Meet the Inaugural Professional Growth Leadership Academy Cohort

AMBER ESQUIVEL is an outreach counselor for the Native American Initiative under the department of outreach and special programs at Fresno State. She comes from the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians and is a product of the Central Valley. She graduated from Fresno State as a first-generation student with a BA in liberal studies (2015) and an MS in school counseling with a pupil personnel services credential (2019). Amber’s top 5 CliftonStrengths are relator, responsibility, consistency, individualization and adaptability. She’s passionate about equity and educating others about seeing our Native students. A leadership quote she reminds herself of is, “be the change you want to see in the world.” In her off-time she stays involved with her tribal affairs, family and community. She likes to go to cruise night, concerts, and be a homebody watching documentaries and horror movies.

CHANTAL CASTELLANOS was born and raised in Fresno County. She is a Fresno State alumna, with a degree in liberal studies – BLCAD emphasis in Spanish. She taught primary grades for seventeen years for Kerman Unified and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified. Her passion is serving students and helping them thrive to their full potential. Chantal works for the financial aid and scholarships department. Outside of work, she enjoys co-ed sports. She is currently in a bowling league. She fell in love with the sport after taking a bowling class at Fresno State as a student.

DIANA REA FLORES serves as the coordinator of the Dream Success Center. She graduated from Fresno State and received her Bachelors degree in business administration with an option in marketing and a Masters degree in higher education, administration and leadership. Diana was born in Guanajuato, Mexico. As a first-generation college student, she knows first-hand what students go through and has used her experiences to help other students be successful at Fresno State. She is passionate about helping all Fresno State students and uses her collaborative skills to partner with faculty, staff, and departments in providing services to our students. In the future, Diana hopes to continue supporting student success. During her spare time, Diana enjoys spending time outdoors and going on strenuous hikes.

JERRY GOMEZ is an alumnus of Fresno State, where he earned his Masters in student affairs and college counseling. Currently, he serves as the coordinator of Off-Campus Student Life and Innovation at the Student Involvement Center. Jerry’s primary objective is to create enriching programming and events that foster a strong sense of belonging for Bulldog commuters. Beyond his professional pursuits, Jerry actively participates in group fitness classes, honing his skills and staying active. Running is another passion that keeps him engaged and energized. Additionally, Jerry’s deep love for soccer manifests in his enthusiastic support for the sport.

KATHY YARMO joined the Student Health and Counseling Center as the wellness services coordinator in August 2007. She is a two-time graduate from California State University, Northridge and possesses a Master of Public Health degree in community health education. While her current work focuses on harm reduction and safety, one of her largest accomplishments was a collaboration she spearheaded between academic affairs, student affairs and administration in bringing the Partnership for a Healthier America to Fresno State to launch a healthy campus initiative. She did this in partnership with Dr. Amber Hammons, associate professor in child and family science. Prior to arriving at Fresno State, Kathy served in leadership positions at several non-profit organizations including, but not limited to, the March of Dimes and the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association National Office. In addition to her work at the Student Health and Counseling Center, Kathy is part of the National Coalition Building Institute’s Fresno State Chapter and is advisor to the Fresno State Bulldog Board Game Club.

KATIE BEWARDER is a director of development for the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (DOSAEM), working to align donor affinity and passion with the financial needs of students and student-focused programs. Katie is a two-time graduate of Fresno State, earning her Bachelors in business administration – sports marketing (2009) and Masters of Business Administration (2012). She joined the Fresno State team in 2014 at the Fresno State Alumni Association but comes from a family of Bulldog alumni. Katie spent the last 5 years of her career as the associate director of development for the Division of Continuing and Global Education, one of the only development officers for extension in the CSU system. She grew the development efforts from the ground up into a successful donor engagement program. Katie joined the DOSAEM team in November 2022 as a director of development. She has a passion for veterans, community, inclusion, and making a big impact. Her previous experience comes from positions in accounting, event management, volunteer engagement, marketing, and community benefit organizations. Katie lives in Fresno with her husband Shane and three children, Toby (19), Sophie (17), and Beau (3), with a fourth child expected in November.

KEVIN RENAUD currently works at the Financial Aid and Scholarships Department as a student personnel technician. He has worked in financial aid ever since he was a student assistant for Reedley College in 2015. He has also just earned his Masters degree in student affairs and college counseling at Fresno State. He has just found out that he will be a father, and hopes to be an inspirational leader for his future child and DOSAEM.

MARISA MATA is a writer, artist and educator from Fresno, California. She has served as the communications and media coordinator for the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management since February 2022. In this role, she curates and creates content to showcase the work of division staff, promote our programs and services and highlight student success. She oversees all communications that come from the office of the vice president and the division-level, including press releases, newsletters and social media. Marisa holds a BA in English literature from Fresno State and an MFA in creative writing from California Institute of the Arts. She is the first in her family to earn a Masters degree. Her creative work explores Latinx culture and has been published in Entropy Magazine, the San Joaquin Review and elsewhere. Marisa is the founding editor of Wild Blue Zine, a publication highlighting Fresno artists.

MARTIN ALVARADO, a resident of the Central Valley, is the second among his siblings to pursue a higher education degree. He graduated from Fresno State with a major in sociology and also obtained a certificate in applied sociology research. Martin began his career with the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) and then moved on to work for the office of admissions and recruitment in 2018. Currently, he holds the position of customer lead for the office of financial aid and scholarships, which he started this year. As a dedicated member of the Fresno State community, Martin recognizes the importance of student success. He has served as an exemplary role model for the university and future students over the years. Martin’s unwavering commitment to his goals, strong work ethic, and encouragement of others demonstrate his ongoing contributions to the profession and community.

MELISSA VILLA currently serves DOSAEM as a financial aid counselor for the office of financial aid and scholarships. In addition to being a counselor, Melissa is also the Work Study Coordinator for campus and a committee member for Project HOPE. Melissa previously worked in financial aid for UC Berkeley and Long Beach State. Soon to be a two-time Fresno State alum, she will begin the second year of the higher education administration and leadership Masters program in the fall.

MICHAEL BALLIN is the Food Security Project Coordinator at Fresno State. This includes day-to-day operation of the Amendola Family Student Cupboard along with supporting the CalFresh Assistance Program on campus. Michael is also currently the Board President for the El Dorado Park Community Development Corporation, a small but growing non-profit within the neighborhood of El Dorado Park, right down Bulldog Lane. He has a passion for community and long-term environmental sustainability. He has been involved with a diverse range of community groups and projects within the City of Fresno for the past 10 years. He currently sits on the Fresno D.R.I.V.E Initiative (Developing the Region’s Inclusive and Vibrant Economy) Executive Committee, a 10-year investment plan to develop an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable economy for residents in the Greater Fresno Region. Michael is a licensed realtor, and his educational background includes degrees in history (AA), sociology (BA), and social work (MSW), community benefit organizational Management.

MICHAEL BONNER is a graduate from Fresno State with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music performance. He currently holds the position of program production supervisor at Fresno State’s Satellite Student Union. As a drummer, Michael performs and records regularly throughout Fresno and central California. He plays drum set with the band at Community UCC, the Jazz Mass at Hope Lutheran, and the jazz trio, Delta Tango. His approach to music, leadership, and life is summed up in four words: Play great. Act cool.

PRISCILLA GILLETTEBERG is a first-generation, Hispanic, and two-time Bulldog alumna. She works for TRIO Student Support Services-Disabilities, as a learning specialist and academic advisor. Priscilla provides learning strategies, counseling, and academic advising to students with disabilities pursing their undergraduate degree. She promotes equitable opportunities to all students and serves as an advocate. Her strengths are her compassion, understanding, ambition and solution focused approach. Priscilla’s aspiration is to be a leader in an environment that is welcoming, offers growth opportunities, and a place where her staff feel supported, so they will feel motivated to provide a welcoming environment to our students.

RIGO FLORES started his position as the tutoring assistant coordinator at Fresno State in May 2023. Before joining the Bulldog community, Rigo served as the program director for New Student and Family Programs at San José State University. He holds bachelors and masters degrees in communication studies from the same institution. During his free time, Rigo enjoys spending quality time with his wife and daughter, watching sports, and acquiring new gadgets to grow his smart home setup.

SADE JOHNSON of Madera, is the 10th of 11 children. She comes from a large extended family and was a first-generation, system impacted, low-income college student. She earned her MA in higher education administration and leadership at Fresno State with the distinctions of Dean’s Medalist and Outstanding Thesis. Her thesis is called “An Autoethnography: A Black Woman Student Transitioning to Black Married Mamahood While in Higher Education,” which describes the complexity of Black mamahood while in higher education. She previously earned her BA in African American studies from the University of California, Davis. Johnson has been recognized as an outstanding graduate student by the California College Personnel Association. She served on multiple panels for Michelson 20MM Foundation, shifting advocacy work toward student-parents. She was selected as Graduate Equity Fellow, served on the planning committee for Fresno State’s inaugural Higher Education Student Affairs in the Central Valley Conference and served on the Student Health Advisory Council’s Programs for Children committee. Johnson was a graduate assistant for Project HOPE, connecting students, many of whom are Black students and student-parents, to resources and is now stepping into her role as interim Director of the Black Student Success Initiative. In her free time she appreciates creating memories with her husband and children.

SHIRLEY GAROUTTE has dedicated 25 years of service to training and development, coordination and compassionate results-driven interactions in a multitude of diverse environments from the cosmetic industry, special events, information technologies, and more recently Central California Area Social Services Consortium (CCASSC) and Social Welfare Evaluation Research and Training Center (SWERT). When Fresno State students are faced with unexpected circumstances and find themselves in need of assistance with life’s essentials, Fresno State’s confidential Case Management team is here to provide holistic wrap-around services, resources and guidance. As a part of that team her role is to support both students and Case Management staff in the implementation of on-going collaborative action plans. Providing a safe space and the necessities to be successful in their endeavors. A lover of nature, animals, art and culture you will often find Shirley watching NatGeo or History channel to decompress from the day. Or listening to world beats while she cleans up after her naughty cats, creates or gardens.

STEPHANIE FOSTER is originally from Galt, California and moved to Fresno to attend Fresno State. She is a two-time graduate of her alma mater, earning her Masters degree in rehabilitation counseling, and is a certified rehabilitation counselor. She has spent the last 13 years serving people with disabilities at various capacities in the Fresno community. Stephanie works as an access specialist at the Services for Students with Disabilities office, where she works with students and faculty on establishing academic accommodations with the goal of creating an equitable learning environment. Stephanie’s experience and passion for her work, coupled with her ambition toward continuous growth and success for herself and those around her, are the tools which allow her to act as an effective leader.

TANIS MATLOCK-ELDER is the assistant dean of students in the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities at Fresno State. She was born and raised in Fresno and is a proud graduate of Fresno State! As a first-generation college student, Tanis earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology and Master of Science in marriage, family and child counseling degrees at Fresno State. Tanis began her professional career in K-12 public education before transitioning to on-campus student housing at Fresno State, where she worked in student conduct. After gaining several years of experience, Tanis became the primary student conduct administrator at Fresno State, where she ensures student rights are being upheld while being accountable for their actions. She is committed to providing a safe and understanding space for all students where they feel they have a community of supporters behind them as they navigate Fresno State and the professional workforce.

VICTOR V. JACOBO is an academic counselor with the Educational Opportunity Program at Fresno State, with over 12 years of higher education and public safety experience. What Mr. Victor V. Jacobo most enjoys about his current role as an academic counselor is being able to assist first-generation college students’ transition into the university. One of his rewarding moments of his role as an academic counselor is seeing the light bulb go off in a student’s head when they learn something new. Mr. Victor V. Jacobo is a first-generation college student and the only one in his family to obtain a Masters degree, earning his Masters in public administration from Fresno State. Mr. Victor V. Jacobo is from Coalinga, California.

XIMENA HIDALGO serves as the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) outreach & recruitment counselor, guiding and supporting students from migrant and farm working backgrounds in their college endeavors. Having personally experienced the transformative impact of CAMP as a former student herself, Ximena’s commitment to the program is deeply rooted. She is a two-time alumna and recently graduated with a Masters of Science in counseling, SACC option, this past May. Driven by a passion for fostering collaboration and building strong relationships, Ximena continually seeks to develop her leadership skills, fostering a united environment within her department and throughout the division.

ZENAIDA CRUZ lives in Fresno, California. She’s been at Fresno State at the Student Health and Counseling Center for 8 years. Zenaida has a Bachelors degree in psychology from Fresno Pacific University, and a Masters degree in counseling, marriage and family therapy from Fresno State. She is a licensed therapist, and currently in the role of assistant director in the counseling center on campus. Zenaida is passionate about providing support to students and helping them navigate their mental health challenges as they pursue their academic journey at Fresno State. In her free time, she enjoys exercising, reading, spending time with friends and eating.

by MARISA MATA

July 11, 2023

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Do you have news you would like to share with the community? Let us know! Contact our Communications Coordinator Marisa Mata at 559.278.6560 or marisamata@csufresno.edu to get started!