Shareka White earned her Masters degree in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Student Affairs (PELSA) from San Diego State University in 2015. She worked in Enrollment Services for 6 years before transitioning to work in Student Affairs and EOP - providing access and education throughout the K-16 systems. Shareka collaborates with other educational entities across San Diego County to stay up-to-date regarding access changes, and genuinely enjoys spreading the good news about pursuing one's education.
Shareka is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Although
her passion is connected to access to higher education, Shareka has done much work
in building community at SDSU and helping to retain and graduate students, particularly
from underrepresented backgrounds. She aided in the proposal, construction and creation
of the SDSU Black Resource Center, has advised the Student African American Sisterhood
since 2015, and has earned many awards to celebrate the hard work she has done at
SDSU: Outstanding Advisor (2016-2017), Quest for the Best (2017), A.S. Presidential
Leadership Award (2020), Chief Diversity Officer's Leadership - JEDI Award (2021),
and the SDSU Presidential Leadership Award for Manager of the Year (2021).
Mr. Oliveira has been a counselor with EOP since 2015, previously serving as a Graduate Assistant for the EOP Guardian Scholars Program. He currently serves as the staff adviser for the Guardian Scholars Student Advisory Board (GSSAB). He was a Science and Physical Education teacher for the Sweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista, CA for five years. Prior to his brief teaching career, Mr. Oliveira served as the Assistant Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at SDSU for six years before moving on to serve as Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at San Jose State University for two years.
Mr. Oliveira has a B.A., Kinesiology, San Diego State University and an M.A., Postsecondary Educational Leadership with emphasis in Student Affairs, SDSU California Single Subject Teaching Credential, San Diego State University. He was actively involved at SDSU as a student leader in Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, Inc. and was a co-founder of the United Sorority and Fraternity Council (USFC). He served as the inaugural President of the USFC and later became the staff adviser for this council for culturally-based Greek Letter Organizations as well as staff adviser for the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) for historically African-American Greek Letter Organizations. He takes pride in the development of the USFC as a model for several CSU campuses to empower culturally-based fraternities and sororities and as a catalyst for equity and inclusion of campus Greek communities across California and beyond.
He has continued to be actively involved in Nu Alpha Kappa since his undergraduate years. He was a National President of the organization and continues to serve as a co-founder and Board member of the NAK ALAS (Alumni Association) in San Diego. He now serves as the staff adviser for the NAK SDSU chapter. His attributes much of his personal and professional growth to his involvement as an undergraduate student at SDSU.
As a first generation college student from an immigrant family, he has developed a passion for the empowerment of underrepresented students like himself. He has worked with students of diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout his career and enjoys the daily opportunity to pay it forward as an EOP Counselor. Mr. Oliveira is committed to student success by supporting students' academic and personal growth towards the development of their full potential.
Bryan Spencer is an Assistant Director in EOP, Outreach and Success overseeing the SDSU Guardian Scholars Program. He has served his entire career in higher education with EOP. After graduating from San Diego State University in 2006 with a B.S. in Business – Management Information Systems, he was hired by EOP to serve as an Outreach Officer with the Outreach, Recruitment, and Admissions (ORA) unit designing and implementing its Early Outreach Program and Volunteer Program. After acquiring his M.A. in Education, Emphasis in Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice, with the Community Based Block Program (CBB, 2010), he was hired as an EOP Counselor serving 6 years until he was appointed to his current position. Bryan has also served as the Assistant Coordinator (2009-2012) and Coordinator (2013) of the EOP BEST Summer Bridge Program. He has coordinated the SOAR Mentor Program, pairing upper division mentors with incoming students, protégés, to support their transition to SDSU. He also volunteers as a student organization faculty/staff advisor for AB Samahan and Delta Sigma Psi.
Martha Zanabria, Operations Coordinator for EOP, Outreach and Success in Student Affairs & Campus Diversity has 17 years of experience. Born in Tijuana Baja, Cal., Mexico. The oldest of three children and first generation to receive a Bachelors degree. Proud graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in Human Environmental Sciences (HES). During her college years, she worked as a Resident Assistant (RA), lab assistant in the Spanish Language department and was also involved in the Mexico Outreach Missions.
After Graduating from PLNU, Martha worked with San Diego Health and Nutrition Services as a Bilingual Food handler’s instructor for 9 years training trainers. Later, she returned to her alma matter and worked as a Building Manager for 17 years and a Loan Coordinator for Graduate and Professional Studies for another 3 years. It was during this time that she became a member of Amigas Punto Com which is a non-profit organization that helps women and their families restore their worth and self-esteem.
For the last 6 years, she has operated as an interpreter for various organizations.
Tanya Calienta is the Budget Coordinator for EOP. Tanya is a proud native of San Diego, born and raised and a 3rd generation Filipino American. Tanya has worked for the CSU and higher education for over 20 years; six years at Cal State San Marcos and 15 years here at SDSU in many different aspects of university logistics, divisions, and departments within Business and Financial Administration, and Academic Affairs. During those years of work she was able to earn her degree in Public Administration from SDSU after transferring from SD Miramar College. She represents the non-traditional parent-student, who has successfully managed to earn a degree after returning to school after a long hiatus called life, which she is truly proud of and could not have done without the support from her family. Tanya loves spending time with her family and pets. Her hobbies include crocheting, crafting, drama bingeing, and volunteering with her faith-based community.
Frances Zamilpa is a proud first-generation native of the Central Valley region and was raised in Madera, California. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles obtaining her B.A. in Chicana/o Studies. She serves as the department’s Assistant Program Coordinator and supervises the Public Information Assistants (PIAs), manages the department's social media accounts, and leads the following EOPOS events: Welcome Week, High School Conferences, and Graduation. Prior to working with SDSU, she worked in the non-profit sector serving first-generation, low-income, students facing adversities as a College Success Coordinator for college students attending universities and colleges in the Southern California and West and Midwest region of the United States. Frances is passionate about serving underrepresented and first-generation college students by helping them to achieve personal and academic success through higher education. Her professional philosophy is, “Programs don’t change lives, people do.” She leads with a critical understanding of fostering positive relationships with students and stakeholders in the success of students' growth as scholars and change agents for their communities.
Counselors
My name is Alessa Becerra and my pronouns are she/her/ella. I am a first-generation college graduate and I grew up in San Ysidro, CA. I have three fur babies and I also enjoy being outdoors. Anything from nature walks, hikes, kayaking, swimming etc. I truly love it.
I graduated from CSU Chico with a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish in 2015. I was part of the Educational Opportunity Program and participated in Summer Bridge in 2010. As an undergrad student I had the opportunity to join a multicultural organization, Lambda Theta Nu which allowed me to have a strong community and enhance my leadership skills with my involvement outside of the classroom. In addition, I was also able to study abroad for a full academic year in Madrid, Spain. The best part about my study abroad experience was that financial aid was able to fund this amazing opportunity. Through my different experiences, I knew I wanted to go back to San Diego to pay it forward and empower students to pursue higher education and help students take advantage of all the opportunities and free resources available to them.
After I graduated from CSU Chico, I attended graduate school and earned a Masters degree in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs from San Diego State University in 2018. I had the opportunity to work with the Center for Educational Partnerships, Outreach, and Success and serve as the Price Community Scholars Coordinator. The program facilitates the recruitment and support of fifteen (per cohort) high-achieving SDSU students from City Heights with a scholarship. I was able to support the mentors and mentees of the program in building a community that enhances their path to higher education through academic success, self-awareness, cross-cultural exchange, and civic participation.
As a first-generation Latina and low-income college graduate, my transition from San Ysidro High School to CSU, Chico was a critical component in my educational journey just like many current students. My participation in summer bridge helped me combat imposter syndrome and gain a sense of belonging on the campus. EOP gave me a home away from home. I am passionate about playing a key role in supporting EOP students by providing them with the tools, guidance and most importantly the agency to make empowered decisions while attending San Diego State University.
Charnise Bumpus is a proud Southeast San Diego native. She is a two-time alum of San Diego State University, earning her B.A. in Psychology (2014) and her M.S. in Counseling from the Community Based Block Program CBB2 (2016). She started her journey at SDSU through EOP Best Summer Bridge Program (2009) as a commuter participant and was fortunate to become an EOP student assistant shortly after. She worked in various capacities from Outreach and Recruitment, Personal Information Assistant, SOAR Mentor Program, and BEST Summer Bridge Program (2009- 2014).
After completing her graduate program, her professional journey with the Fowler College of Business in various departments such as the Executive MBA Program (EMBA), Sports MBA Program, Online Degree Completion Program (BSBA), and the Fowler Center for Student Success. In those various roles, she enjoyed building relationships and working with multiple departments to ensure students were successful inside and outside of the classroom.
Charnise believes that obtaining higher education should be accessible to all, so she is passionate about working and mentoring students. Being a former EOP student helped her mature as a young adult and ultimately enabled her to harness power over her education. Her motivation and drive are to continue building on the EOP mission by conveying unwavering support and guidance for students to reach their full potential academically and professionally as they persist toward a university degree.
Born in San Diego, California and fourth child of five from Mexican parents and heritage. Obtained an Associate’s degree from San Diego Mesa College and immediately afterwards acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University. Previous employment experiences vary from computer sales, automotive technician, and college counselor for UCSD/GEAR-UP. Currently employed at San Diego State University under the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships and working on a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership: Post-Secondary Student Affairs. I consider myself as a down to earth, easy going individual. I enjoy traveling, Mexican food, and family time. Please stop by and say hello, I’m eager to get to know our SDSU EOP students! Go Aztecs!
This position will be posted on the SDSU HR website soon.
Bianca is a proud first-generation and former EOP student from the Imperial Valley, CA. Growing up in a single-parent and low-income household, she attributes much of her life and personal accomplishments to her undergraduate EOP experience. She received her Bachelor’s in Sociology-Social Work from Cal Poly Pomona in 2011, and she later received her Master’s in Educational Leadership-Student Affairs from SDSU in 2013.
Since that time, she has worked in different university areas such as the EOP Tutoring Center at SDSU & Communication and Leadership department at UCSD. Professionally, she has been a Computer Science & Engineering Advisor at UCSD and most recently an EOP Counselor at Cal State Marcos where she led the freshmen retention programs, the Peer Mentor and Summer Bridge program for a little over 6 years. She has also taught First-Year Freshman seminar courses at Cal State Marcos related to first-year preparation, information literacy, lifelong learning skill-building, and academic probation recovery.
Bianca believes in the core mission of EOP which includes providing access and retention services. She supports first generation students with the utmost care and compassion, exposing them to the tools and resources in order to maximize their potential as they become the first in their family to graduate, and teach lifelong skills that will broaden their SDSU experience and beyond.
Cara joined the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) counseling team in 2019. Prior to her position in EOP, she worked as a counselor with the SDSU Pre-College Institute and the Upward Bound/Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Academy, where she provided academic and personal advising to high school students from underserved communities and guided them through the college-going process. Her extensive counseling experience varies from the K-16 sector to residential communities.
Cara is an advocate who deeply cares about educational equity and closing achievement gaps. She is committed and devoted to serving EOP students to help them achieve their goals in their educational journey and reach their full potential. Cara has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego and an M.A. in Educational Counseling with a PPS Credential from Point Loma Nazarene University.
Alejandro (Alex) Castruita was born in Tijuana, Baja California and raised in San Ysidro, California. He is a double alumna of SDSU who received his Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice and his Master’s of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs. Alex currently serves as the Assistant Coordinator for the EOPOS department and works directly with the Price Community Scholars (PCS) Program. The PCS program facilitates the recruitment and support of thirty (2 cohort’s of 15 each) high-achieving SDSU students from City Heights with a scholarship. He is able to support the mentors, mentees and parents of the program in building a community that promotes a pathway to college through 1:1 mentorship, college awareness presentations and community involvement.
Utilizing a student-centered approach, he aims to bridge the gap between non-traditional students and higher education. Using his personal experiences, Alex understands the needs of these students and works to incorporate his real world and classroom experiences in a manner that helps students’ develop holistically to achieve their goals and prepare them for incorporation into the real world. His goal is to support students in a manner that makes them feel nurtured and cared for so they can create a sense of belonging and community at San Diego State University.
Outreach, Recruitment and Admission
Lorena has worked in higher education throughout most of her professional career. She feels fortunate to work with a team of experienced and talented staff who understand that the soul of higher education lies in helping others realize their academic and personal dreams across generations, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Lorena believes this realization happens by fostering a personal connection with EOP participants. “Our students need to feel they belong at SDSU and that their hard work has earned them a place here.”
Lorena completed the Clear Cross-Cultural Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at SDSU and the Master of Arts in Guidance Counseling, with a PPS Credential at the University of Redlands. Her expertise includes, bilingual education, guidance counseling, Instruction in K-12 and higher education settings, supervision of student teacher candidates and counseling interns, establishing intersegmental collaborations, and pioneering innovative outreach and retentions programs for first-gene populations. This year Lorena will complete her 22nd year at San Diego State University.
As the liaison for incoming EOP transfer students, Lorena looks forward to meeting you this year at one of our outstanding, “Best of the Best”, SDSU-Imperial Counties Community Colleges. EOP’s long standing partnerships with our local EOPS/CARE and Transfer Centers have helped ease the transfer experiences of many first-gen students into SDSU. Welcome home EOP transfers students!
Rosie Villafana-Hatcher is the Director of the Early Assessment Program at San Diego State University. Her role has allowed her to work directly with school officials including principals, district administrators, teachers and counselors within the Sweetwater Union, San Diego Unified, Grossmont and Imperial Valley high school districts to increase college readiness and to ensure students are ready for college-level English and mathematics before entering the California State University system.
Rosie enjoys working with diverse groups of students and one of her top priorities is advancing student success at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Rosie was a first generation college student and an alumni of Morse high school in San Diego, CA. She earned both her Masters In Education with a specialization in Counseling and her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. In her spare time, Rosie enjoys spending time with her 7 siblings, traveling with her parents, 2 daughters (Kiara and Kassandra), and husband, Jevon.
Raquel is an SDSU alumna who received her Master’s of Arts in Communication Studies. Originally from the Central California town of Bakersfield, she currently serves as an Outreach Specialist for EOPOS. Her educational journey began in community college, where she earned an A.A. in Communication from Bakersfield College. She then went on to earn her B.A. from UC Davis. Raquel’s spark to serve students initially came from serving on the student government association and then working as a peer advisor in college. In pursuit of her other passion, journalism, she worked as a local television news producer for a few years after college. During her time in news she was recognized with an Emmy nomination for the work she and her colleagues did covering the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes. Although she will always love news, she knew she wanted to go back to school and pursue higher education, leading her to SDSU. While pursuing her MA at SDSU, she worked as a Graduate Teaching Associate teaching public speaking. Additionally, she worked for the EOP BEST Summer Bridge program as a tutor for the public speaking course for two summers. During her two years of working in education, she especially loved being a part of helping students navigate their educational journey. She has had very special educational mentors in her life and hopes to make an impact on students the way her mentors have for her. Her door is always open for students to stop by to say hello!
When Raquel is not working, you can find her at the beaches of San Diego with her husband, chasing a sunset or cuddling with her rescue cat, Alfred.
Jamie is a two-time alumna of SDSU. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Counseling and Social Change in 2019 and her M.A. in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Student Affairs in 2022. Jamie grew up in the South Bay and spent a few years living in the Philippines with her parents. She started her journey in EOPOS as a graduate student assistant where she worked primarily with community college students in the Transfer Bridge Program.
Jamie is a proud transfer student from Southwestern College and understands the culture shock and imposter syndrome many students experience when entering a new institution. As the daughter of Filipinx immigrants, Jamie is extremely passionate about serving first-generation students and those from underrepresented communities.
Retention/Special Programs
Carlos Miguel Perez Aguilar serves as the Assistant Program Coordinator for Price Community Scholars through EOPOS at San Diego State University. He is a City Heights native who found his passion for higher education through his participation in mentoring programs such as Price Community Scholars and SOAR mentoring. Carlos is a SDSU alumnus currently pursuing his Master’s of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs. Carlos is a passionate individual who enjoys connecting with students and being a resource. When he isnt working, Carlos enjoys spending time with family & friends, hiking, and trying out new coffee shops.
Guardian Scholars
Nia Williams was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and African-American Studies from the University of California, Davis. She started her professional career in K-12 education as an 8th-grade science teacher in South Central Los Angeles.
She later acquired her Master of Science in Counseling degree, with an emphasis in Multicultural Community Counseling and Social Justice Education from the Community Based Block (CBB) Program at San Diego State University. During her graduate program, Nia provided therapeutic services to students in the Henrietta Goodwin Scholars program at the SDSU Black Resource Center. Nia also worked with the San Diego Youth Services Sunny Days Program providing in-home psychotherapy to current and former foster youth living in a transitional housing program.
Before beginning work as the Guardian Scholars Coordinator in August 2023, Nia worked as a Program Operation Manager at the YMCA of San Diego Housing Our Youth (HOY) program, where she provided housing resources and supportive services for youth 16-24 years old.
Nia enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, listening to music, reading, roller skating, taking care of her plants, and connecting with loved ones.
Marie Brañes is the first Guardian Scholars Assistant Program Coordinator and is a double alum of SDSU with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in three departments; Emphasis in Social Work, Psychology, and Counseling & School Psychology (2021) and her M.A. in Education with a Concentration in Counseling and a certificate in Restorative Justice Practice and Trauma-Informed Care (2022). Marie started as an SDSU transfer student and EOP/Guardian Scholars student. She became very involved in the GS community by taking on leadership roles where she discovered her passion for working within higher education support programs. As a student, Marie was a SOAR, Transfer Bridge, and Summer Bridge Mentor, as well as an involved GSSAB member and eventual Vice President.
As Marie was completing her graduate program, she had the opportunity to be the Graduate Assistant for the GS Program before transitioninginto an emergency hire as the GS Assistant Program Coordinator. Within these roles, she developed her event programming abilities, assisted with strengthening the GS community as it was transitioning back from COVID-19, offered support, and connected students to ensure they were successful.
By holding the former foster youth identity, Marie can relate to having unique challenges and navigating the 3-6% statistic of foster youth earning a higher education degree. Marie believes anyone who wants to earn a higher education should have the opportunity to do so with the support to aid with easing any barriers. She has a passion for supporting, guiding, and encouraging students to reach their full potential within higher education, as well as their personal and professional life.
Marie enjoys watching movies, especially scary thrillers. She is a big fan of The Walking Dead and Marvel movies. In her free time, she’s always trying different cafes and exploring new areas. When the weather is good, you can find her hiking or reading in nature. Marie can't live without coffee, rainy weather, and music. She takes care of her body by going to the gym and her mind by writing poetry and journaling. She loves to collect books, records, and plants! Most of all, she loves spending time with her loved ones.
EOPOS Staff Overview