El centro
Joshelyn Martin (she/her/Ella)
Associate Director
Joshelyn is a first-generation Latina professional who was born and raised in Seaside, about 12 minutes away from CSUMB. She has a BA in Sociology with a minor in Educational Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a M.Ed. in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California. Joshelyn enjoys volunteering throughout the county, tending to her many plants, and playing with her two dogs.
Dr. Suzanne/Susana García (she/her/ella)
Principal Investigator (PI) & Project Director
Suzanne/Susana is a first-generation Mexican-American/Chicana college graduate who currently serves as an Associate Professor in the College of Education, Director of the Monterey Institute for English Learners (MIEL), Bilingual Authorization (BiAu) and Masters of Arts in Education (MAE) Coordinator at California State University-Monterey Bay. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Texas-Austin, MA in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and a Ph.D. in Bilingual and Bicultural Education from the University of Texas-Austin. She is raising proud bilingual (Spanish, Spanglish, English) Latinas and enjoys camping, hiking, yoga and traveling. Her children like to also mention that she has a cat named Manchita.
Kenny Garcia (he/him/his), Co-PI of Project Centro
Kenny is a Dominican-American first generation college graduate who currently serves as a Full Librarian at California State University-Monterey Bay. He has a BA in History & BA in English-Creative Writing from the SUNY–Binghamton, MA in Liberal Studies from the University of Michigan–Dearborn, and MA in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. He enjoys spending time with his daughter, partner, & chihuahua, writing poetry, and watching sports.
Bricia Landa
She/Her
Academic Programs and Support Services
Hello! I am Bricia, I am a first-generation college student and this is my third year at CSUMB. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Development and Family Sciences. I am originally from Avenal, CA, a small town from the Central Valley. After graduating from CSUMB, I plan to become a preschool teacher or go to grad school to become a school psychologist.
Francisco Mena
He/Him
Professional Development and Mentorship Programs
Hello everyone! I am Francisco a 3rd year kinesiology major. I am a first generation student currently living in Seaside. I have hopes to get into a PT program to get my DPT after CSUMB. I come from a big family so sometimes I can be loud so I apologize in advance and there's a chance you might hear me before you see me but don't let that stop you from saying hi!
Lara Arias
She/Her
Diversity, Advocacy, and Outreach
Hey! I’m Lara a second-year majoring in Marine Science. I am from Panama, born and raised there, meaning my first language is Spanish. I’ve been living in the US for a year now and I’m excited for what this semester has to bring. After graduating from CSUMB i look forward to getting my Masters!
Yonatan Gonzalez
He/Him
Professional Development and Mentorship Programs
Hello everyone! My name is Yonatan Gonzalez. I am a Student Coordinator here at El Centro. I am a first-generation college student originally from Avenal, CA, in the Central Valley. I am currently majoring in Agricultural Business. This is my third year here at CSUMB, and after graduating, I envision myself working as an Agribusiness Manager.
Guadalupe Barragan
She/Her
Multicultural Programming and Wellness
Hello everyone! I am Guadalupe and I am of Guatemalan and Mexican American descent and I am currently one semester away from completing my B.A. in Social and Behavioral Studies with a concentration in Sociology. I am a strong believer in the power of higher education, and I plan to pursue a Master's degree in Social Work, where I’ll continue to serve and uplift my community.
Bianca Valencia
She/Her
Multicultural Programming and Wellness
Hello Everyone! I am Bianca a first-generation college student currently obtaining my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I envision my initial career as a counselor at an educational institution. I plan to pursue my doctorate while working as a counselor to become an educational administrator.