Storyteller Matinee

Monica Santos is the Founder and Executive Director of Advancing Students Forward, an educational nonprofit that provides underserved students in Tijuana,Mexico access to education, support for academic success and youth development and leadership opportunities for themselves and for the communities in which they live.

Alex Aikyo is the Assistant Director of the Women's Resource Center at San Diego State University, specializing in sexual violence prevention education, survivor support, and student professional development initiatives. Alex received her BS in Advertising from the University of Colorado Boulder and her MA in Higher Education Student Affairs from the University of Connecticut. Her work in university Women's Centers at an undergraduate, graduate, and professional level has fueled a lifelong passion for building feminist, anti-racist, and trauma-informed spaces within higher education.

Krystsina Shchelkunova is the founder and Executive Director of the Slavic Refugee and Immigrant Service Organization (SRISO) in San Diego. She launched SRISO in 2022 in response to the war in Ukraine, helping over 300 refugee families access housing, health services, education, and emotional support. With a master’s degree in Accounting and Economics and over a decade of leadership experience, Krystsina brings strong financial, strategic, and community-building skills to her work. She is an active member of the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition (SDRCC) and is known for her compassionate, culturally responsive approach.

Dr. Oliver II is the Gus & Emma Thompson Black Resource Center Director at San Diego State University. With more than a decade of experience within Academic and Student Affairs, Malcolm is committed to championing the academic, personal, and professional growth of our students - while ensuring that the educational spaces they inhabit are supportive of their unique inquisitions, and challenging enough to sustain their desire of flourishing to the best of their abilities. In his life outside of academia, writing poetry, camping, and enjoying the arts are just a few of his favorite things.

Veronica Shubayev is a Professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. Her research explores the interface between the immune and nervous systems. Dr. Shubayev has authored over 60 publications on immune cells and molecules in regulation of nerve injury, repair, and pain, cited more than 6,000 times. Her 25+ years expertise is widely recognized and sought after by leading funding agencies, scientific journals, industry, and academia around the world.

Marnie Brookolo (she/her/hers) is a Campus Diversity Officer and Director of the Women’s Center at UC San Diego. A first-generation college graduate, Marnie holds a B.A. in Critical Gender Studies and Political Science from UC San Diego and an M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego. Since joining the staff of the Women’s Center in 2005, Marnie has worked to promote gender equity at UC San Diego by taking a leadership role in building community, developing educational programs, and facilitating student leadership development through a gender equity lens. Marnie’s work at the Women’s Center includes providing leadership for a wide range of educational programs and events, facilitating diversity trainings and workshops for campus departments and organizations, and partnering with on- and off-campus organizations to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion at UC San Diego and beyond. Outside of work Marnie enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her dog and loves being outside, especially at the beach, by the pool, or at a baseball or softball game.

I enjoyed a full career in California public education and public health services. I was fortunate to attend UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Stanford, to have family support, and to be able to borrow public funds for my education. I was born in Louisiana and grew up near a California US Air Force base. As a child, and now, I am interested in the complex differences in opportunities and expectations of local communities. Now retired, I am grateful to have more time for civic contributions and to continue learning about science, history, and art.

Tina Truong is a College Advisor at UC Berkeley. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Education Sciences, and was born and raised in Hayward, California.

I am a science educator for elementary and junior high students in classrooms and garden settings. I live with my husband, daughter, dog and cat in Northern California.

I'm a physician, scientist and entrepreneur passionate about technology's potential to transform various aspects of our lives. I find fulfillment in mentoring young people both personally and professionally. Beyond medicine, I'm an avid musician who enjoys playing the piano and guitar, as well as composing and recording music.

Professor at UCSD.

I have been working as an educational therapist in the Bay Area for over 20 years. My students primarily have dyslexia and ADHD but may also have a variety of other learning issues. The population I serve has included students in foster care, adults in library literacy programs, and students in both private and public schools.