Staff directory

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Jamie Carter is a program manager in the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs. Jamie’s interest and commitment to advocacy for anti-racist equity work sparked several years ago through her personal journey as a Black woman in higher education.

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Nick Pfost (he/they) is a communications strategist at the University of Michigan, serving The Program on Intergroup Relations, Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, and Spectrum Center.

Amin Saleh is a program manager at the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs. When he was five years old, Amin immigrated with his family to the United States from Venezuela. Since then, his home has been Miami, Florida where he earned a bachelor's degree in communication arts with a minor in computer science from Florida International University (FIU).

Irma Shepard is the administrative assistant for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) at the University of Michigan. Irma recently returned from Tokyo after living there for five years as an expatriate. She volunteered extensively, including serving on the board of the Japan-America Women’s Club. The club was started to promote friendly relations between our two countries after World War II. She also served on many committees at the Tokyo American Club and American School in Japan all in effort to promote friendships, charitable giving and cultural exchange.

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Pa Houa Xiong is a program manager for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs. With a passion in higher education and background in campus involvement, she works to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for college students.

Tomilade Akinyelu is a sophomore pursuing a dual degree in communications and media (LSA) and acting (SMTD). From being a member of the African Students’ Association to her work as a diversity peer educator, Tomilade loves anything that brings cultural awareness. This includes being a front desk assistant at MESA. Outside of MESA, Tomilade enjoys reading, writing, dance, music, and learning more about Jesus.

Alyssa Caldito is a senior studying Community and Global Public Health with minors in Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies and Community Action and Social Change. She identifies as a first-generation Filipino American, and has previously served as Cultural Chair and President of the Filipino American Student Association at U-M. Off-campus, Alyssa has previously worked with the American Citizens for Justice, the Filipino Young Leaders Progam (FYLPRO), and the ReConnect/ReCollect Project.

Timari (He/him/his) is a senior from Detroit, MI majoring in industrial and operations engineering. As a resident advisor and a member of the National Society for Black Engineers, Timari is very passionate about building communities across campus and cultivating a positive and growth-oriented experience for students all across campus. In his free time, Timari enjoys reading, playing Wii Sports, creating art, and listening to new genres of music

Lynn Dang is a coordinator for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. A senior majoring in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree with a focus in biomedical engineering, AI, and machine learning. Lynn identifies as Vietnamese-American and is committed to fostering safe spaces on campus. Previously, she interned at Peace Culture Village, a peace education nonprofit organization located in Hiroshima, Japan, where she facilitated intercultural dialogues surrounding hibakusha, de-weaponization, and peace culture.

José Dasilva is a front desk assistant for the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, and he is a Sophomore pursuing Business Administration with a concentration in Strategy. Jose identifies as Angolan and Colombian-American, and on campus, he is involved in the club ultimate frisbee team and is co-president of BlackGen Capital. Apart from academics and extracurriculars, Jose spends his time eating with friends, playing Settlers of Catan, and missing his hometown of Philadelphia.

Celine Fawaz (she/her) is a second year political science student on the pre-law track. Celine hopes to use her law degree to pursue higher office and give a voice to minorities nationwide. She absolutely loves reading and iced lattes. Outside of school, Celine enjoys going to the mosque and spending time with her pet bunny Mr. Whiskers!
 

Valeria Morales is a sophomore LSA student pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Communication and Media Studies. Valeria is a passionate people person who hopes to use her degrees to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Outside of MESA, you might find her working on Hopelessly Yellow's Podcast: Golden Hour or WOLV TV: Newsfeed. She loves coffee, music, her family, her friends, and could talk to a wall for three hours if you let her!

Lucas Navia (he/him/él) is a second-year pre-medical track student pursuing a BS in sociology of health and medicine and Latin American/Caribbean studies, and a minor in music. He hopes to pursue an MD/PhD and do research on disease prevention in Andean communities. In his free time, Lucas enjoys soccer, traveling, and learning more about other cultures.

Alyssa Peek (she/her) is a junior in the School of Information studying information analysis with minors in business and public policy. She is passionate about the intersection of technology, policy, and security. She is currently the vice speaker for the Black Student Union, a residential advisor for the Global Scholars Program, and DEI chair for Kappa Omega Alpha- Public Policy Professional Fraternity. Outside of school, Alyssa enjoys reading, hiking, and learning many new skills.
 

Jo-Ana Rivera is a graduate student in the master's program for higher education with a concentration in diversity and social justice. Jo-Ana received her bachelor's degree in English from Rutgers University. Previously, she was a middle school teacher. As a first-generation Latina, Jo-Ana hopes to continue to support liberatory educational spaces for minoritized students. In her free time, Jo-Ana enjoys going to the gym, cooking and going to the movies.

Daisy Ruiz (she/her/hers) is a junior majoring in communication and media. Daisy identifies as Mexican/Latina. In addition to being part of the MESA GO! Team, Daisy is the lead director of La Casa and program coordinator for Musica Para La Gente (MPG). Outside of her academic and leadership roles, Daisy enjoys playing tennis, thrifting, and spending time with her friends!
 

Shereen (she/her/hers) is from Farmington Hills, MI majoring in social theory and practice focused on race education. She has facilitated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming for 9 years and advised the College of Engineering on DEI practices for 4 years. She has worked as a social justice educator in the Dexter Public School District and Ann Arbor Public School District and works for the Prison Creative Arts Project. Shereen loves Beyoncé and all things music, she’s played violin and guitar for over 10 years and enjoys a good concert.