjoys seeing proposals from faculty and staff across disciplines/units and seeing CSUSM compete and succeed in securing competitive awards from federal, state, and local sponsors. With experience in undergraduate program administration and research administration, Melissa has a long-standing appreciation for the role of higher education in improving lives and communities.  

Rachel Stiehl, Grant Writer, Graduate Studies and Research at CSU San Marcos

Rachel Stiehl is a part-time Grant Writer for the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. She began her career in post-award at SDSU Research Foundation in 2005 and joined CSUSM Corporation’s Office of Sponsored Projects as a Sr. Sponsored Projects Analyst in 2018. She began writing grants as a volunteer and joined the OGSR Grants and Contracts Development Team in 2022.

Andres Favela, Interim Associate Vice President of Student Academic Success Services at CSU San Marcos

Andres has worked in Higher Education for over 30 years all at CSUSM. As Interim Associate Vice President of Student Academic Success Services, he oversees the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), DREAMer Resource Office (DRO), Career Center, TRIO Student Support Services (SSS), Project Rebound, Readiness and Success Services, Pathways to Academic Success and Opportunities (PASO), College Assistance Program (CAMP), and ACE Scholar Services. He previously served as the Director of Academic Advising and Interim Director of the Latino@ Center. He currently serves in several campus initiatives and committees including: Graduation Initiative Steering Committee; Co-Chair of the University Advising Council, and Degree, Set, Go! Work Group. Andres has a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from CSU, Chico and a Master of Arts in Multicultural Counseling from San Diego State University.  He is committed to the mission for student success and in particular student success of first-generation students and under-represented students.

Dr. Renzo Lara, Director of the Latinx Resource Center at San Diego State University

Having transferred from Southwestern College, Dr. Lara earned his B.A., M.A., and Ed.D. from San Diego State University. As a first-generation college student, he overcame various assimilation circumstances and collegial barriers, shaping his strong commitment to his comunidad, aiding Latinx/e students and families in achieving holistic success. With over 13 years of experience in educational programming, research, inclusive excellence curriculum design, and non-profit community work and coalition building, Dr. Lara is dedicated to social and racial justice, advocating for equity among underrepresented and marginalized students of color. Additionally, he serves as the Executive Director of Encuentros Leadership Organization, a non-profit focusing on the educational advancement of young Latino males, and was honored as one of the Top 50 Latino Leaders of Influence in 2022 by the San Diego Business Journal.

Maria Venegas Escobedo, Director of the College Assistance Migrant Program at CSU San Marcos

Maria Venegas Escobedo has been employed at California State University San Marcos since 2013 with evolving responsibilities spanning from direct student support services to administration roles. Since 2020, Maria has served as the Director of the College Assistance Migrant Program. Maria’s focus lies in access and retention to increase degree attainment for underrepresented student populations. Previous roles for Maria include an interim role as the Latinx Center Director at CSUSM and work in public health research at San Diego State University. Maria possesses 15+ years of experience in the administration of federal grant-funded programs, outreach and recruitment strategies, designing and implementing student services, curriculum design, and expertise in interpreting federal and state regulations. Maria holds a B.A. from CSUSM and a master’s degree in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a specialization in Student Affairs from San Diego State University. Maria’s passion for student support services is rooted in her experiences as a Latina, first-generation student, and her commitment to social and racial justice.

Dr. Suzanne E. Hizer, Associate Director of HSI-STEM at CSU San Marcos

Dr. Suzanne E. Hizer is a dedicated educator and researcher with a strong background in biological sciences and a passion for fostering equity in STEM education. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Biological Sciences from CSUSM and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Joint Doctoral Program between UCSD and CSUSM. Dr. Hizer has been actively involved in various roles within academia. As an Adjunct Faculty member in the Biological Sciences Department since 2006, she has taught a diverse range of courses for majors and non-majors. Currently, she is the Associate Director/Principal Investigator leading a five-year $5.0 million dollar federally funded grant effort to increase the success and degree attainment of Hispanic and underserved students by creating an "EcosySTEM for Success". Dr. Suzanne E. Hizer's multifaceted contributions to education, research, and equity in STEM demonstrate her dedication to shaping a positive and inclusive learning environment for students and colleagues alike.

Dr. Carmen Nava, Associate Dean of Curriculum, Academic Programs and Student Success, College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences at CSU San Marcos

Carmen Nava is Associate Dean of Curriculum, Academic Programs and Students Success in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences at California State University San Marcos. As Professor of Latin American History, her research and teaching focuses on cultural history, nationalism, and gender in Latin America, and the Chicanx/Latinx experience in the US.