STAFF BIOS
Joanna M. Hernandez, Director
Student Success Initiatives and Transfer Student Center

Joanna Hernandez grew up as a first-generation Latina & former foster youth student. Over her past 10 years of work experience in higher education, she has specifically focused on advocating for first-generation & low-income students’ needs, is a practiced counselor, and seasoned program developer. She is passionate about the future of higher education and ensuring it is a safe & inclusive environment for all student communities. Joanna completed her master’s in Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan, and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Latin American & Iberian Studies from UC Santa Barbara. She currently serves as the Assistant Director at the Student Success Initiatives Office providing leadership to programs that support foster youth, student parents, undocumented students, transfer success programs, community partnerships, as well as first-generation and low-income students. Prior to this appointment, she served as the TRIO project director at UC Irvine and worked as an EOP counselor at UC Santa Barbara. Joanna is a dog & cat mom, hiking enthusiast, aspirating plant-based home chief, urban art lover, and music appreciator. Please feel free to reach out to her if you would like additional support or want to get connected to any of the SSI programs.
Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail:joanna.hernandez@uci.edu
Dianna Mendoza, Office Manager
Student Success Initiatives Office

Dianna has worked at UCI for 25 years all within the Division of Undergraduate Education. Since Fall 2011, she has been working as the Office Manager for Student Success Initiatives and Transfer Student Hub. Dianna is excited to meet the students our office serves and help them achieve their goals while at UCI. If you have general questions about Student Success Initiatives, please contact Dianna Mendoza.
Office: 2200 Student Services II
E-mail: dmmendoz@uci.edu
Carlos Martinez, Student Success Programs Office Coordinator
Freshman Edge and Transfer Programs

Carlos serves as the Office Coordinator for the Transfer Student Center. As a former transfer student himself, he earned his Associate of Arts for Transfer in Psychology from Glendale Community College in California. He went on to graduate from UC Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior.
Carlos’s responsibilities revolve around maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment for both current and prospective Transfer students and their peers. In his role, he oversees front desk operations, as well as the student service needs for a variety of Student Success Initiatives programs, including the Freshman Edge, Transfer BOOST, and Student Parents and Families programs. Carlos also serves as the initial point of contact for TSC guests, families, and campus partners, connecting them with the appropriate campus resources.
Carlos enjoys playing video games, jamming out on the keyboard, and sharing recommendations for shows to binge watch. Feel free to reach out to him with your transfer student experience questions, or to simply share a bright moment in your day.
Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: carlosmm@exchange.uci.edu
Brighitte Preciado, Program Director
Student Retention Programs

Adeeva Myers, Counselor/Coordinator
Gateway Initiatives & Gateway Scholars Program

Office: 2200 Student Services II
E-mail: ammyers@uci.edu
Ananda Van Boeyen, Counselor/ Coordinator
Transfer Programs, Formerly Incarcerated and Systems Impacted (FISI) & Student Parent and Families (SPF)

Martha Lucero Contreras, Counselor/ Coordinator
Foster Youth Resilience in Education (FYRE)

Office: 2100 Student Services II
E-mail: m.contreras@uci.edu
Wiley G. Wilson Jr., Program Coordinator
UMOJA Program

Rosemary Sanchez, Counselor/Coordinator
Summer Bridge

Crysta Hu, Program Coordinator
International Peer Group (IPG) Scholars Program
