Shareka White earned her Masters degree in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Student Affairs (PELSA) from San Diego State University in 2015. She worked in Enrollment Services for 6 years before transitioning to work in Student Affairs and EOP - providing access and education throughout the K-16 systems. Shareka collaborates with other educational entities across San Diego County to stay up-to-date regarding access changes, and genuinely enjoys spreading the good news about pursuing one's education.
Shareka is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Although
her passion is connected to access to higher education, Shareka has done much work
in building community at SDSU and helping to retain and graduate students, particularly
from underrepresented backgrounds. She aided in the proposal, construction and creation
of the SDSU Black Resource Center, has advised the Student African American Sisterhood
since 2015, and has earned many awards to celebrate the hard work she has done at
SDSU: Outstanding Advisor (2016-2017), Quest for the Best (2017), A.S. Presidential
Leadership Award (2020), Chief Diversity Officer's Leadership - JEDI Award (2021),
and the SDSU Presidential Leadership Award for Manager of the Year (2021).
Mr. Oliveira has been a counselor with EOP since 2015, previously serving as a Graduate Assistant for the EOP Guardian Scholars Program. He currently serves as the staff adviser for the Guardian Scholars Student Advisory Board (GSSAB). He was a Science and Physical Education teacher for the Sweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista, CA for five years. Prior to his brief teaching career, Mr. Oliveira served as the Assistant Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at SDSU for six years before moving on to serve as Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at San Jose State University for two years.
Mr. Oliveira has a B.A., Kinesiology, San Diego State University and an M.A., Postsecondary Educational Leadership with emphasis in Student Affairs, SDSU California Single Subject Teaching Credential, San Diego State University. He was actively involved at SDSU as a student leader in Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, Inc. and was a co-founder of the United Sorority and Fraternity Council (USFC). He served as the inaugural President of the USFC and later became the staff adviser for this council for culturally-based Greek Letter Organizations as well as staff adviser for the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) for historically African-American Greek Letter Organizations. He takes pride in the development of the USFC as a model for several CSU campuses to empower culturally-based fraternities and sororities and as a catalyst for equity and inclusion of campus Greek communities across California and beyond.
He has continued to be actively involved in Nu Alpha Kappa since his undergraduate years. He was a National President of the organization and continues to serve as a co-founder and Board member of the NAK ALAS (Alumni Association) in San Diego. He now serves as the staff adviser for the NAK SDSU chapter. His attributes much of his personal and professional growth to his involvement as an undergraduate student at SDSU.
As a first generation college student from an immigrant family, he has developed a passion for the empowerment of underrepresented students like himself. He has worked with students of diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout his career and enjoys the daily opportunity to pay it forward as an EOP Counselor. Mr. Oliveira is committed to student success by supporting students' academic and personal growth towards the development of their full potential.
Deniece is a first-generation college graduate, originally hailing from San Francisco, CA. She earned her undergraduate degree in International Security and Conflict Resolution, her single subject social science teaching credential, and her MS in School Counseling, all at San Diego State!
During her time as an undergraduate student Deniece worked on campus at the South Coastal Information Center, with EOP as a summer bridge counselor and peer mentor, and as a research assistant in the School Teacher of Education. Deniece also joined the multi-cultural organization Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. and currently serves as their staff advisor.
During her graduate program, Deniece was selected as a recipient of the American School Counselor Association scholarship as well as a Best and Brightest Scholar by the Millennium Momentum Foundation. She also served as the Director of Finance for the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCaL) conference Solutions to a Crisis: Supporting Students ~ Saving Lives.
After graduating with her Master's, Deniece joined the SDSU Prospective Student Center in the Office of Admissions as an Admissions Counselor. She later served as the Assistant Director and ultimately, Director of the Prospective Student Center before joining the EOPOS team as the Associate Director for Outreach, Recruitment, and Admission. As an Admissions Counselor, Deniece recruited students within the Grossmont Union High School District, coordinated the Freshman Academic Success Track (FAST) summer retention program, and served on the planning committee for the SDSU White House convening. As Assistant Director and Director, Deniece oversaw a welcome center that serviced over 100,000 applicants annually, and managed a dedicated team of Admissions Counselors and Student Admissions Representatives. In her role as Associate Director, Deniece seeks to advance equity and access in higher education and forever transform the lives of students through education.
Bryan Spencer has served as the Assistant Director in EOP, Outreach and Success overseeing the SDSU Guardian Scholars Program since 2016 . He has served his entire career in higher education with EOP. After graduating from San Diego State University in 2006 with a B.S. in Business – Management Information Systems, he was hired by EOP to serve as an Outreach Officer with the Outreach, Recruitment, and Admissions (ORA) unit designing and implementing its Early Outreach Program and Volunteer Program. After acquiring his M.A. in Education, Emphasis in Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice, with the Community Based Block Program (CBB, 2010), he was hired as an EOP Counselor serving 6 years until he was appointed to his current position. Bryan has also served as the Assistant Coordinator (2009-2012) and Coordinator (2013) of the EOP BEST Summer Bridge Program. He has coordinated the SOAR Mentor Program, pairing upper division mentors with incoming students, protégés, to support their transition to SDSU.
Martha Zanabria, Operations Coordinator for EOP, Outreach and Success in Student Affairs & Campus Diversity has 17 years of experience. Born in Tijuana Baja, Cal., Mexico. The oldest of three children and first generation to receive a Bachelors degree. Proud graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in Human Environmental Sciences (HES). During her college years, she worked as a Resident Assistant (RA), lab assistant in the Spanish Language department and was also involved in the Mexico Outreach Missions.
After Graduating from PLNU, Martha worked with San Diego Health and Nutrition Services as a Bilingual Food handler’s instructor for 9 years training trainers. Later, she returned to her alma matter and worked as a Building Manager for 17 years and a Loan Coordinator for Graduate and Professional Studies for another 3 years. It was during this time that she became a member of Amigas Punto Com which is a non-profit organization that helps women and their families restore their worth and self-esteem.
For the last 6 years, she has operated as an interpreter for various organizations.
We are currently hiring for this position. Coming Soon.
Mario Barahona-Miguel
Assistant Program Coordinator/High School Conferences
Mario Barahona-Miguel (He/Him/El) is a first-generation college graduate from the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, CA. He moved to North County San Diego in 2017 to attend California State University, San Marcos where he completed his B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development in 2022. During his undergraduate career, he was a part of various campus involvements from being a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity to being a Resident Advisor (RA) for campus housing. Mario then attended San Diego State University, earning his M.A. in Postsecondary Educational Leadership and Student Affairs in 2024. Mario now serves as the department's Assistant Program Coordinator, supervising the social media and marketing student assistant. Mario manages the department's social media accounts and leads the following EOPOS events: Welcome Week, High School Conferences, Graduation and various other engagement events the office hosts. Before this role, Mario served as the Graduate Assistant for the EOPOS SOAR Peer Mentoring Program for two years. Mario’s leadership philosophy is "with comfort comes trust and with trust comes a healthy relationship and with a healthy relationship comes a sense of belonging". Belonging is integral to the university experience as it increases retention and productivity in the classroom allowing students to accept that they belong on their campus rather than experience feelings of imposter syndrome.
Counselors
My name is Alessa Becerra and my pronouns are she/her/ella. I am a first-generation college graduate and I grew up in San Ysidro, CA. I have three fur babies and I also enjoy being outdoors. Anything from nature walks, hikes, kayaking, swimming etc. I truly love it.
I graduated from CSU Chico with a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish in 2015. I was part of the Educational Opportunity Program and participated in Summer Bridge in 2010. As an undergrad student I had the opportunity to join a multicultural organization, Lambda Theta Nu which allowed me to have a strong community and enhance my leadership skills with my involvement outside of the classroom. In addition, I was also able to study abroad for a full academic year in Madrid, Spain. The best part about my study abroad experience was that financial aid was able to fund this amazing opportunity. Through my different experiences, I knew I wanted to go back to San Diego to pay it forward and empower students to pursue higher education and help students take advantage of all the opportunities and free resources available to them.
After I graduated from CSU Chico, I attended graduate school and earned a Masters degree in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs from San Diego State University in 2018. I had the opportunity to work with the Center for Educational Partnerships, Outreach, and Success and serve as the Price Community Scholars Coordinator. The program facilitates the recruitment and support of fifteen (per cohort) high-achieving SDSU students from City Heights with a scholarship. I was able to support the mentors and mentees of the program in building a community that enhances their path to higher education through academic success, self-awareness, cross-cultural exchange, and civic participation.
As a first-generation Latina and low-income college graduate, my transition from San Ysidro High School to CSU, Chico was a critical component in my educational journey just like many current students. My participation in summer bridge helped me combat imposter syndrome and gain a sense of belonging on the campus. EOP gave me a home away from home. I am passionate about playing a key role in supporting EOP students by providing them with the tools, guidance and most importantly the agency to make empowered decisions while attending San Diego State University.
Coming Soon.
Born in San Diego, California and fourth child of five from Mexican parents and heritage. Obtained an Associate’s degree from San Diego Mesa College and immediately afterwards acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University. Previous employment experiences vary from computer sales, automotive technician, and college counselor for UCSD/GEAR-UP. Currently employed at San Diego State University under the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships and working on a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership: Post-Secondary Student Affairs. I consider myself as a down to earth, easy going individual. I enjoy traveling, Mexican food, and family time. Please stop by and say hello, I’m eager to get to know our SDSU EOP students! Go Aztecs!
This position will be posted on the SDSU HR website soon.
Bianca is a proud first-generation and former EOP student from the Imperial Valley, CA. Growing up in a single-parent and low-income household, she attributes much of her life and personal accomplishments to her undergraduate EOP experience. She received her Bachelor’s in Sociology-Social Work from Cal Poly Pomona in 2011, and she later received her Master’s in Educational Leadership-Student Affairs from SDSU in 2013.
Since that time, she has worked in different university areas such as the EOP Tutoring Center at SDSU & Communication and Leadership department at UCSD. Professionally, she has been a Computer Science & Engineering Advisor at UCSD and most recently an EOP Counselor at Cal State Marcos where she led the freshmen retention programs, the Peer Mentor and Summer Bridge program for a little over 6 years. She has also taught First-Year Freshman seminar courses at Cal State Marcos related to first-year preparation, information literacy, lifelong learning skill-building, and academic probation recovery.
Bianca believes in the core mission of EOP which includes providing access and retention services. She supports first generation students with the utmost care and compassion, exposing them to the tools and resources in order to maximize their potential as they become the first in their family to graduate, and teach lifelong skills that will broaden their SDSU experience and beyond.
Juan Carlos is a proud first-generation college graduate. He was born and raised in the south east Los Angeles area. In 2016, he earned his B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). During his undergraduate years, he was involved in various outreach and retention initiatives, including being a leader in the student organization, Hermanos Unidos, interning at the Student Initiated Outreach Program, and serving on the planning committee for the College Link Outreach Program. One of his favorite memories while at UCSB was studying abroad in Rome, Italy. Juan Carlos attributes much of his success to his involvement as an undergraduate and encourages you to get involved!
After graduating from UCSB, Juan Carlos began his professional career as an Advisor for the TRIO Upward Bound Program at the TELACU Education Foundation. In this role, he assisted first-generation and low-income students with their college applications and high school graduation requirements. After three years with Upward Bound, he moved to Seattle to start graduate school at the University of Washington (UW). While working on his master’s programs, he interned for the TRIO Student Success Services program at South Seattle College and was a graduate staff assistant for the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion at UW’s College of Education. In the summer of 2021, Juan Carlos received his M.Ed. in Leadership in Higher Education and M.S. in Information Management. Before moving back to Southern California, Juan Carlos was the Senior Career Development Advisor at the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship, where he supported WA state students become career-ready.
Outside of work, you can find him paddle boarding, learning golf, or spending quality
time with friends and family. He also enjoys traveling to different countries and
national parks, exploring gastronomy, and trivia nights. Juan Carlos is excited to
bring his diverse experiences to SDSU. He will not only be supporting EOP students
as a counselor, but also leading men of color initiatives.
Alejandro (Alex) Castruita was born in Tijuana, Baja California and raised in San Ysidro, California. He is a double alumnus of SDSU who received his Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice and his Master’s of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs. Alex currently serves as the Assistant Coordinator for the EOPOS department and works directly with the Price Community Scholars (PCS) Program. The PCS program facilitates the recruitment and support of thirty (2 cohort’s of 15 each) high-achieving SDSU students from City Heights with a scholarship. He is able to support the mentors, mentees and parents of the program in building a community that promotes a pathway to college through 1:1 mentorship, college awareness presentations and community involvement.
Utilizing a student-centered approach, he aims to bridge the gap between non-traditional students and higher education. Using his personal experiences, Alex understands the needs of these students and works to incorporate his real world and classroom experiences in a manner that helps students’ develop holistically to achieve their goals and prepare them for incorporation into the real world. His goal is to support students in a manner that makes them feel nurtured and cared for so they can create a sense of belonging and community at San Diego State University.
Outreach, Recruitment and Admission
Lorena has worked in higher education throughout most of her professional career. She feels fortunate to work with a team of experienced and talented staff who understand that the soul of higher education lies in helping others realize their academic and personal dreams across generations, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Lorena believes this realization happens by fostering a personal connection with EOP participants. “Our students need to feel they belong at SDSU and that their hard work has earned them a place here.”
Lorena completed the Clear Cross-Cultural Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at SDSU and the Master of Arts in Guidance Counseling, with a PPS Credential at the University of Redlands. Her expertise includes, bilingual education, guidance counseling, instruction in K-12 and higher education settings, supervision of student teacher candidates and counseling interns, establishing intersegmental collaborations, and pioneering innovative outreach and retentions programs for first-generation populations. This year Lorena will complete her 22nd year at San Diego State University.
As the liaison for incoming EOP transfer students, Lorena looks forward to meeting you this year at one of our outstanding, “Best of the Best”, SDSU-Imperial Counties Community Colleges. EOP’s long standing partnerships with our local EOPS/CARE and Transfer Centers have helped ease the transfer experiences of many first-gen students into SDSU. Welcome home EOP transfers students!
Rosie Villafana-Hatcher is the Director of the Early Assessment Program at San Diego State University. Her role has allowed her to work directly with school officials including principals, district administrators, teachers and counselors within the Sweetwater Union, San Diego Unified, Grossmont and Imperial Valley high school districts to increase college readiness and to ensure students are ready for college-level English and mathematics before entering the California State University system.
Rosie enjoys working with diverse groups of students and one of her top priorities is advancing student success at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Rosie was a first generation college student and an alumni of Morse high school in San Diego, CA. She earned both her Masters In Education with a specialization in Counseling and her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. In her spare time, Rosie enjoys spending time with her 7 siblings, traveling with her parents, 2 daughters (Kiara and Kassandra), and husband, Jevon.
Raquel is an SDSU alumna who received her Master’s of Arts in Communication Studies. Originally from the Central California town of Bakersfield, she currently serves as an Outreach Specialist for EOPOS. Her educational journey began in community college, where she earned an A.A. in Communication from Bakersfield College. She then went on to earn her B.A. from UC Davis. Raquel’s spark to serve students initially came from serving on the student government association and then working as a peer advisor in college. In pursuit of her other passion, journalism, she worked as a local television news producer for a few years after college. During her time in news she was recognized with an Emmy nomination for the work she and her colleagues did covering the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes. Although she will always love news, she knew she wanted to go back to school and pursue higher education, leading her to SDSU. While pursuing her MA at SDSU, she worked as a Graduate Teaching Associate teaching public speaking. Additionally, she worked for the EOP BEST Summer Bridge program as a tutor for the public speaking course for two summers. During her two years of working in education, she especially loved being a part of helping students navigate their educational journey. She has had very special educational mentors in her life and hopes to make an impact on students the way her mentors have for her. Her door is always open for students to stop by to say hello!
When Raquel is not working, you can find her at the beaches of San Diego with her husband, chasing a sunset or cuddling with her rescue cat, Alfred.
Jamie is a two-time alumna of SDSU. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Counseling and Social Change in 2019 and her M.A. in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Student Affairs in 2022. Jamie grew up in the South Bay and spent a few years living in the Philippines with her parents. She started her journey in EOPOS as a graduate student assistant where she worked primarily with community college students in the Transfer Bridge Program.
Jamie is a proud transfer student from Southwestern College and understands the culture shock and imposter syndrome many students experience when entering a new institution. As the daughter of Filipinx immigrants, Jamie is extremely passionate about serving first-generation students and those from underrepresented communities.
Retention/Special Programs
Gaby Peralta is a proud first-generation graduate born and raised in San Diego. She began her career in EOP during her undergraduate experience at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo serving as a student assistant in the EOP office and as the program assistant for the Summer Institute program. She earned her B.S in Psychology from Cal Poly in 2018 and moved back to San Diego shortly after.
In San Diego, Gaby dedicated a year to AmeriCorps VISTA, working at the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a nonprofit committed to supporting individuals reentering society after incarceration. Her impactful year of service led to a continued career with CEO, where she gained valuable insight in her various roles as a Retention Specialist and Grantwriter.
Driven by a passion for education and motivation to return to EOP, Gaby earned a Master's in Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling at SDSU in 2024. At the start of her program in 2022, she joined the EOPOS team as the Graduate Assistant for the Learning Support Center. Her dedication to helping first-generation students achieve academic success led to her becoming the Coordinator in 2024.
Outside of her professional life, Gaby enjoys traveling and discovering new coffee spots. She is also deeply committed to mentoring other first-generation students, uplifting their stories, and amplifying their voices.
Maira Lopes serves as the Price Community Scholars Program Coordinator. Born and raised in San Diego, she grew up in the culturally vibrant neighborhoods of City Heights and Golden Hill. A native Spanish speaker and first-generation college graduate, Maira earned two degrees from Point Loma Nazarene University. In 2010, she received a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies with a minor in Nonprofit Management, and in 2016, she completed a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership.
Maira brings over a decade of experience in higher education, having served as an enrollment counselor, program coordinator, and student success counselor. She also held the role of Director of Admissions at a high school dedicated to supporting students from limited financial means.
Her passions include expanding access to higher education for underrepresented communities, strengthening student success programs, and addressing equity gaps.
Outside of work, Maira organizes her neighborhood's annual block party. She is an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma's Eta Nu chapter, an international society for key women educators. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and baking from scratch, often using fresh ingredients from her own garden.
Carlos Miguel Perez Aguilar serves as the Assistant Program Coordinator for Price Community Scholars through EOPOS at San Diego State University. He is a City Heights native who found his passion for higher education through his participation in mentoring programs such as Price Community Scholars and SOAR mentoring. Carlos is a SDSU alumnus currently pursuing his Master’s of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs. Carlos is a passionate individual who enjoys connecting with students and being a resource. When he isnt working, Carlos enjoys spending time with family & friends, hiking, and trying out new coffee shops.
Guardian Scholars
Nia Williams was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and African-American Studies from the University of California, Davis. She started her professional career in K-12 education as an 8th-grade science teacher in South Central Los Angeles.
She later acquired her Master of Science in Counseling degree, with an emphasis in Multicultural Community Counseling and Social Justice Education from the Community Based Block (CBB) Program at San Diego State University. During her graduate program, Nia provided therapeutic services to students in the Henrietta Goodwin Scholars program at the SDSU Black Resource Center. Nia also worked with the San Diego Youth Services Sunny Days Program providing in-home psychotherapy to current and former foster youth living in a transitional housing program.
Before beginning work as the Guardian Scholars Coordinator in August 2023, Nia worked as a Program Operation Manager at the YMCA of San Diego Housing Our Youth (HOY) program, where she provided housing resources and supportive services for youth 16-24 years old.
Nia enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, listening to music, reading, roller skating, taking care of her plants, and connecting with loved ones.
Marie Brañes is the first Guardian Scholars Assistant Program Coordinator and is a double alum of SDSU with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in three departments; Emphasis in Social Work, Psychology, and Counseling & School Psychology (2021) and her M.A. in Education with a Concentration in Counseling and a certificate in Restorative Justice Practice and Trauma-Informed Care (2022). Marie started as an SDSU transfer student and EOP/Guardian Scholars student. She became very involved in the GS community by taking on leadership roles where she discovered her passion for working within higher education support programs. As a student, Marie was a SOAR, Transfer Bridge, and Summer Bridge Mentor, as well as an involved GSSAB member and eventual Vice President.
As Marie was completing her graduate program, she had the opportunity to be the Graduate Assistant for the GS Program before transitioninginto an emergency hire as the GS Assistant Program Coordinator. Within these roles, she developed her event programming abilities, assisted with strengthening the GS community as it was transitioning back from COVID-19, offered support, and connected students to ensure they were successful.
By holding the former foster youth identity, Marie can relate to having unique challenges and navigating the 3-6% statistic of foster youth earning a higher education degree. Marie believes anyone who wants to earn a higher education should have the opportunity to do so with the support to aid with easing any barriers. She has a passion for supporting, guiding, and encouraging students to reach their full potential within higher education, as well as their personal and professional life.
Marie enjoys watching movies, especially scary thrillers. She is a big fan of The Walking Dead and Marvel movies. In her free time, she’s always trying different cafes and exploring new areas. When the weather is good, you can find her hiking or reading in nature. Marie can't live without coffee, rainy weather, and music. She takes care of her body by going to the gym and her mind by writing poetry and journaling. She loves to collect books, records, and plants! Most of all, she loves spending time with her loved ones.
EOPOS Staff Overview