Brenda Aldama Garcia
ETS Program Advisor, College Opportunity Programs
Sarah Angulo
Community Education and Outreach Specialist, Center for Community and Citizen Science
Jared Beldon
GEAR UP Program Advisor, College Opportunity Programs
Samuel Blanco III
Associate Director, Pre-College TRIO Programs, College Opportunity Programs
Damian Chapman
Assistant Dean, Finance, Administration and Strategy Development
Susanna Cooper
Executive Director, Wheelhouse
Before joining Wheelhouse, Ms. Cooper served as an independent consultant and as longtime advisor on pre-K-to-14 education issues for the leader of the California State Senate. In that role, she shaped and shepherded the Pro Tem’s education agenda, provided counsel on education budget matters, and led multi-year campaigns to increase quality pre-kindergarten opportunities for low-income children, reduce the number of high school dropouts, and strengthen high school-post-secondary pathways.
Claudia Escobar
Associate Director of Learning and Research, Wheelhouse
Dr. Claudia Escobar earned her Ph.D. in School Organization and Education Policy at the UC Davis School of Education in 2020. She has served as a graduate student researcher with the California Education Lab and UC Davis Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is a former researcher and policy analyst for the UC Office of the President. She is the first in her family to obtain a bachelor’s and master’s degree and now a doctorate.
Tracy Falk
Undergraduate / Graduate Program Coordinator
Adriana Fernandez
Upward Bound Assistant Director, College Opportunity Programs
Elizabeth Zeiger Friedmann
Research Fellow, California Education Lab
Betsey Friedmann is a research fellow at Wheelhouse and the California Education Lab. She received her Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in School Organization and Educational Policy from the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on issues related to college access and success, including financial aid and transfer pathways from community colleges.
Jennifer Gama
Assistant Director, College Opportunity Programs, Educational Talent Search
Chris Griesemer
Executive Director, Sacramento Area Science Project
Eva Guralnick
Director of Marketing and Communications
Eva Guralnick joined the UC Davis School of Education in June 2015 as the Director of Marketing and Communications. As the chief marketing officer for the School she manages all branding and outreach efforts.
Peggy Harte
Youth Education Program Manager, Center for Community and Citizen Science
Peggy Harte develops citizen science curriculum as well as professional learning opportunities for K-12 educators, engaging with students and teachers across a variety of projects ongoing at the Center for Community and Citizen Science. She is a former classroom teacher and elementary science specialist with over 20 years of experience.
LaToya Hervey
Program Advisor, College Opportunity Programs, Educational Talent Search
Sylvia Hill
Program Assistant, Upward Bound/ETS Shasta, College Opportunity Programs
Chelsey Hoshor
ETS Shasta Outreach Advisor, College Opportunity Programs
Stephanie Jauregui
GEAR UP Program Advisor, College Opportunity Programs
Akemi Joe
Business Services Coordinator
Akemi Joe earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UC Davis in 2014. She brings with her an extensive knowledge of the campus from her previous work at the School of Education Student Services, Office of the Chancellor and Provost, and Design and Construction Management.
Rae Johnsen
GEAR UP Program Coordinator, College Opportunity Program
Anne Jones
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Community Partnerships
Anne Jones is the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Community Partnerships for the School of Education. Previously she served as the Assistant Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, Office of the Provost at UC Davis, and as Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff to the Vice Chancellor in the Division of Student Affairs at UC Berkeley.
Car Mun Kok
Director of College Opportunity Programs
Dr. Car Mun Kok joined the UC Davis School of Education in November 2021 as the Director of College Opportunity Programs, housed under the REEd Center. Car Mun provides leadership for the federally funded GEAR UP, Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound programs which serve middle and high school students throughout the Sacramento Valley and Northern California areas.
Alyssa Macias
Upward Bound Academic Coordinator, College Opportunity Programs
Robin Martin
Director of Educational Research and Evaluation
Robin Martin joined the UC Davis School of Education in 2016 as the Director of Educational Research and Evaluation. Having served in both K-12 policy organizations and public school districts, Robin brings over 13 years of practiced experience in education policy, research, assessment, and program implementation and evaluation.
Dr. Christina E. Murdoch
Executive Director, Center for Applied Policy in Education (CAP-Ed)
Education is all a matter of building bridges.
—Ralph Ellison, author of Invisible Man
Center for Applied Policy in Education (CAP-Ed)
Christina E. Murdoch serves as Executive Director of the Center for Applied Policy in Education within the UC Davis School of Education. In this role, Christina develops and directs professional learning programs for school district superintendents, principals and teachers including the following:
• Superintendents’ Executive Leadership Forum (SELF)
Taylor Pinnell
ETS Shasta Outreach Advisor, College Opportunity Programs
Johana Ramirez Zapien
ETS and Upward Bound Program Assistant, College Opportunity Programs
Sherrie Reed
Executive Director, California Education Lab
Sherrie Reed serves as Executive Director for California Education Lab. In this role, Sherrie is managing and directing the research efforts of numerous federal and foundation grants and supporting the faculty Principal Investigators. These projects represent unprecedented collaboration among the primary public education segments in the state of California, including formal partnership between the University of California, Davis and the California Department of Education, and collaboration with the California State University Chancellor’s Off
Mary M. Reid
Director of Student Support, Outreach, Recruitment and Student Experience
Bree Rodriguez
PhD/MA Graduate Program Coordinator
Shaima A. Shafii
External Relations and Development Program Manager
Shaima Shafii joined the School of Education as the Development and External Relations Assistant on January 16, 2018. She is responsible for a wide range of coordinative and administrative duties, as well as working with the marketing and communications team at the School of Education.
Hilary Strain
Business Operations and Communications Coordinator, Wheelhouse
Amanda Toering
Academic Personnel Analyst, Department Chair's Office
