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Featured Staff

Lili Diaz

Lili Diaz would describe herself as someone who’s much less funny than she thinks she is. As a Santa Cruz native Diaz was excited to move back home after graduating from San Jose State University.

Edward Ramirez

As a member of the class of 2015 staff member Edward Ramirez has been a part of the University of California, Santa Cruz for the past twelve years.

Valéria Miranda

Valéria Miranda has several ideas about what she’ll do as the new director of the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery at UC Santa Cruz.

Celeste Lagrange

Celeste Lagrange first wanted to be onstage in second grade when her twin brother acted in a play, and she got jealous. Then in high school in San Diego, her love of theater started in earnest.

Ricky Lomeli

Ricky Lomeli, the Music Department Manager at UC Santa Cruz, started playing drums in 5th grade. No one in his family played an instrument, but he had some friends in bands and thought it would be fun. 
 

Dean Celine with her husband Dan Shimizu

Celine Parreñas Shimizu, Dean of the Arts and Distinguished Professor of Film and Digital Media was inducted into the Stanford University Multicultural Hall of Fame on October 20, 2023.

Karen Meece

After 16 years at UC Santa Cruz, working in the science division, Karen Meece is enjoying her role as the Executive Assistant to the Arts Dean, which she started last May.
 

Esthela Bañuelos

Growing up in Southeast Los Angeles as the daughter of immigrant parents, Esthela Bañuelos, the Arts Division’s newly appointed Assistant Dean for Student Success/Chief of Staff, found herself at UC Santa Cruz more than 20 years ago when, as a first gen student, she earned her M.A.

Lucas Elmer Gasperik

As a child, Lucas Elmer Gasperik thought that pursuing an honorable profession such as being a fireman or a chef was what... [more]

Meredith Dyer

From Lima, Peru, Rio de Janeiro, and Mexico City to Florida and Washington, DC, Meredith Dyer, the department manager for the History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) department at UC Santa Cruz, has lived a culturally rich and fascinating life.

Alice Szeto Gallup

The child of parents that immigrated from Hong Kong, Alice Szeto Gallup said figuring out her career path has come with unique challenges.

Eric Mack

When Eric Mack was in 5th grade, his desire to avoid acting in a school play led him to try out working the lights. 

Lindsey Tavares-Sabido

As a first-generation American, first-generation college graduate, and an adult child of a formerly incarcerated parent, Lindsey Tavares-Sabido has met more than her share of challenges. But every step of the way she has managed to succeed beyond the norm.

Scotty Brookie

After 38 years… 38.1718 to be exact, the Arts Division’s IT Director/ITS Divisional Liaison to the Arts/Webmaster, Scotty Brookie, a man of many talents, has decided to retire.

Louise Leong

Louise Leong, the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery manager and museum preparator, has recently experienced what she calls her “World Series” of exhibitions on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

Susan Moren

Several years ago, finding herself on her own as a single mother, UC Santa Cruz Arts Division development assistant, Susan Moren, decided to take what for many would be an overwhelming situation and forge ahead to earn a degree in computer engineering.

Christopher Hackett

UC Santa Cruz alumnus Christopher Hackett didn’t intend to earn a degree in theater arts but fate had different plans for him. He was set on attending UCSC as a computer science major, determined to follow in his father’s footsteps as a computer programmer.

Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) Technical Coordinator, Colleen Jennings, has designed a 3D model of the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery that will enable the Irwin 2020: Collective Solitude exhibition to take place online. 

If you’ve driven through UC Santa Cruz’s main entrance and past the Barn Theater, you’ve probably noticed the colorful signs on the side of the barn that announce a variety of upcoming events, from music concerts to lectures. 

Brent Foland, UCSC Costume Shop Manager

Just over a couple of weeks ago, Brent Foland never imagined that his time would soon be dedicated to building face masks for his fellow UC Santa Cruz employees.

In junior high school while many other kids her age were watching Full House and fixating on NSYNC, UC Santa Cruz Arts Division IT Manager, Angie Steele, was crushing on computers. So by the time she was in high school, she’d already been offered her first computing job.

For 15 years, Hannah Pederson has been on staff at UC Santa Cruz, but it was actually her love of food and talent for cooking that brought her originally to UC Santa Cruz.

The Arts Division is delighted to welcome Stephanie Moore, as the new Grants Coordinator starting November 17.  As a former journalist, human rights investigator, academic researcher, and Fulbright Fellow, Stephanie Moore brings a wealth of experience to her new position in the Arts Division.... [more]