Staff Directory

Title: Director, Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center
Pronouns: they/them and/or elle/elles and/or just delfín
Email: queer@ucsc.edu 
Office Location: Cantu Center (near Crown, Merrill, and the KZSC Radio Station)
delfin is a social worker, writer, activist theologian, and diversity educator. Originally from Miami, FL, delfin is of both Cuban and Salvadoran heritage. delfin has a Master in Divinity from Yale University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. A queer and trans Latinx diva of faith and spirit, delfin is passionate about intersectional justice and resilience, especially around the experiences of queer people of color. delfin enjoys writing, cooking, spoiling other people’s pets, eating, queerly scheming, watching cartoons, spending time with their beloved and familia, untraditional liturgizing, and new found passion for gardening, 

Title: AARCC Program Coordinator, African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC)
Email: aarcc@ucsc.edu 
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Title: African Black Caribbean Retention Specialist, Office of ABC Student Success
Pronouns: She/Her
Email: mchimwaz@ucsc.edu
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Melissa Chimwaza is the African Black Caribbean Retention Specialist. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Human Biology & Society where she first was exposed to an Ethnic Resource Center which supported her academic journey and allowed her to thrive. Now, Melissa is dedicated to the planning and execution of programs that will engage, inspire and uplift UCSC’s African/Black/Caribbean students. She is eager to build community and work with students to create the programs that will best serve them. Melissa grounds her work and values in critical race & feminist theories and aspires to support BIPOC students in their own journeys within higher education.

Title: SWANA Retention Specialist

Pronouns: She/Her

Email: aapirc@ucsc.edu

Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers in the Bay Tree Building

Myenn serves as the SouthWest Asian North African (SWANA) Retention Specialist at the Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center on campus. With a background in activism, non-profit work, and organizing, she graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Journalism. During her time there, she founded and led the SWANA Initiative and held other various leadership roles on campus. Off-campus, she co-founded Afghans In Solidarity, a grassroots organization created to support various social justice causes. After organizing a successful international protest, she also co-founded the United Afghan Association, a non-profit organization that focused on supporting Afghans after the Taliban takeover. She now hopes to build a stronger sense of SWANA community and identity on campus.

Interested in getting connected? Schedule a meeting here.

Title: Director, African American Resource and Cultural Center 
Pronouns: She/Her
Email: aarcc@ucsc.edu 
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Autumn Johnson (She/Her/Hers) is a proud alumni of UCSC (B.A. Sociology - Kresge), and the Director of the African American Resource and Cultural Center. As a student, she was active in the SOMeCA space— specifically CAD, SOAR, and e2. Autumn holds her M.A. in Equity and Social Justice in Education from San Francisco State University. She previously brought her passion for community building and social justice principled work to her professional role at San Francisco State. Autumn is dedicated to continually evolving and is passionate about community-based organizing, environmental equity, interrogating carceral systems, and youth development. In her free time, she enjoys camping, reading, and watching Star Trek. 

Title: Executive Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Email: ercadmin@ucsc.edu 
Office Location: Women's Center at Cardiff House, Rm 113

Nancy I. Kim (she/her) is a Banana Slug alum with a Bachelor’s degree from UCSC in American Studies. She received her Masters degree in Asian American Studies from UCLA, and has worked in higher education for 25 years. Nancy also served as Director of the Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center at UCSC. Prior to returning to UCSC, she was Interim Director at Pomona College Asian American Resource Center, and taught Asian American Studies as adjunct faculty at UCSC, UCLA, CSU Northridge, and Scripps College.

Title: Director, Chicanx Latinx Resource Center
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella 
Email: elcentro@ucsc.edu
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Xiomara was raised in South Los Angeles and is a proud daughter of immigrants from México and Guatemala. She is a first-generation college graduate and received her B.A. in Legal Studies from UCSC and an M.Ed. in Educational Counseling from USC. She has over five years of experience in student affairs within the UC system and the California Community Colleges. After interning at El Centro during her undergraduate career, Xiomara was inspired to engage in cultural center work. As the Director of El Centro, she is excited to work with students, staff, and faculty to develop culturally-relevant programming and co-curricular activities that support the transition to the university, promote holistic wellness, and foster a sense of belonging, community building, and critical consciousness for Chicanx Latinx students. Xiomara leads with values of social justice, diversity and inclusion, corazón, and service to students. During her free time, she enjoys rewatching episodes of Grey's Anatomy, trying new coffee shops, and visiting local parks and museums with her son. 

Title: Director, American Indian Resource Center
Pronouns: She/Her
Email: airc@ucsc.edu 
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Angel Riotutar-Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation joins us as the Director of the American Indian Resource Center. She is of mixed descent: American Indian, Filipino, Portuguese and European. 

A 2nd generation Santa Cruz Native, Angel spent time in West Virginia, Virginia and Louisiana. She has attended the local schools: Cabrillo College, Gavilan College earning her A.A. degree and as a first generation graduate to receive her B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz. While attending UCSC, she was a student intern for the AIRC.

Angel brings with her an extensive background, working primarily in and with the American Indian community. She has volunteered for various Native Organizations as a Board Chairperson, Board Member and organizer of traditional ceremonies. She has worked in the surrounding counties of Santa Clara, San Benito, and San Mateo including more recently Southern California in the San Diego area. 

Angel began volunteering with the Santa Cruz Indian Council with her family, who were the founders of the organization for 15 years and finally held the position of Chairperson. She has volunteered for the Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley, the Costanoan Research Institute and has supported other various American Indian organizations. 

She focused in Human Services as Program Manager, Case Manager and Site Manager in State and Native TANF programs. As a Program Manager, she was able to implement culturally specific programming for families, individuals and youth. She finds motivation and strength in the ability to advocate and support our community.

Today, Angel is very honored to come back to UCSC AIRC, and would like to utilize all available resources, community members, faculty, and staff to support and encourage all students. She is very excited for the Native American Opportunity Program and is looking forward to creating more opportunities, programming and ensuring Native visibility on campus.

Title: Director, Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center
Pronouns: He/Him/Siya
Email: aapirc@ucsc.edu
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Caz Salamanca (He/Him/Siya) is the Director of the Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz. An alum of the UC system (B.S. in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego), and the CSU (M.A. in Education w/ a concentration in Counseling from SDSU), Caz brings 10+ years of experience working in higher ed, with 5 of those years working in a cultural center (MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center at San José State University). He is the current Treasurer for the California Council of Cultural Centers in Hgiher Ed (CaCCCHE), an organization comprised of the staff of identity-based resource centers, and a former co-chair of the Asian/Pacific Islander caucus of the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Hgiher Ed (NCORE). Caz's interests include student identity and leadership development, hip hop education, and exploring the intersections of social justice issues and pop culture.

Title:  Business Operations Specialist
Pronouns: She/her/Ella
Email: ercadmin@ucsc.edu 
Office Location: Ethnic Resource Centers (Bay Tree Building)

Carolina Soler, born in Bogotá, Colombia, brings over two decades of experience in administrative operations to her role as Business Operations Specialist at the UC Santa Cruz Resource Centers. She holds a degree in Business Management Economics from UCSC and proudly identifies as a Banana Slug.

In her role, Carolina works closely with the Resource Centers' Executive Director to oversee fiscal, personnel, and administrative operations for the Ethnic Resource Center and six individual Resource Centers. She provides essential support to ensure the Resource Centers' programs and services foster students’ academic success, personal growth, and sense of belonging at UCSC.

Carolina is deeply committed to creating inclusive and efficient workspaces that reflect the Resource Centers’ mission to affirm diverse identities, empower students, and foster institutional change. Her principles of equity, respect, and collaboration guide her work and inspire her dedication to supporting students and colleagues alike.

Outside of work, Carolina finds joy in spending time with her two children, whether cheering on her son at volleyball games, exploring nature through scuba and freediving, or nurturing her love for plants. She values a balanced life that integrates family, nature, and personal well-being, embodying the holistic support she strives to provide through her work.