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Junita Razo Duenas
(she/her/ella)
Director, Student Success Programs (SSP)
Juanita serves as the Director for Student Success Programs (SSP). She has over 20 years of experience working in higher education in the areas of student life, leadership development, multicultural education, new student orientation, family services, first year experience, and academic advisement. She is a PhD candidate in Higher Education/Student Affairs at the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University (CGU). Juanita’s scholarship and practice is informed by being the first women in her family to pursue postsecondary education. This experience has also been vital for fostering her interest and advocacy around issues of access and equity in both curricular and co-curricular contexts and their effect on shaping college student outcomes. Juanita earned a M.A. in Education from Claremont Graduate University; a M.S. in Counseling with an emphasis in student development in higher education from California State University, Long Beach; and a B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is in the process of completing her doctoral dissertation research which focuses on community college math faculty perceptions of the teaching practices that foster math learning success in students in developmental courses.
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Dayan Castañeda Muñoz
(she/her/ella)
Program Manager
Make an appointment with Dayan
Dayan, born in Panama City, Panama and raised by a single mother from Peru, holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Utah. As the Program Manager at USS, Dayan oversees daily operations and leads the team with passion and dedication. Her personal journey, having been undocumented in the past, fuels her deep commitment to supporting undocumented students in achieving higher education. Dayan believes in providing every student with the resources and encouragement they need to succeed. Outside of work, she enjoys the beach with friends, exploring new foods, and soaking up the San Diego sun!
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Pricila Rodriguez
(she/her/they)
Program Coordinator
Make an appointment with Pricila
Pricila is a first-generation daughter of parents who migrated to Tucson, Arizona, from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. At the age of fourteen, her father was detained, imprisoned for three years, and subsequently deported. Due to ever-increasing immigration control policies, her family has been separated since. Immigration, incarceration, and education have profoundly influenced her life and research interests, shaping her career development.
As the Program Coordinator for the Undocumented Student Services, Pricila oversees the professional development programming and services offered to students, specifically the Personal and Career Experience (PACE) Fellowship program and the Equity Grant program. Students are encouraged to make an appointment with her to discuss these programs. They can also schedule an individual consultation to discuss academic and professional goals, financial aid questions, and graduate school preparation.
Pricila is currently completing her Doctorate in the field of Ethnic Studies. Her research highlights the legacies of slavery and settler colonialism as foundational to the development of schooling in the US, arguing that schooling is a race-making project. To better address the racial disparities that continue to plague the education system, these legacies must first be contended with to make the promise of education and its opportunities available to all.
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Andres Lemons
(he/him)
Immigration Attorney
Make an appointment with Andres
Andrés Lemons is a Staff Attorney with the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center and serves the UC San Diego students, staff, and their immediate family. Andrés obtained both his B.A. in Philosophy and his law degree, with a focus on immigration law, at the University of Arizona. He worked for nine years in New York City at CUNY Citizenship Now!, where he provided free immigration legal services including naturalization assistance, family-based adjustment of status, and consular processing. More recently, Andrés had a private immigration-law practice focusing on family-based immigration law as well as artist visas. He is admitted to practice law in California, New York, and Arizona, and is fluent in Spanish. Andrés enjoys playing flamenco guitar and traveling.
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Angelica Escobar
(she/her)
Paralegal
Make an appointment with Angelica
Angelica Escobar is the Undocumented Student Services Paralegal at UC San Diego. She graduated from UC Riverside with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Administrative Studies. Angelica began her career by volunteering with the District Attorney’s Office of Los Angeles, working in the White-Collar Crimes Division. Then she joined the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) as a Senior Paralegal in the Removal Defense Unit, where she assisted clients in their removal proceedings cases before the immigration courts of Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Adelanto, and Van Nuys. In her free time, Angelica lifts, goes on runs, and attends festivals. Some of her favorite hobbies are gaming and cooking.
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Nancy Palapa-Chino
(she/her/ella)
Graduate Specialist
Make an appointment with Nancy
Nancy is the Graduate Specialist at the Undocumented Student Services Center at UC San Diego. She was raised in Los Angeles in a mixed-status household and has experienced firsthand the impact of immigration policies on families and mental health. This experience drives her passion for advocacy in immigration, education, and mental health. A proud first-generation UC San Diego alumna, Nancy earned her bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology and Education Sciences. She is now pursuing a Master’s in School Counseling at San Diego State University. In her role, she supports food security and inclusion through programs like the Yes Food Program and leads community-building efforts for undocumented graduate students. Nancy is dedicated to helping students succeed by connecting them to resources and empowering them to navigate academia with confidence. In her free time, she enjoys going on runs, hiking, and exploring coffee shops.
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Rei Perez Munoz
(they/them)
USS Program Assistant
Born in Havana, Cuba, Rei immigrated to the U.S. in the early 2000s and has lived in CA for most of their life. They completed their B.A. in Anthropology with a Bio Conc. from UC San Diego and are now pursuing an M.S. in Child & Family Development at SDSU. Their research focuses on the effects of structural racism on the physical and mental health of Latinx communities.
As the USS Program Assistant, Rei works directly with UC San Diego students to support their professional and educational growth. Rei is available for appointments to discuss the Personal and Career Experience (PACE) Fellowship Program and other USS services. If you are interested in graduate school or need help navigating the campus and everything it offers, please reach out to them—they are happy to chat!
Professional Staff
2025-2026 Student Interns
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Lizbeth Cardoso
(she/her)
Administrative Assistant Intern
Lizbeth is one of the Undocumented Student Services Administrative Assistant Interns. She is a first-generation college student from the San Fernando Valley. She is a 3rd year majoring in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, minoring in Business Economics. As an Administrative Assistant, she plays a pivotal role in supporting USS programs, addressing the needs of both students and professional staff. She provides vital assistance in ensuring students have access to opportunities that promote their professional development and career growth. In the future she hopes to become a paralegal or attorney either specializing in immigration, corporate, or intellectual property law.
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Irving Zafra Mariano
(he/him)
Administrative Assistant Intern
Irving is a 4th-year majoring in Public Health with a concentration in Medicine Sciences. He is originally from Vista, CA, and is a first-generation college student. In the future he hopes to become a Physician Assistant or a Nurse Practitioner. His role at USS is an Admin Assistant supporting USS programs geared toward aiding Undocumented Students to participate in opportunities for professional development.
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Xiomara Aguilar
(she/her/ella)
Professional Development (PD) Intern
Xiomara is one of the two Professional Development Interns at the Undocumented Student Services Center. She is a Mexican-Salvadorian-American from the Inland Empire. As a senior double major in Political Science and Latin American Studies, minoring in Chicanx & Latinx Studies, she hopes to pursue a career in non-profit and/or education counseling work where she can assist future first-generation students in achieving a higher education. As a PD Intern, she assists the Program Coordinator and Program Assistant in managing the PACE Fellowship program and various workshops geared towards supporting student’s higher education aspirations. Through the PD position, she has further developed a passion in finding ways to connect more to the immigrant, first-generation community that she is a part of.
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Veronica Cervantes
(she/her)
Professional Development (PD) Intern
Veronica is one of two Professional Development Interns at the Undocumented Student Services Center. They are a Mexican American and first-generation college student from the San Joaquin Valley. As a third-year double majoring in Political Science and Sociology, minoring in Chicanx & Latinx Studies, they aspire to become an immigration attorney and highly value community education and serving underserved communities. As a PD Intern, they assist the Program Coordinator and Program Assistant in managing the PACE Fellowship program and building a community which supports students on their higher education journey. When not at USS, you will often find them at M.O.M.'s Cafe sketching or reading with a Dirty Spiced Chai and extra cinnamon.
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Kevin Pacheco Barajas
(he/him)
Legal Intern
Kevin is a Legal Intern with Undocumented Student Services. A first-generation college student from the Inland Empire, he is currently majoring in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. In his role, he supports both the staff attorney and paralegal with day-to-day responsibilities, including drafting legal documents. He aspires to become an attorney and dedicate his career to serving underserved communities, particularly in the field of immigration law. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and guitar.
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Aashna Parikh
(she/her)
Legal Intern
Aashna is a Legal Intern with Undocumented Student Services at UC San Diego. Originally from Mumbai, India, she is an international student currently in her third year, pursuing a double major in Mathematics and Political Science. In her role, she supports the in-house attorney and paralegal with daily legal and administrative tasks. Aashna is deeply passionate about human rights and is interested in pursuing a career in either human rights law or environmental law. Outside of her academic and professional commitments, she enjoys scuba diving, baking, reading, and spending time at the beach.
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Luis Tlachi
(he/him)
Media & Marketing Intern
Luis is one of the Media and Marketing Interns with Undocumented Student Services. A first-generation college student from Santa Ana, California, he is currently majoring in Structural Engineering. In his role, he supports the team by creating digital content, managing outreach efforts, and promoting programs that uplift the undocumented student community. He aspires to become a structural engineer, with a strong interest in designing and building safe, sustainable, and impactful infrastructure that improves the daily lives of people and strengthens communities. His passion for engineering is grounded in his desire to give back to the community that shaped him, and he hopes to combine his technical knowledge with his commitment to social impact. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess and watching football.
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Karen Li
(she/her)
Media & Marketing Intern
Karen is one of the Media and Marketing Interns with Undocumented Student Services. A student from an immigrant family who moved from Guangzhou, China to San Francisco, she is currently a fourth-year undergraduate double majoring in Cognitive Science: Interaction Design and Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts. In her role, she supports the team by creating visual content, developing marketing materials, and helping promote programs that serve the undocumented student community. She aspires to work at the intersection of technology and design, with a strong interest in creating user experiences and digital solutions that make technology more accessible and meaningful for diverse communities. Her passion for design and photography is grounded in her desire to use creative storytelling to uplift and connect people, and she hopes to combine her technical skills with her commitment to positive community impact. In her free time, she enjoys exploring photography and working on design projects.
