Meet Your Advisors

Pronouns: He/Him/His

About Me: Greetings! My name is Dan and I'm the Lead Academic Preceptor for Crown & Merrill Colleges. I began my career in Higher Education working in Residential Life and have held positions in Admissions, Re-Entry, Financial Aid and Academic Advising, bringing me from California to Colorado and back to California again! When I'm not on campus working with our fabulous students and advisers, I enjoy playing Disc Golf, Rock Climbing, watching and discussing all things soccer/football and hiking with my partner and dog through the many trails and forests in Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. Come by and say hello!

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Education:

B.A., in Philosophy, Sonoma State University

M.Ed in Student Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles

Fun Fact:

• I’m a huge fan of all things pop culture and music, comic books, movies, and disc golf.
• I grew up in a family musician’s household.

Alejandra Guzman Llamas

Pronouns: She/Her

About Me: Greetings Slugs! I'm Alejandra, an academic advisor for Merrill College. I was born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I am a Dreamer and first-generation college student. In my role I help students identify and explore their interests and establish academic, personal, and career goals. Feel free to connect with me for questions or even to share how your quarter has been going. In my free time I like to go on outdoor runs, watch movies, and spend time with friends and family.

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Education:

B.A., Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz

B.A., Spanish Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz

Fun Fact:

• I’m a proud UCSC alum
• On the weekends, you'll often find me hiking in the local forests and parks.
• When it comes to comfort food, I can't resist anything with a generous dollop of pesto sauce.

Caroline Wakaba Futamura

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

About Me: An Ohio native, I received my A.B. in Biology and French at Bowdoin College and subsequently taught English in Tokyo, Japan, where I fell in love with teaching. Embracing my passion for the French language and Francophone cultures, I decided to pursue my M.A. through Middlebury College and my Ph.D. at Rice University. Following my initial calling as a French professor (for over eleven years), I taught at Susquehanna University, Bennington College, Saint Anselm College, Georgetown University, and the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). For my teaching and research, I have also traveled to France, Tunisia, Morocco, Québec, Senegal, and Martinique. Seizing the opportunity to switch to a student support role, I more recently served as a Senior Academic Specialist at the DLIFLC offering modules on autonomous learning strategies, time management, resiliency building, test-taking strategies, and test anxiety management to initial entry students. The culmination of my experiences as a professor, an advisor, and an academic specialist has brought me to UCSC, where I currently serve as a Merrill Advisor. Dedicated to getting to know my students’ dreams and unique identities, I enjoy working closely with them in order to provide tailored and holistic mentoring as they pursue their personal, social, academic, and/or professional endeavors to ultimately become autonomous lifelong learners and global citizens. In my free time, I love to sketch, explore California’s coastline and redwood forests, take road trips with my husband, and spend time with family.

Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio

Education:

Ph.D., French Studies, Rice University

M.A., French, Middlebury College

A.B., Biology and French, Bowdoin College

Fun Fact:

• I once adopted a rescue dog in France (yellow lab).
• When I have free time, I love to go hiking and sketch landscapes/nature.
• I have taught English in Japan and France, and French in the U.S.

Jessica Macias

Pronouns: She/Her

About Me: Hey Merrill Slugs! My name is Jessica Macias and I am an EOP STEM Counselor. I am a Latina, first-generation, and UCSC Alumni with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. I am passionate about supporting students and acting as a bridge for those facing adversity to resources and a community of STEM mentors. I like to take a holistic approach when engaging in conversations regarding resources and will provide guidance to help students in STEM achieve their educational and career goals by implementing a growth mindset environment, instill self-efficacy and provide a sense of belonging. I look forward to meeting and working with you all!

Hometown: La Puente, CA

How to reach me: My advising hours are Monday-Friday from between 10am-4pm.
Appointments can be scheduled through Slug Success. Please note that All appointments will take place via Zoom through spring quarter 2021.

Feel free to stop by the Merrill office during Peer Advising drop-in hours.

You can also Google Chat with a Peer Advisor to ask quick questions!

• When: Peer Advising chat hours are generally 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday
  
• How: Add (+) mrlpradv@ucsc.edu to your Google Hangouts, using your UCSC email (chat function is on the bottom left of your gmail screen)

You can also email Peer Advisors questions at mrlpradv@ucsc.edu

Peer Course Endorsements:

See our Peer Advisor Course Endorsements here!

Kaleigh

Pronouns: She/Her 

Major: Psychology and Sociology

About Me: I am excited to be on the Merrill Peer Advisory team! I want to see every person succeed in their own ways and help students gain knowledge and resources to become their best academic and mental selves.

Fun Facts: 

• I enjoy painting and hikes with friends in my free time 
• I have a 4 year old black cat and her name is toast <3

Kealani

Pronouns: She/Her

Majors: Sociology & Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology

About Me: I’m excited to be a Peer Advisor this year and assist the Merrill community! I look forward to meeting with and helping everyone in any way that I can.

Fun Facts:

• I like to read and crochet in my free time
• I love going to the beach when I’m home
• My favorite color is purple
• UCSC Affiliations: Bhalla Lab

Clare

Pronouns: She/Her

Majors: Politics, Psychology, and Microbiology

About Me: It is my second year as a peer advisor and I love helping students navigate through their academic journeys! I am in my senior year and am excited to meet some of you and help you have an awesome time during your years at UCSC.

Fun Facts:

• Some of my favorite hobbies are sewing, reading, and hiking.
• I have lived in three countries and three states.
• I have three siblings.
• UCSC Affiliations: Friends of MSF / Doctors Without Borders

Kirsten

Pronouns: She/Her

Majors: Legal Studies and Sociology

About Me: Hello Banana Slugs! I am so excited to join the Merrill Peer Advisory team, and can’t wait to get connected with you all. I’m a second year student at UCSC and want to create an inviting environment for all students to get plugged into our campus’ incredible resources and assist others in academic success!

Fun Facts:

• I eat tomatoes like apples
• I love rock climbing, surfing, and hiking during my free time
• My favorite music artists at the moment are Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan
• I’m part of the UCSC Mock Trial team on campus!

Salma

Pronouns: She/Her

Majors: Computer Science and Statistics minor

About Me: Hello slugs, I'm thrilled to be a part of the Merrill Peer Advisory team. As a first-generation American with roots in both Afghanistan and Mexico, I come from a diverse and close-knit family. One thing that brings me immense joy is helping others navigate their academic journey and beyond.

Fun Facts:

• I'm a twin
• I'm left handed
• I'm an avid hiker
• I love going to the drive-in movies
• UCSC Affiliations: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)

Tejal

Pronouns: She/Her

Majors: Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics

About Me: Hi Slugs, I am excited to join the Merrill Peer Advising Team! I look forward to meeting and helping students succeed on their journeys at UCSC!

Fun Facts:

• I love crafts and DIY projects
• Snails are my favorite animal
• I like to play sudoku and minesweeper