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Meet the Staff

SSHA Leadership:

Jeff Gilger

Dean

Professor of Psychological Sciences

jgilger@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

 

Christine Tumonong

Assistant Dean, Finance & Administrative Operations

ctumonong@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4597

 

 

 

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

Student Success Coordinator

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

 

 

Andrea Villarreal

Academic Personnel Assistant

svillarreal6@ucmerced.edu

 

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 Administrative Officer 
(209) 285-4403

 

Kim McMillon

Community Liasion for the Arts

 

 

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

Christine Tumonong

Assistant Dean, Finance & Administrative Operations

ctumonong@ucmerced.edu

(209) 228-4597

 

 

 

Amanda Perry

Financial Services Analyst

ajohnson65@ucmerced.edu

Andre Frise

Financial Services Analyst

afrise@ucmerced.edu

   

 

Graduate Services: ssha.grad@ucmerced.edu

Monica Garcia, PhD

Manager of Graduate Services

mgarcia379@ucmerced.edu

(209) 382-4145

Pakou Thao

Graduate Services Coordinator

pthao29@ucmerced.edu

(209) 355-8507

 

Isabel de Santiago

Graduate Services Coordinator

idesantiago2@ucmerced.edu

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

Samantha Ocena

Associate Director

socena@ucmerced.edu

Iris Ruiz

Assistant Director

iruiz4@ucmerced.edu

Linda Hart Tolley

Administrative Officer for Assessment & Curriculum

lharttolley@ucmerced.edu

 

Sandra Mora

Administrative Officer for Personnel & Finances

smora@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 July 2023

Questions: Please contact Christine Howe.