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Meet the Staff

SSHA Leadership:

Heather Bortfeld

Interim Dean

Professor of Psychological Sciences

sshadean@ucmerced.edu

 

Anne Zanzucchi

Associate Dean, Academics and Special Projects

Teaching Professor for Writing Studies

azanzucchi@ucmerced.edu

Christine Howe

Executive Assistant to the Dean

chowe2@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-7843

 

 

Rebecca Smith

Assistant Dean, Personnel

rsmith7@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-2950

 

Megan Topete

Assistant Dean, Student & Instructional Services

mtopete@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4594

 

 

 

Academic Advising: ssha.advising@ucmerced.edu

Megan Topete

Assistant Dean, Student & Instructional Services

mtopete@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4594

 

Brenda Maldonado-Rosas

Director of Student Services

bmaldonado-rosas@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-0037

Lauren Brackett

Senior Academic Advisor

Academic Advisor

lbrackett@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-0042

Lorena Mejia

Academic Success Coordinator

Academic Advisor

Lmejia35@ucmerced.edu

 

 

Evelyn Cardona

Academic Advisor

ecardona2@ucmerced.edu

 

Valeria Salcedo Lomeli

Academic Advisor

vsalcedolomeli@ucmerced.edu

 

Linda Safer

Academic Advisor, Transfer Coordinator

lsafer@ucmerced.edu

 

Destiny Dias

Administrative Assistant

ddias2@ucmerced.edu

 

Carolyn Barranco

Academic Advisor, Student Engagement Coordinator

 

 

Maria Sifuentes

Degree Completion Program, Academic Advisor

msifuentes@ucmerced.edu

 

Elizabeth Whitmyre

Degree Completion Program, Academic Advisor

ewhitmyre@ucmerced.edu

 

Academic Personnel and Personnel: ssha.ap@ucmerced.edu

Rebecca Smith

Assistant Dean, Personnel

rsmith7@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-2950

 

Amanda Khamo

Senior Academic Personnel Analyst

akhamo@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4210

Vanessa Woodruff

Senior Academic Personnel Analyst

vwoodruff@ucmerced.edu

 

Joseph Swann

Personnel Analyst

jswann@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-3125

 

 

 

 

Department Support Services: ssha.deptsupport@ucmerced.edu

Heidi Green

Interim Academic Department Support Lead
(209) 382-4073

 

Ericka Garcia

Events and Academic Department Support Coordinator
(209) 201-8167

Heidi Green

Academic Department Specialist
(209) 382-4073

 

Stephanie Lopez

Academic Department Specialist
(209) 308-3329

 

Jocelyn De La Torre

Academic Department Specialist &
Interim Operations Admin Specialist
(209) 285-4403

 

Jennifer Casillas

Temporary Department Specialist & Operations Support

 

Kim McMillon

Community Liasion for the Arts
 

 

Finance and Administrative Operations: ssha.financial@ucmcerced.edu

Christine Tumonong

Finance & Administrative Operations

ctumonong@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4597

 

 

 

Amanda Leard

Financial Services Analyst

aleard@ucmerced.edu

Jesus Garcia-Zaragoza

Financial Services Analyst

ssha.financial@ucmerced.edu

   

 

Graduate Services: ssha.grad@ucmerced.edu

Megan Topete

Assistant Dean, Student & Instructional Services

mtopete@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4594

Pakou Thao

Interim Lead Graduate Services Coordinator

pthao29@ucmerced.edu

(209) 355-8507

 

Isabel de Santiago

Graduate Services Coordinator

idesantiago2@ucmerced.edu

(209) 229-0105

 

Lisa Moe

Graduate Services Assistant

ymoe@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-0105

 

Instructional Services: ssha.curriculum@ucmerced.edu

Megan Topete

Assistant Dean, Student & Instructional Services

mtopete@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4594

 

Angela Dixon

Manager of Instructional Services

adixon2@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-7839

Casey Delfino

Course & Curriculum Scheduler

cdelfino@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4495

 

Yazmin Colin

Course Articulation Analyst

ycolin@ucmerced.edu

 

Alyssa Conroy

Instructional Services Assistant

aconroy2@ucmerced.edu

 

Karen Chaidez

Temporary Instructional Services Assistant

kchaidez2@ucmerced.edu

 

Research and Scholarship Support: ssha.grants@ucmerced.edu

 

Andrés Hernández, PhD

Faculty Research Liaison

ahernandez273@ucmerced.edu

 

 

The Karen Merritt Writing Program: mwp@ucmerced.edu

Estee Beck

Director

ebeck2@ucmerced.edu

 

Lora Burnett

Associate Director

socena@ucmerced.edu

Sandra Mora

Acting Personel and Financial Analyst

smora@ucmerced.edu

Linda Hart Tolley

Acting Curriculum Manager

lharttolley@ucmerced.edu

 

 

 

 

Staff Mission Statement:

  • We actively partner with our colleagues on campus and our local communities to support the educational and research mission of the university. We facilitate the success of our students and faculty, and we advance the success of UC Merced through our work.
  • We do so with these guiding principles in mind:
  • We are mindful of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the decisions we make, policies that guide us, and our behavior toward others
  • We aim to have empathy and understanding in daily interactions
  • We practice honesty, integrity, respect, and trust with colleagues and those we serve
  • We are diligent in our duties, committed and responsible in support of our School and Campus
  • We are accountable and ethical
  • We are innovative and adaptable
  • We value teamwork and opportunities for collaboration
  • We respond to change in positive ways
  • We balance our work and personal lives and recognize that each is an integral part of our success and health

 

Last Updated January 2024

Questions: Please contact Christine Howe.