FLI Forward 2023 Speakers

Jessica De Anda is a public speaker, content creator and an Executive Coach who empowers over 3k+ employees to build their personal strategy to progress in their career. Jessica currently works as the Director of MBA Career Programming at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business where she is a thought partner to alumni and students. She facilitates spaces where students and alumni can explore, strategize and implement their career goals. Jessica grew up in an immigrant household both food and housing insecure. Her experiences as a first gen Latina student in higher education studying Biology, Chicanx Studies and Education drove her to become the culturally affirming staff member she never had. Her work as an Executive/Leadership coach helps her empower generations of employees who need a thought partner as they navigate their career. Jessica earned her B.A. in Chicanx Studies from University of California Riverside and her M.A. in Education from Claremont Graduate University. When Jessica isn't coaching she enjoys reconnecting to her roots through teaching Chicanx Studies, practicing curanderismo, leading leadership development workshops, cooking, and her daily writing practice.

Verónica Villa serves as the Associate Director of Curricular and Co-Curricular Engagement for the LEAD Scholars Program. Verónica identifies as first-generation Chicana and is raising two strong and independent bilingual children. She was a part of Bridge (LEAD before it became LEAD). Verónica understands what it is to be a first-generation college student and therefore looks forward to providing support to all our LEAD scholars.

Jessica serves as the Associate Director of Student Advocacy for the LEAD Scholars Program, Jessica supports students facing challenges in various areas including mental & physical health, family relationship, housing & food security, and academic concerns. Additionally, Jessica manages the LEAD emergency and scholarship funding to help address students’ financial concerns. She works to develop partnerships on and off campus to advocate for the needs for first- generation college students.

Originally from Bakersfield CA, Jessica attended California Lutheran University and obtained her bachelor’s degree.  Jessica worked for nearly 8 years in the mental health field before she decided to pursue her master’s degree. She went on to obtain her master’s degree in Social Work from Rutgers University with a focus on clinical work and supporting trauma survivors. Upon graduating from her Social Work program, Jessica spent nearly 3 years as the Case Manager at the Cowell Center.  During this time, she connected students to resources in the community and worked with students to address their mental and physical health needs. Jessica, also, partnered with LEAD to deliver presentations and resources focused on mental health. As a first-generation college student herself, Jessica is excited to be supporting first-gen. students in the LEAD Scholar Program. 

Aaron Willis has served as the Director of the Bannan Forum since June 2018 and as Director of Ignatian Formation since April 2022. As Director of the Bannan Forum, he works to promote and make accessible the comprehensive humanism of the Jesuit intellectual heritage, bringing it to bear on contemporary global realities through public lectures, seminars, and other programming. As Director of Ignatian Formation, he leads the Ignatian Formation team to create and ensure the successful execution of a strategic vision for Ignatian formation to deepen the understanding and engagement with the Jesuit, Catholic character of Santa Clara University.

Laura Nichols has been a sociologist at Santa Clara since 2000. Her latest research has focused on the trajectories of aspiring first-generation college students from middle school to young adulthood and the barriers in education that get in the way of students realizing their dreams and also work on how Catholic colleges and universities can contribute to the success of transfer students as well as students who are undocumented.

Erin Kimura-Walsh is the Director of Santa Clara University’s LEAD Scholars Program which supports first-generation college students on campus.

Originally from Seattle, Erin graduated from Santa Clara University in 1998 with degrees in English and Japanese Language and Literature. She went on to earn an M.S. in Counseling from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.

After earning her M.S. in Counseling, Erin worked in SCU’s Drahmann Academic Advising and Learning Resources Center and Office of Multicultural Learning. During this time, she helped to found and develop what is now the LEAD Scholars Program.

In Jessica's diverse journey, encompassing personal growth, academic achievements, and professional experiences spanning over 15 years, a deep-seated passion for societal impact and collaborative engagement with people has flourished. Having graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in Sociology, she honed her skills in communication, critical thinking, and civic involvement through coursework exploring self-awareness, community dynamics, and service. Jessica's commitment extends to volunteering as a mentor for justice-involved youth, fostering patience, accountability, and effective problem-solving. Looking forward, she aspires to pursue law studies starting in Fall 2024. Outside her ambitions, Jessica finds joy in hiking, music, sunsets, and a good cup of coffee.

Lorenzo is originally from a very small town with eight graduating seniors in his public high school class. Coming from a close-knit community, he is familiar with the assumptions and fears one may have when considering leaving town for college. Reflecting on his own journey of college, he aspires to clarify the daunting experience for other first-generation students that he once faced himself. Lorenzo has over fifteen years of experience in college advising and currently oversees new initiatives.

Lorenzo has earned a B.S. in Economics, Santa Clara University; M.A. in Mexican American Studies with a concentration in Immigration and Higher Education, University of Arizona, M.B.A. from Santa Clara University, and is currently working on his E.D.D. at Santa Clara University.

Jessica Kas-Osoka is the Cowell Center’s Case Manager. She is a first generation graduate with an educational background including a Bachelor’s degree from Humboldt State University, and Master’s degree in Social Work from Walden University. She holds specialized training in Domestic Violence advocacy and Suicide intervention.  She has experience working in various settings including K-12 and community mental health counseling, homeless re-housing, Domestic/ intimate partner Violence, and SOS crisis response. Jessica is dedicated to being an agent of change to empower students to exercise their voice to self-advocate for their needs on and off campus.  In addition, Jessica’s goal is to bridge the gaps between community resources and accessibility in order to increase the wellness and mental health of all students.

Stefani Blanco is an Assistant Director for the Financial Aid Office at Santa Clara University. She has been with Santa Clara University for 8 years and is dedicated to making education possible with an empathetic approach to each student’s needs as they navigate the financial aid process. 

As a San Jose native, Stefani graduated with a BS in Business from San Jose State and an MA in Educational Leadership from Santa Clara University.

Christopher M. Bacon is an environmental social scientist, agroecologist and human geographer, currently serving as an associate professor in Santa Clara University’s Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences (ESS) and a member of the Environmental Justice and Common Good Initiative. He received a PhD in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz (2005), and completed postdoctoral studies in Geography at UC Berkeley, before joining ESS in 2010. Chris specializes in climate resilience, livelihoods, food systems sustainability and change, and food security in Central America, and environmental and food justice in California. He is the PI for the ACRAF Lab. Dr. Bacon’s work often takes a community-based and participatory action research approach to generate knowledge that informs both theory and social change. He has mentored more than 50 undergraduate students, and co-authored publications with several of them. Chris teaches introductory and upper division classes related to environmental policy, politics and planning, political ecology, mixed-research methods, and food justice.

Héctor Efrén Martínez graduated from SCU in 2019 as a Psychology and Spanish double major and LEAD Scholar. While at Santa Clara University, he worked in the Ignatian Center as a student assistant for the Thriving Neighbors Initiative after school program and as a research assistant. There, he developed an interest in working in his own community. He currently works as a Spanish teacher at Sacred Heart Nativity Schools in San Jose and is currently finishing his single subject masters degree at Santa Clara University in the CatMAT program.

Paulina, class of 2024, joined the Food Justice Lab in Fall 2023 as an Environmental Studies and Ethnic Studies double major, with a Women and Gender Studies minor.  She applied her majors and background to her work in the Lab, and combined it with her passion for environmental justice and community-based research. She supported the team through her on the Learning Resilience (NSF) project and the Sacred Heart Community Services and La Mesa Verde collaborative project. Her work included collecting and analyzing interview data in English and Spanish, conducting field work, and quantitatively analyzing data using R and Excel. Beyond the Lab, Paulina was involved on campus in the Multicultural Center as the co-chair for the Undocumented Students and Allies Association, and was a proud member of the LEAD Scholars Program.

Katie, class of 2024, majors in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations and minors in Public Health Science and Sustainable Food Systems. Passionate about the intersection between health policy and food security, Katie initially joined the lab in January 2023 as an Ignatian Center Fellow. She worked with the team on the Student Food Security and Basic Needs projects and the AJCU Laudato Si Project advancing bold proposals for environmental justice and sustainability across 28 institutions of higher learning. Through her work with the ACRAF Lab, Katie contributed by conducting surveys, analyzing survey data using Excel and RStudio, as well as writing reports and disseminating data. Outside of the lab, Katie serves as a Senior Class Senator and chair of the University Enhancements Operations Committee in the SCU Associated Student Government, as well as a Miller Center Fellow which granted her the opportunity to pursue food security work in Zambia during the summer of 2023.

Mary, class of 2025, double majors in Biology and Public Health Science and minors in Sustainable Food Systems. In September 2023, Mary began her work as a research assistant in the ACRAF Lab. She mainly contributed to the Student Food Security and Basic Needs project and the Learning Resilience (NSF) project by conducting interviews and analyzing data using Excel and R. She also provided considerable support with data processing in the Sacred Heart Community Service project and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Laudato Si Project advancing bold proposals for environmental justice and sustainability across 28 institutions of higher learning.  Because of her passion for community health and issues surrounding food justice, Mary was appointed to the position of Wellness Chair in the Community Development branch of the Associated Student Government.