Executive Board 2025-26

	Erika Santoyo, President (951) 827-3479 Erika.Santoyo@ucr.edu Erika Santoyo is an Graduate Enrollment Manager for the UCR School of Business with over 20 years of experience in diverse teaching and education environments. With 12.5 years dedicated to the University of California system, she is committed to empowering students to be proactive, optimistic, realistic, and accountable in achieving their academic goals. Erika's objective is to cultivate a holistic and welcoming experience where students feel safe and accepted. She holds a Master's degree in Art History. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys playing softball, reading, and spending time with her family.
	Rudy Rodriguez, Vice-President (951) 827-5613 Rudy.Rodriguez@ucr.edu I am the Data & Reporting analyst in the Constituent Management and Technologies (CMT) Team within the Vice Chancellor of Development and Alumni Engagement (VCDAE) Office. As a UCR alum, it was an easy change of pace when coming to work here. I coordinate with department and campus partners to send communications to the campus and its community. Additionally, I assist in maintaining the database and managing our new systems and operations. I was part of the LEAD program for the 2023-2025 cohort and continue to serve on the executive board. Outside of work I take part in various hobbies including board games and pin collecting.
	Cristina Gonzalez, Immediate Past President (951) 827-0221 Cristina.Gonzalez@medsch.ucr.edu Cristina Gonzalez, MHL, is a healthcare and education professional with over 15 years of experience leading strategic planning, program development, project management, and process improvement. Skilled in building and managing interdisciplinary teams, she has successfully advanced initiatives in academic medicine, public health, and hospital operations. Cristina is recognized for driving measurable improvements in patient satisfaction, quality assurance, and organizational efficiency. Fluent in Spanish, she is dedicated to fostering equitable, community-centered care and supporting the growth of future health professionals.
	Alexandra Rollins, Co-Director of Professional Development (951) 827-4928 alexandra.rollins@ucr.edu Alexandra Rollins serves as the Director of Employee and Organizational Development at UC Riverside, where she leads initiatives that strengthen leadership capacity, foster inclusion, and support organizational growth. With over a decade of experience in leadership development and organizational change, she has partnered with Fortune 500 companies such as Toyota, Mattel, Hyundai, and the Automobile Club of Southern California before returning to her alma mater. Passionate about helping leaders and teams unlock their potential, Alexandra specializes in organizational change management, leadership development, and training. She has worked closely with leaders at every level from managers to executives to build trust, enhance collaboration, and drive meaningful results. A proud Highlander alumna, Alexandra earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UC Riverside and a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Beyond her professional role, she is deeply committed to service: she volunteers with the UCR Alumni Scholarship Association, serves Delta Gamma Fraternity as a Council Appointed Coordinator, and is currently the Region 8 Nominating Committee Chair
	Shannon Minter, Co-Director of Professional Development (951) 827-0273 Shannon.Minter@ucr.edu Shannon Minter is a Classification and Compensation Consultant in Central Human Resources at the UCR. She brings over 20 years of diverse experience in Human Resources, with a background that includes training and development. In her current role, Shannon manages compensation and classification activities, serving as the primary consultant on job reviews, pay evaluations, and policy alignment. In addition, she contributes to campus-wide initiatives, designs training materials, and ensures compliance with university and legal pay practices. Shannon holds a master’s degree in Leadership and Management, underscoring her commitment to organizational effectiveness and continuous improvement. Outside of work, she enjoys creating ceramics, walking her dogs, and traveling with family
	Yan Ma, Director of Information Technology (951) 827-5640 Yan.Ma1@ucr.edu Yan Ma recently celebrated eight years at UC Riverside, where she serves as a Senior Institutional Research Analyst in the Office of Institutional Research. She has developed a wide range of dashboards highlighting campus statistics, student enrollment, outcomes, and faculty and staff data for both public use and internal reporting. She also supports campus reporting and contributes to initiatives across the university as well as with external partners. Yan hopes to bring her data and analytical expertise to LEAD to advance understanding of participant and user needs. In her free time, she enjoys reading and playing badminton.
	Erica Castillo, Director of Marketing and Communications (951) 827-3031 Erica.Castillo@ucr.edu Erica Castillo is the Patient Services and Billing Supervisor for Student Health Services at UC Riverside, where she directs a multidisciplinary team overseeing campus-wide UC SHIP operations and complex student health insurance functions. A first-generation professional and a dedicated UCR First-Gen Mentor, Erica brings over 20 years of healthcare leadership experience to the university, with a career centered on practice administration and clinical operations. Erica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Houston and is a NHA Certified Billing and Coding Specialist. Throughout her distinguished career, which includes leadership roles at the UCR Health School of Medicine and various multi-specialty clinics she has specialized in bridging the gap between clinical care and administrative excellence. A staunch advocate for professional development, Erica recently spearheaded an initiative that enabled her entire billing team to obtain their national billing and coding specialist certifications by identifying and facilitating accessible, high-impact training resources. Deeply committed to leadership excellence, Erica has completed the FranklinCovey Leadership Series, the Foundations of Supervisory Success, and Building Core Supervisory Competencies at UCR. She is a proactive advocate for campus equity, serving on the R’Healthy Campus Equity Group and the Spanish Language Family Program Committee. Erica remains focused on fostering an inclusive environment that empowers staff and supports the success of Riverside’s diverse student population.
	Zenaida Nuñez, Director of Finance (951) 827-4765 Zenaida.Nunez@ucr.edu Zenaida Nuñez recently celebrated four years with UCR and currently serves as the Finance Coordinator for Development and Alumni Engagement, where she is responsible for managing department contracts, budgetary inquiries, travel coordination, purchasing, facilities-related requests, and other departmental operational needs. Her top priority is to collaborate early and often with campus partners to anticipate need and keep operations running smoothly across the department. Zenaida values building meaningful connections and is an avid supporter of initiatives that foster community for students, staff, and faculty. In her free time, Zenaida enjoys spending time with family and baking.
	April Garcia, Director of Administration (951) 827-0831 April.Garcia1@medsch.ucr.edu April Garcia is the Administrative Officer at UCR’s BEES Administrative Unit; supporting the administrative functions of Botanic Gardens, Environmental Sciences, and Earth & Planetary Sciences. In her role she assists with various tasks including facilities management, new faculty project renovations, managing equipment inventory, coordinating meetings, and providing accounting support. Previously she was the Administrative Coordinator for 8 years at Bridge HIV in San Francisco, a world-renowned HIV vaccine clinic. In that role she was responsible for various administrative tasks such as travel arrangements, credit card reconciliation, staff requests, staff on/off boarding, office management, and liaising with other SFDPH operations teams to effectively resolve issues. April earned her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology with a minor in Health Science at San Jose State University. In her spare time she enjoys nature hiking, playing 1960’s vinyl soul records, and organizing local music events.
	Grace Nyanzwii, Director of Outreach (951) 827-0141 Grace.Nyanzwii2@ucr.edu Grace Mwende Nyanzwii currently serves as a Financial Analyst in the Department of Family Medicine at the UCR School of Medicine and is the current Director of Administration for the LEAD Executive Board. She brings a strong background in administration, finance, and higher education operations, previously serving as a Contracts and Grants Analyst at the UCI School of Medicine and holding administrative roles within UCR School of Medicine departments. Grace is a proud alumna of California Baptist University, where she graduated with honors earning dual bachelor’s degrees in public relations (International Public Relations concentration) and International Studies (International Relations concentration). She is currently pursuing her Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) at Walden University. Passionate about leadership and professional development, Grace is committed to fostering collaboration, mentorship, and growth within the UCR community. Through LEAD, she hopes to continue empowering current and aspiring leaders while serving as a resource and advocate for professional growth, representation, and meaningful campus connection.
	Elizabeth Tisdale, Member at Large (951) 827-1707 Elizabeth.Tisdale@ucr.edu Elizabeth Tisdale is a Recruitment Specialist in the School of Education at UC Riverside and has worked in higher education for over 20 years. Throughout her career, she has served in a variety of roles, including admissions, advising, fundraising, event planning, and student recruitment. Her broad experience has allowed her to support students and campus communities in many meaningful ways while fostering connection, engagement, and student success. Elizabeth is passionate about student access, equity, mentorship, and professional development within higher education. She is also a CORO (UC Women’s Initiative) alum, an experience that further strengthened her commitment to leadership development, collaboration, and inclusive excellence in higher education. She previously served as a mentor for the Highlander Mentor Connection, where she enjoyed supporting and encouraging students in their academic and professional journeys. Elizabeth is committed to building supportive communities that encourage growth, leadership, and collaboration among students and staff alike. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, traveling, and exploring new foods.