GSA Executive Officers: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024
President
Destina Bermejo
Email: dbermejo@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Destina is a third-year Ph.D. in the Sociology department. Her current project focuses on how Indigenous practice and pedagogy are used to engage with understandings of identity formation and space-making within a local collective group led by young people. As the president, Destina serves as the liaison between the Graduate Student Association and administrators of the university and facilitates GSA Executive Council meetings.
Internal Vice President (Vacant)
External Vice President
Koto Babaguchi
Email: kbabaguchi@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Koto is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Chemistry department. Her research area is organic and organometallic chemistry, specifically organocatalysis and transition metal catalysis.
Academic Affairs Officer
Claudia Johnson Madrigal
Email: cjohnson78@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Claudia is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Sociology department, returning to graduate school after a career in college/career pathways and community college administration. Her current research is on the effects of systemic racism on communities of color, particularly the policing of families through social welfare systems. As the Academic Affairs Officer, Claudia liaises with the campus administration on issues pertaining to graduate students and ensures that graduate students have a voice on shared governance committees throughout the university.
Internal Communications Officer
Morgan Lavenstein Bendall
Email: mlavensteinbendall@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Morgan is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Applied Mathematics department. She is a part of INSITE, a research group focusing on developing models to understand the interactions between hosts and their dependent bacteria with respect to rapid shifts in climate. As the internal communications officer, Morgan is responsible for communication within the GSA elected council, documenting meetings and activities, and updating the GSA website.
Treasurer
Adam Binswanger
Email: abinswanger@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Adam is a fifth-year Ph.D. Candidate in the Applied Mathematics department. His research focuses on the development of numerical methods for simulating multi-phase fluid flows with environmental applications. As Treasurer, Adam is responsible for deciding how to allocate and spend the funds present in the GSA's annual budget, such as for GSA travel awards, graduate student organizations, and events.
Public Relations/Community Outreach Officer
Mykael Pineda
Email: mpineda18@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Mykael is a second-year master’s student in the Environmental Systems department. She researches within Crystal Kolden’s Pyrogeography group and focuses on mapping the wildfire vulnerability of different social groups throughout California. Mykael’s role as Public Relations/Community Outreach Officer includes coordinating GSA events, informing the graduate and professional student community of issues and activities, and community outreach between UC Merced and the city of Merced.
International Affairs Officer
Genevieve Egbunno
Email: gegbunno@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Genevieve is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Humanities department. Her research is focused on Gender and African Studies. As the International Affairs Officer, Genevieve is tasked with the responsibility of representing the interest of international graduate students to ensure they are well informed and equally treated, to increase international graduate students’ participation in GSA activities, and to help international graduate students with information to maintain good visa status.
Climate, Diversity and Equity Officer
Jullanar Williams
Email: jwilliams103@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Jullanar is a second-year Ph.D. student and scholar-activist in the Sociology department, returning to graduate school after a twelve-year career as a paralegal in both criminal and civil rights law. Jullanar’s current research focuses on critical race theory - how law creates and perpetuates systems of oppression and inequality based on racism, intersectional health inequity, and Black feminism. As the Climate, Diversity, and Equity Officer, Jullanar is responsible for working to foster an inclusive campus climate and ensure that underrepresented graduate and professional students are well informed, fairly treated, and able to participate equally at UC Merced.
Solidarity Officer
Arabi Seshappan
Email: aseshappan@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Arabi is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Physics department. Her research uses computational methods to study varying properties in materials; applications include energy solutions and quantum information science. As Solidarity Officer, Arabi acts as the conduit between the GSA and the UAW (student union).
Legislative Affairs Officer
Mohit Saraswat
Email: msaraswat@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Mohit is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department. His research interests include angstrofluidics, ion-transport, and 2D nanomaterials. He has experience in advocacy, budget management, and leadership roles advocating for international student affairs and graduate student needs. His role in GSA involves connecting with local/state/federal legislators, university policy analysts, and other stakeholders to provide updates and recommendations to the GSA Council.
Social Media and Graphics Design Officer
Elsie A. Cortes
Email: ecortes7@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Elsie is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Applied Mathematics department. She is part of the CLOVERS group, and her current research projects involve the development of models for optics problems in physics for applications such as invisibility cloaking. As the Social Media/Graphic Design officer, Elsie’s role includes managing the GSA’s social media presence and assisting other graduate student organizations with graphic design needs.
Undocumented Affairs Officer
Jai Mica Vaca
Email: yperezrojas@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Jai is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Sociology department. His research focuses on how the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy affects post-secondary university DACA students’ perceived mental health and well-being. As an Undocumented Affairs Officer, Jai is responsible for ensuring that undocumented professional and graduate students are informed and receive equal treatment and opportunities. Additionally, his role is to create and maintain a safe environment for the undocumented professional and graduate student community.