Our Thrive Team Can Be Contacted Through Tawk.to or via Phone/Email.

Phone: 1-805-893-2786  |   Email: thrive@ucsb.edu

Staff

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Staff

Name

Email

DaisyBasulto Daisy Basulto-Hernandez, she/her
CalFresh and Basic Needs Communications Coordinator
Languages: English/Spanish
daisybasulto-hernand@ucsb.edu
KatieMaynard Katie Maynard, she/her
Staff to Food Security and Basic Needs Taskforce; Director of Campus Sustainability
Languages: English
UCSB CCS Biology Alumna
kcmaynard@ucsb.edu
RebeccaSegundo Rebecca Segundo, she/her
Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing Manager
rplotkin@ucsb.edu


Student Staff

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Basic Needs Research And Evaluation Team

Name

Email

CorbinHodges Corbin Hodges, he/him
Post Doctoral Researcher, Basic Needs
chodges@ucsb.edu
RickZheng Rick Zheng, he/him
Research Assistant, Basic Needs
rickzheng@umail.ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Calfresh & Basic Needs Peer Advisor Team

Name

Email

AzucenaSarabia Azucena Sarabia, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Languages: English/Spanish
Sociology
azucenathrive@gmail.com
Dani Dani Lopez-Escobar, he/him
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Languages: English/Spanish
History of Public Policy and Law
daniel272@ucsb.edu
DeishaSon Deisha Son, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Communication
dsonthrive@gmail.com
FionHuang Fion Huang, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Statistics and Data Science
fionhuangthrive@gmail.com
LaurenBacon Lauren Bacon, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Sociology, Professional Writing Minor, and Poverty Inequality and Social Justice Minor
baconthrive@gmail.com
MirnaToxtle Mirna Toxtle, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Psychology and Brain Sciences/ Applied Psychology
mtoxtlethrive@gmail.com
SharmaineNastor Sharmaine Nastor, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Biology
sharmainethrive@gmail.com
SiouxzieMedina Siouxzie Medina, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Environmental Studies / Sociology / Minor in Poverty Inequality and Social Justice
siouxziethrive@gmail.com
ArleneGarcia Arlene Garcia, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Film and Media studies/Minor in Theater-Production & Design
arlenegthrive@gmail.com
GabbySarabia Gabriela Sarabia, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Bio-Psychology
ggsthrive@gmail.com
AngelaBravo Angela Bravo, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Languages: English/Spanish
Sociology, 2024
angelabravo3333@gmail.com
SergioSegura Sergio Segura Esquivel, he/him
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Sociology
ssegurathrive@gmail.com
ArturoGonzales Arturo Gonzales, he/him
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Languages: English, Spanish
Political Science
arturogonzales.thrive@gmail.com
KristelCerritos Kristel Cerritos, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Language: English and Spanish
Environmental Studies
kristelthrive@gmail.com
KarenHernandez Karen Hernandez, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Political Science with a Minor in the History of Poverty, Inequality, and Social Justice
kghthrive@gmail.com
ZoeDiGennaro Zoe DiGennaro, she/her
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Environmental Studies
zoedigthrive@gmail.com
BraedenRodriguez Braeden Rodriguez, he/him
Basic Needs Peer Advisor & CalFresh Advocate
Languages: English
Sociology major with a minor in Poverty, Inequality, and social justice, and Applied Psych
Braedenrodriguezthrive@gmail.com

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Basic Needs Communication Team

Name

Email

SydneyNguyen Sydney Nguyen, she/her
Basic Needs Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Psychological & Brain Sciences
sydneynguyen@ucsb.edu
MichelleKim Michelle Kim, she/her
Basic Needs Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Psychological & Brain Sciences and Communication
michelle_kim@ucsb.edu
ColeWalters Cole Walters, he/him
Basic Needs Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Earth Science: Physics Emphasis
cwalters@ucsb.edu
VinnieFong Vinnie Fong, he/him
Basic Needs Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Economics and communications
fong.vinnie12@gmail.com
WendyHuang Wendy Huang, she/her
Basic Needs Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Economics and accounting
wendyhuang@ucsb.edu
AmithaBhat Amitha Bhat, she/her
Basic Needs Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
amithabhat@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Rapid Rehousing Communication Team

Name

Email

KarynaG Karyna Garay, she/her
Rapid Rehousing Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Psychological & Brain Sciences
ucsbrapidrehousing@gmail.com
JessicaA Jessica Arocho, she/her
Rapid Rehousing Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Psychological & Brain Sciences
ucsbrapidrehousing@gmail.com

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Housing Navigator & Pilot Program Team

Name

Email

AsadBhatti Asad Bhatti, he/him
Cooper Housing Navigator and Rapid Rehousing Pilot Program Coordinator
Psychological and Brain Sciences
sa-housingadvocate@ucsb.edu
MonicaM Monica Mekhlouf, she/they
Cooper Housing Navigator and Rapid Rehousing Pilot Program Coordinator
Communications and Sociology
sa-housingadvocate@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Rapid Rehousing Pilot Programs

Name

Email

JessicaCastillo Jessica Castillo-Tapia, she/her
Rapid Rehousing Pilot Program Coordinator
Communication and Journalism
jessicacastillo-tapi@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Halal & Kosher Grocery Program

Name

Email

MahsunM Mahsun Mirmohammadsadeghi, she/her
Halal and Kosher Grocery Program Co-Coordinator
Languages: English, Farsi
Physiology Major and Music Minor, June 2025
mahsun@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Healthy Snack Station Program

Name

Email

Basic Needs Vacant
Healthy Snack Station Program Coordinator

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Basic Needs Tech Support Program

Name

Email

DerrickC Derrick Chan, he/him
Basic Needs Technology Program Student Coordinator
Financial Mathematics and Statistics
sa-techneeds@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Basic Needs Pilot Program

Name

Email

AmelieCalderon Amelie Calderon, she/her
Basic Needs Pilot Program Coordinator
Languages: English
Political Science and Feminist Studies
a_calderon@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Global Food Initiative Fellows

Name

Email

AdaC Ada Chibueze, she/her
Sustainable Food Services Fellow
Environmental Studies
adachibueze@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

Edible Campus Program and Nature Wellbeing

Name

Email

Basic Needs Itzia Flores
Garden Operations Coordinator, St. Michael's Community Garden, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English/Spanish
ifloresmendez@ucsb.edu
GracePham Grace Pham, she/her
Volunteer Coordinator, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English and Vietnamese
Environmental Studies B.A.
gracepham@ucsb.edu
SyndeyBeckett Sydney Beckett, she/her
Garden Operations Coordinator, Isla Vista Community Center, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English/Spanish
Environmental Studies B.S.
sydneymbeckett@ucsb.edu
Basic Needs Megan Wirzberger
Garden Operations Coordinator, University United Methodist Community Garden, Edible Campus Program
Environmental Studies B.A., Geography B.A.
mwirzberger@umail.ucsb.edu
Jana Jana Belsito, she/they
Garden Operations Support Intern, Isla Vista Gardens, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English and German
Environmental Studies B.A. Major, German Studies Minor
janabelsito@umail.ucsb.edu
SophiaP Sophia Pfitzmann, she/her
Garden Operations Support Intern, Edible Campus Program
Languages: Englis
Environmental Studies and History of Art and Architecture
sophiapfitzmann@ucsb.edu
CamilleZimmer Camille Zimmer, she/her
Operations Coordinator, AS Department of Public Worms
Psychology and Brain Science with a Science and Mathematics Education Minor
camillezimmer@ucsb.edu
Basic Needs Emily Conway
Operations Coordinator, A.S. Department of Public Worms
Environmental Studies B.S.
emilyconway@ucsb.edu
AshleyA Ashley Arredondo, she/her
Garden Education Coordinator, Isla Vista Gardens, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English & Spanish
Sociology with an applied psychology minor
ashleyarredondo@ucsb.edu
AshCheng Ash Cheng, she/her
Garden Education Coordinator, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English, Chinese, Spanish, Taiwanese
Sociology/environmental studies with Feminist studies minor
a_cheng@ucsb.edu
MikeyHe Mikey He. he/him
Garden Education Coordinator, Edible Campus Program
Languages: Chinese/English
Environmental Science/ Statistics and Data Science
he59@ucsb.edu
CindyFabianMartinez Cindy Fabian Martinez, she/her
Nature Wellbeing Education Coordinator, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English/Spanish
Environmental Studies
cindyfabian04@gmail.com
MarlaSmith Marla Smith, she/her
Nature Wellbeing Education Coordinator, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English
Sociology Major, Spanish and Education Minors
marlasmith@ucsb.edu
IllaKomasa Ila Jade Komasa, she/her
Nature Wellbeing Education Coordinator, Edible Campus Program
Languages: English
Physics Major, Astronomy and Planetary Science Minor
ilajade@ucsb.edu

Basic Needs Staff Directory

AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs Team

Name

Email

NioshiShah Nioshi Shah, she/they
Graduate Student Researcher
Languages: Gujarati, Hindi, English
nioshi@ucsb.edu
MichaelNishimura Michael Nishimura, he/him
Graduate Student Researcher
Languages: English, Japanese
mnishimura@ucsb.edu
AlyciaWong Alycia Wong, she/her
Undergraduate Researcher, AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs
Languages: English, Korean
Sociology and Asian American Studies, 2025
alyciawong@ucsb.edu
Amari Amari Lynn Brown, she/her
Undergraduate Researcher, AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs
Languages: English, Olelo Hawai'i, Tongan
Sociology with an an Applied Psychology minor, June 2024
amari-lynn@ucsb.edu
AnaDiaLiu Ana Dai Liu, she/her
Undergraduate Researcher, AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs
Languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish
Psychological & Brain Sciences; Sociology; and minor in Applied Psychology, June 2025
anadailiu@ucsb.edu
LyLy LyLy Colebourn
Undergraduate Researcher, AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs
Asian American Studies and Sociology, June 2025
lylycolebourn@ucsb.edu
SophiaYu Sophia Yu, she/her
Undergraduate Researcher, AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs
Languages: English, Mandarin
Sociology, June 2026
sophiayu@ucsb.edu
Zhixuan Zhixuan Chang, she/her
Undergraduate Researcher, AANHPI Community Needs Assessment on Basic Needs
Languages: English and Mandarin
Majoring in psychological and brain science, minor in applied psychology, 2024
zhixuanchang@ucsb.edu