Leaders of Excellence And Distinction (LEAD)

LEAD Executive Board Elections

Elections for next year's board are now open and will close June 1st. Vote here.

Elections are hosted in the Spring quarter to elect all open positions. The full membership of the LEAD Group will be eligible to vote for all positions. In the case of a tie, the incoming Chair may poll the Board individually for input and then make the final decision. For questions about becoming an executive board member, contact ucrlead@ucr.edu.

2026-2027 LEAD Executive Board Nominees

Erika Santoyo

(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

Data & Reporting analyst

VCDAE

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

 
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.

Vacant.

Shannon Minter

Compensation Consultant

Total Compensation

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

Senior Institutional Research Analyst

Institutional Research Office

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

Patient Service & Billing Supervisor

Student Health Services

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.

April Garcia

Administrative Officer II

BEES Administration

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. 

Zenaida Nuñez

Finance Coordinator

Development and Alumni Engagement

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.

Grace Nyanzwii

Financial Analyst

UCR, School of Medicine

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

Graduate Recruitment Specialist

School of Education

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.

Job Descriptions: LEAD Executive Board Positions

  • Vice President/President Elect – elected (First year of overall 3-year commitment)

    1. In consort with the President and Director of Events, actively assist in the programmatic needs of meetings and professional development training;
    2. Serves as first alternate to the President (In cases where President is unavailable to officiate). Perform the duties and exercise the powers of the      President in the absence of the President and in accordance with the bylaws and serve as President -Elect.
    3. Actively assist in mentoring the Board Members; 
    4. Attend all General Meetings and Board Member meetings;
    5. Be a voting member of the Board;
    6. Ex-Officio capacity on all Ad Hoc Committees
    7. Other duties as directed by the President and the approval of the Board (simple majority).

  • Directors of Professional Development (2)

    1. In consort with the President and President -Elect, actively develop LEAD professional development activities and offerings.
    2. Actively coordinate with the Employee and Organizational Development Office within Human Resources in the development of curriculum and professional development activities.
    3. Manage the LEAD Certificate Program. 
    4. Serve on subcommittees pertaining to HMC and UCR Staff Conference.
    5. In consort with the President and President--Elect, develop and manage the speakers for the LEAD R’ Ship Series.
    6. Attend all Board Meetings and LEAD events.
    7. Be a voting member of the Board.
    8. Other duties as directed by the President and the approval of the Board (simple majority).
       

  • Director of Information Technology 

    1. Maintain all records as may be required;
    2. Actively develop and maintain the LEAD website;
    3. Attend all General Meetings and Board meetings;
    4. Be a voting member of the Board;
    5. Other duties as directed by the President and the approval of the Board (simple majority).
    6. Serve on the UCR Staff Conference committee in relation to software used.

  • Director of Events

    1. In consort with the President and President -Elect, actively assist in the programmatic needs of meetings and professional development training.
    2. Actively participate in the schedule and organization of the General Meeting (ex. Follow R’LEAD) and/or Professional Development activity.
    3. Maintain pre-registration lists and sign-in lists at events/programs.
    4. Collect all data for events. 
    5. Attend all General Meetings and Board Meetings.
    6. Be a voting member of the Board.
    7. Other duties as directed by the President and the approval of the Board (simple majority).

  • Director of Marketing and Communications

    1. In consort with the President and President -Elect, actively assist in the marketing needs and brand awareness of LEAD.
    2. Actively email/announce all LEAD events and/or professional development activities to the general membership.
    3. Manage all social media platforms. 
    4. Create flyers and all media to be distributed on social media.
    5. Attend all Board Meetings and LEAD events.
    6. Be a voting member of the Board. 
    7. Other duties as directed by the President and the approval of the Board (simple majority).

  • Director of Administration

    1. Create and distribute meeting agendas. 
    2. Take and distribute Meeting minutes by electronic distribution, posting to the LEAD website, or in hard copy.
    3. Maintain all records as may be required.
    4. Update and revise bylaws as changes are approved by the Board. 
    5. Work with the President and Director of Finance with coordinating purchases, retreat, and cohort end of year event. 
    6. Assist the President with miscellaneous administrative tasks; scheduling Executive Board meetings.
    7. Analyze and develop reports, for all data for events and provide information and recommendations to the President.
    8. Be a voting member of the Board.

  • Director of Finance

    1. Serve as second alternate to President (in cases where the Vice President/President Elect is unavailable to officiate in the President’s absence)
    2. Work closely with Chancellors Org to maintain all necessary records pertaining to receipt and disbursement of funds.
    3. Under guidance of the Chancellors ORG ensure the fiduciary responsibility of LEAD in accordance with the separation of duties guidelines and trainings set forth by the University and Chancellors ORG.
    4. Work with the President and Vice President/President-Elect to develop a proposed budget for the following year based on anticipated expenditures.
    5. Coordinate the funding and transaction needs for the various committees with the Chancellors ORG
    6. Work with the President and Chancellors ORG to obtain approvals. 
    7. Be a voting member of the Board.
       

  • Director of Outreach

    1. Gather more Listserv names at all outreach events. 
    2. Develop and manage events pertaining to Outreach efforts including but not limited to Community Partner Fair, Coffee & Donuts, and New Staff Orientation efforts. 
    3. In consort with the President, President -Elect, and Director of Programming, develop and implement outreach efforts for the Success Makeover event. 
    4. Manage and update LEAD listserv. 
    5. Attend all Board Meetings and LEAD events.
    6. Be a voting member of the Board.
    7. Other duties as directed by thePresident and the approval of the Board (simple majority).

  • Member at Large

    1. Serve as a subcommittee member for the Director of Outreach.
    2. Serve as members of standing committees at the direction of the Board.
    3. Serve as members on Ad Hoc Committees at the direction of the Board.
    4. Attend all General Meetings and Board meetings.
    5. Actively participate in the life of LEAD; learn, watch and absorb information; volunteer according to individual strengths and participate on various sub-committees.
    6. Other duties as directed by the President and the approval of the Board (simple majority).
       

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Riverside, CA 92521

Tel: (951) 827-1012

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