Meet the Team

Willie Lee II

Associate Director of Graduate and Family Housing

Hometown: North Myrtle Beach, SC

Favorite San Diego Experience: Discovering new walking trails every weekend to explore with my dog, Kobe.

Willie was born and raised in South Carolina near the tourist destination of Myrtle Beach, SC and has spent most of his professional career serving students in housing across the East Coast and Midwest at universities in Ohio, Florida, and New Jersey. He is excited to now be a part of the Triton community and ensuring residents have an enjoyable experience while living in graduate and family housing.

Michael Salas

General Manager - Mesa Nueva & Nuevo West

Hometown: Key West, Florida

Favorite San Diego Experience: Having two sons born and raised in this beautiful city

Michael has a BS in Finance from the University of San Francisco. He has over 20 years of leadership experience in residential and commercial property management, accounting, facilities management, and real estate. He has worked for UC San Diego’s HDH department since 2004 and has earned his certification in Lean Six Sigma methodologies and is currently serving on the campus Lean Bench committee as part of the Enterprise Systems Renewal initiative.

To contact Michael, please email musalas@ucsd.edu.

Daniela Theus

General Manager - Housing Allocations & Nuevo East 

Hometown: Porto Alegre, Brazil

Favorite San Diego Experience: Balboa Park

Daniela has an education in advertising and marketing and a background centered around providing valuable customer service.  She’s quick to find a solution to any problem and simply loves working with people.

To contact Daniela, please email dtheus@ucsd.edu

Anna Veridiano

General Manager - One Miramar Street, Mesa, La Jolla Del Sol & Coast

Hometown: Whittier, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience:  Balboa Park and Sea World

Anna graduated from UCLA where she earned a degree in Sociology. She has spent most of her career in property management and worked for the San Diego Housing Commission prior to joining the team. She is excited to be part of HDH and for the opportunity to help ensure residents love where they live while residing in our communities. In her spare time she enjoys trying new recipes, spending time at the beach and with her family.

To contact Anna, please email averidiano@ucsd.edu.

Mayra Cruz-Lugardo

Housing Allocations Coordinator 

Hometown: Acapulco, Mexico

Favorite San Diego Experience: San Diego weather and taking her son to the beach

Mayra has over 15 years of customer service experience. She has worked in the food industry as well as property management and enjoys helping others. Mayra joined UC San Diego in 2016 and loves to provide best-in-class customer service and support for our students.

To contact Mayra, please email mcruzlugardo@ucsd.edu.

Aldo Mojica

Housing Allocations Assistant

Hometown: Changuinola, Panama

Favorite San Diego Experience: Walking around Liberty Station and visiting North Park’s coffee shops.

Aldo was born and raised in Panama for 9 years. Before working at UC San Diego, Aldo has worked in clerical and administrative services for over 6 years and is currently studying Cybersecurity and Information Technology. In his free time, Aldo loves traveling throughout the US, listening to all kinds of music, and spending time with his cat, Bentley. His favorite part of working in GFH is helping others find their home during their Graduate careers.

To contact Aldo, please email ammojica@ucsd.edu.

Coming soon

Housing Allocations Assistant

Hometown: 

Favorite San Diego Experience: 

Information coming soon!

Madeline Makings

Operations Analyst

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Burritos on the Beach!

Madeline has earned a master's degree from Columbia University in Negotiation & Conflict Resolution.  After living on the East Coast for 8 years, she returned to San Diego in 2021 and joined the HDH team at OMS/Mesa.  Madeline loves going swimming at the beach, finding new restaurant experiences, and planning her next travel destination! Madeline is driven by working through conflicts and supporting students' higher education journey.

To contact Madeline, please email mmakings@ucsd.edu.

Jill Spencer

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: Jacksonville, NC

Favorite San Diego Experience: Baseball games at Petco Park and visiting Birch Aquarium with my daughters

Jill graduated from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration.  Prior to working at UC San Diego, Jill worked in the Hotel Industry.  Her favorite part of her position is connecting with new residents and helping make their moves to Graduate Family Housing as smooth as possible.  In her free time, Jill enjoys watching baseball and spending time with her family and cats.

To contact Jill, please email jdspencer@ucsd.edu.

Madelyn Hodge (She|Her|Hers)

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: Orange, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Watching Padres games at Gallagher Square with my partner and dog.

Maddie graduated from UC San Diego with a bachelor's degree in economics. In her current role with GFH, she strives to support residents in their housing journey at UCSD and make a positive impact on the lives of those she assists and works with. Maddie spends her free time making freshly baked bread, appreciating live music and concerts, and spending time with family and her dog, Jack.

To contact Madelyn, please email mahodge@ucsd.edu.

Marie-Anne Ibana

Resident Services Assistant 

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Growing up, my family and I would go to Seaport Village for a nice stroll and to enjoy the scenery.  Something so simple but very memorable.

Marie-Anne has over 15 years of experience in Property Management and 1031exchange prior to joining UC San Diego. Marie-Anne has worked as an Administrative Assistant on the property management side of operations and is responsible for all back-office duties for a portfolio that manages over 1,000 residential rental units. Many of her back-office tasks included preparing documents such as: tenant notices, tenant leases, and other documentation needed for accuracy in order to be in full compliance with the multitude of rental real estate laws.

To contact Marie-Anne, please email mibana@ucsd.edu.

Sabrina Evans

Resident Services Assistant 

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Skydiving when you can see the mountains & the ocean

Sabrina Evans graduated from the University of California San Diego where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Public Health. After graduation, Sabrina served in the United States Peace Corps as a Health Education Teacher for about 2 years in Moldova. She has a plethora of experience working in various fields that serve different communities and clients.  Her favorite part of her current position in GFH is being able to guide new residents to any and all resources that will help them succeed and live a well-balanced life at UC San Diego.  In her free time, Sabrina enjoys working on her small business "BinaBears" and spending quality time with her family and friends.

To contact Sabrina, please email s4evans@ucsd.edu.

Jason Martin

Operations Analyst 

Hometown: Victorville, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Exploring Little Italy and experiencing new cuisines!

Jason earned his Masters in Communications Management from USC. Prior to joining the team, he worked at Cal State San Marcos as the Athletics Operations/Events Coordinator. He enjoys contributing to resident's success by supporting their housing needs. 

To contact Jason, please email jsm004@ucsd.edu. 

Ellie Peterson (She|Her|Hers)

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Beach camping and our diverse food scene

Ellie graduated from Cal State University of Long Beach with a Bachelors in Communications Studies. She has over 13 years of customer service experience including time spent with the Disneyland Resort and HDH. She enjoys volunteering at the San Diego Zoo and as a volunteer dance instructor. Ellie is passionate about helping others and creating a warm and welcoming environment.

To contact Ellie, please email e2peterson@ucsd.edu.

Janet Velazquez Beltran

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: San Diego’s Beaches

Janet has over 5 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate. Before joining UC San Diego she worked with a real estate investment firm that specialized in acquiring, renovating and leasing properties throughout San Diego. She is proactive, outgoing and customer service oriented which makes her especially well-suited to Grad & Family Housing.

To contact Janet, please email javelazquezbeltran@ucsd.edu.

Scott Miller

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: Newport Beach, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: San Diego’s entertainment venues, theaters, and museums.

Scott graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication. After a career in Retail Management/Visual Merchandising and Store Planning, he returned to San Diego and UCSD. Scott has worked at UC San Diego for 20 years. He is a design enthusiast and studied Interior Design at San Diego Mesa College. Scott is excited to be a member of the UCSD Grad and Family Team.

To contact Scott, please email s6miller@ucsd.edu

Larry Shadgett

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown: Solana Beach, California

Favorite San Diego Experience: San Diego Bay and Balboa Park

Larry has worked for UCSD since 2005. He has nearly 40 years of customer experience in the restaurant, food and wine industry.

To contact Larry, please email lshadgett@ucsd.edu.

Marissa Loa (She|Her|Hers)

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown: San Bernadino, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Snorkeling at La Jolla Shores

 Marissa is a fellow Triton and graduated from UC San Diego in 2020 with a Bachelor's in Psychology and a Minor in Education Studies. She previously worked at the County of San Diego for 1.5 years, where she provided resources to San Diego residents. Marissa loves to provide best-in-class customer service and support for our students and their families.

To contact Marissa, please email meloa@ucsd.edu

Dekira Hemingway-Blanks

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown: Gresham, South Carolina

Favorite San Diego Experience: Jet skiing on Harbor Island

Dekira has obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communication. She has over five years of experience working in higher education. Dekira is excited to display her excellent customer service by serving the residents and their families in the HDH Graduate and Family Housing community.

To contact Dekira, please email dhemingwayblanks@ucsd.edu

Nhi Duong

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Watching plays at the Old Globe Theatre

Before joining UC San Diego, Nhi worked at a healthcare staffing agency, specializing in licensing for various types of clinicians. Now, as part of UCSD Graduate and Family Housing team, Nhi is excited to help assist and support students with their housing needs.

To contact Melissa, please email n4duong@ucsd.edu.

Kimber Silva

Operations Analyst

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Zoo and Safari Park

 Kimber graduated from San Diego State with a degree in Recreation and Tourism Management. She has worked with UCSD Grad and Family housing in various roles since 2010, and she enjoys supporting residents with their housing needs.

To contact, please email ksilva@ucsd.edu

Adriana Pereira

Residential Relations Coordinator 

Hometown: Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil

Favorite San Diego Experience: San Diego Zoo

Adriana has been with UCSD for eleven years, and her favorite part of her job is whenever she can make a customer’s day by doing more than they expected. In her free time, Adriana enjoys spending time with family and working in her amazing succulents!

To contact Adriana, please email apereira@ucsd.edu

Carly Steinborn

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Going to the many museums throughout the county

Carly graduated from New York University (NYU) with a B.A. in Art History, attended graduate school at Rutgers University, and most recently was living in Rome for several years.  Since returning to her beloved hometown of San Diego, she has gained experience in higher education administration, property management, student advising, and academic consulting.  Happy to be back around the energy of a university setting, Carly is excited to be part of the HDH team.  She looks forward to making campus housing an enjoyable and memorable experience for all members of the UC San Diego population.

To contact Carly, please email csteinborn@ucsd.edu

Mariko Zaragoza

Resident Relations Coordinator

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Having so many great places to eat and drink (and by drink I mean boba tea!)

With over a decade of experience in the kitchen & bath industry, Mariko is an expert in customer service and has helped countless people to design their dream homes. Mariko brings that same passion for helping others to her work with the residents here at Graduate & Family Housing, creating a warm and welcoming community where residents feel at home.

To contact Mariko, please email mzaragoza@ucsd.edu

Ann Svendsen

Housing Support Administrator

Hometown: Muscatine, Iowa

Favorite San Diego Experience: Ann moved west after graduating from college in Iowa in search of better weather.   Before she came to San Diego, Ann lived in Tucson.  She's worked for UCSD for over 25 years and is excited to be in Grad Family Housing.  She enjoys interacting with students every day and is grateful for the great group of people she get to work with. 

To contact Ann, please email acsvendsen@ucsd.edu

Yajaira Gomez

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown: San Diego

Favorite San Diego Experience: Eating tacos at Sunset Cliffs while watching the sunset.

Yajaira started working with UC San Diego as a TES employee before becoming a full time staff member. She is currently going to school to obtain her Real Estate license, and plans to obtain her Broker license later in the future. Her many interests include: baking/cooking, painting, vlogging and editing videos, reading, and binge watching shows. She enjoys grounding herself in nature and learning new facts about spirituality.

To contact Yajaira, please email yagomez@ucsd.edu

Patrick Conley

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown: Rockford, Illinois

Favorite San Diego Experience: Meeting my wife/Going to see the Minnesota Vikings Live at the old Q!

To contact Patrick, please email pconley@ucsd.edu

Judy Williams

Operations Analyst

Hometown: Jackson, MI

Favorite San Diego Experience: Meeting and marrying the love of my life.

Judy’s level of commitment has been demonstrated throughout her 36 years of marriage, 38 years of employment at the UC San Diego, and 32 years as a Pastor’s wife. She has 4 children and loves spending time with her 12 grandchildren.

To contact Judy, please email j14williams@ucsd.edu.

Coming Soon

Residential Services Assistant

Hometown:  tbd

Favorite San Diego Experience: tbd

Coming soon

Laurie Mills

Receptionist 

To contact Laurie, please email llmills@ucsd.edu 

Steffi Huynh (She|Her|Hers)

Program and Community Development Coordinator

Hometown: Santa Clara, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Balboa Park

Steffi received her M.A. in Student Development Administration from Seattle University and has a B.S. in Biopsychology from UC Santa Barbara. She has experience working in Residence Life, Multicultural Affairs, and TRIO Programs. Steffi enjoys helping students with their housing needs and providing support along their educational journey.

To contact Steffi, please email s2huynh@ucsd.edu.

Dominique Patton

Program and Community Development Coordinator

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: Old Town

Dominique received her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) at San Diego State University. Dominique has experience working in higher education residence life as well as in the social work field and has a passion for helping people find their community. Dominique enjoys cooking, baking, and music and loves to learn new skills in these areas.  

To contact Dominique, please email dapatton@ucsd.edu.

Jay Padilla-Coley (He/Him/His)

Program and Community Development Coordinator

 Hometown: Orange County, New York

Favorite San Diego Experience: I am still getting to know San Diego, so far it has been the weather and the food!!!

Jay has  approximately 12 plus years of experience working in Higher Education in a variety of roles. He is a life long learner who also enjoys board games, music, the theater and video games. Jay moved to San Diego to support his spouse and their work with their two dogs, Merlin and Achilles.

To contact Jay, please email jpadillacoley@ucsd.edu.

Kelsi Dantu (She|Her|Hers)

Program and Community Development Assistant

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Favorite San Diego Experience: La Jolla beaches and the SD Zoo

Kelsi is a University of San Diego, Scholar-Athlete Alum with a B.A. in Anthropology. She has worked for UCSD Grad and Family housing as both a temporary and now as a career employee. She has an affinity for higher education and enjoys working with students.

To contact Kelsi, please email kdantu@ucsd.edu.