Our Staff

Professional Staff

Marcela Ramirez-Stapleton, Director

marcela.r@uci.edu

Dr. Marcela Ramirez-Stapleton was appointed Director of the Cross-Cultural Center in September 2019 and joined the team in May 2018 as Associate Director. She oversees the center’s academic internship programs and educational partnerships. She is an experienced student affairs practitioner, higher education researcher, and public servant. Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton is an expert in multicultural affairs and California cultural centers. Her dissertation work titled “Schoolhouse of Resistance: Critical Counterstories of Grassroots Leaders and Campus Change Agents in California Cultural Centers” investigated the historical roots and creation of cultural centers in California as a result of student, staff, and faculty activism in the 1970s to the present. Dr. Ramirez-Stapleton is currently President of the California Council of Cultural Centers in Higher Education (CaCCCHE), a network of student affairs professionals and practitioners who are committed to social justice, equity, and diversity work on college campuses. She often conducts training, workshops, and keynote speeches on issues of social justice, equity and diversity. As a student services professional, her prior experience includes cultural centers and diversity initiatives, student life, career services, and international education. As a practitioner-scholar, her research interests include: multicultural affairs, cultural centers, and identity based support services and programs. She received her Ph.D. at UC Riverside in Higher Education Administration and Policy, M.S. in Counseling with an emphasis on student development and higher education from California State University, Long Beach, and B.A in Economics and French from California State University, Fullerton.

Daniel K. Park, Assistant Director

danielkp@uci.edu

Daniel K. Park joined the Student Life & Leadership cluster as Assistant Director of the Cross-Cultural Center in July 2016. He oversees the affiliation process and serves as the primary advisor to 70+ affiliated Registered Campus Organizations and organizes our signature programs for the campus community: Community Roots Festival, Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium, and Deconstruction Zone. He oversees the daily facility management of over 7,000 square feet of the freestanding center by determining resources and priorities for physical improvements and usage policies. Daniel is also responsible for the Cross-Cultural Center's strategic communications and marketing efforts, which includes website development, social media, and branding. He also chairs the Multicultural Programs Funding Committee, which allocates funding to Registered Campus Organizations. Prior to joining the Cross-Cultural Center, he spent five and a half years in the School of Social Ecology at UC Irvine as Founding Director of the ACCESS Social Ecology Program, an innovative retention and peer mentoring program that serves new students who identify as first-generation, low-income and international. Since 2007, Daniel has worked professionally in functional areas within student affairs including residential life, first-year experience, student conduct, academic advising, and student retention at large public and private research universities. Daniel earned his M.Ed. in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California and B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior from UCI. He is especially passionate about engaging in critical conversations around racial justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, working with faculty and staff to create more inclusive spaces at the university, promoting and facilitating leadership development opportunities for AAPI students and staff, and mentoring students of color who have an interest in pursuing a career in student affairs.

Raven Stewart, Program Coordinator

restewar@uci.edu

Raven Stewart joined the Cross-Cultural Center in June 2019 as Program Coordinator. Her areas of responsibilities include: coordination of academic success initiatives, alumni engagement programs, assessment and evaluation efforts, and advisement of the five umbrella organizations. Most recently, Raven worked in the non-profit sector providing education and employment support to transitional age youth experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. In her previous roles as a student affairs practitioner, she contributed to campus diversity initiatives in offices that prioritize the success of students of color. Raven earned her M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Personnel from the University of Mississippi and B.A. in Psychology from Alcorn State University. Her decision to attend both a PWI and HBCU was inspired by her early interests in comparative higher education and multiculturalism. In her spare time, Raven enjoys reading self-help literature, starting Soul Train lines at weddings, binging anime series, and spending time with family and friends.

Vacant, Student Development Coordinator

Cristian Palomo, Office & Events Manager

cpalomo@uci.edu

Cristian Palomo joined the Cross-Cultural Center in October 2018 as a temporary employee and was hired as Office Manager in December 2018. In his role as Office & Events Manager, he processes room reservation requests for student organizations and campus and community partners and provides administrative support to the staff. Cristian graduated from UCI with a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior and as a student, was involved in the Orientation Program, C.O.A.C.H. Program, Student Housing, and Circle K International. He is especially passionate about mentoring students and promoting their leadership and personal development as they navigate the challenges of the university. During his free time, Cristian loves to listen to and play music, experiment with different types of art projects, and spend time with his friends, family, and dog. 

 2019-2020 Student Staff

Brandon Alexander (he/him), ACTIVE Coordinator

Robin Allas (she/her), ACTIVE Coordinator

Elizabeth Alvarado (she/her), Student Assistant

Trish Dong (she/her), Administrative Intern: Personal & Professional Development

Nichole Dungo (she/her), Cultural Wellness Coordinator

Josellim Fuentes (she/her), Student Assistant

Chico Hill (they/them), Community Programmer

Diether Laguni (he/him), Student Assistant

Caleb Lee (he/him), Administrative Intern: 45th Programs

Tingyao Li (he/him), Community Programmer

Merielle Macaraeg (she/her), Cultural Organizations Liaison

Stepfan Ng (he/him), Administrative Intern: Community Outreach & Marketing

Josue Ruedas (he/him), REAL Talk Coordinator

Tamara Salazar Bernardi (she/her), Volunteer Coordinator

Kayla Van (she/her), Administrative Intern: Academic Success Initiatives

Ashley Yeh (she/her), Graphic Designer