About - Staff - Student Diversity & Belonging

Picture of Diana Ortiz Giron

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

dortizgi@calpoly.edu

diana ortiz giron (She/hER/hERs)

Director, Student Diversity & Belonging

Diana Ortiz Giron oversees the programmatic and budgetary operations of the Student Diversity and Belonging (SDAB) department. In this capacity, she provides departmental-wide vision, strategy, and supervision of professional staff who lead and implement identity-based student-centered programming via Cal Poly’s eight community centers within our two cluster areas: Race and Ethnicity and Gender and Sexuality. Additionally, she works to increase organizational capacity by facilitating cross-departmental collaborations that promote diversity and inclusion best practices within the Division of Student Affairs.

Prior to this position she worked at Harvard College within the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion where she oversaw an intergroup dialogue peer education internship program during her role as Assistant Director for Diversity Education and Support. During her time there she helped institutionalized a pre-orientation program for first-generation low-income students as the Director of the Fist-Year Retreat and Experience (FYRE) Program and advanced student services for undocumented and DACA students. Additionally, she provided strategic support to staff charged with promoting EDI engagement within residential communities via the Race Relations Program. Through her alumni leadership role as the Vice President of Programming for the Harvard Latino Alumni Association she collaborated in the planning and implementation of signature events such as the annual Harvard Latinx Graduation and Latinx Heritage Month programming.

Diana was born in Mexico and raised in the Greater Los Angeles area. She brings to this role both experiential knowledge and a commitment to creating the conditions in which multi-marginalized staff and diverse students can heal and thrive by leading with empathy and vulnerability. She is a proud alum of the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project (CLYLP), the Greenlining Institute's Leadership Academy, the Harvard Administrative Fellows Program, and Latino’s for Education Aspiring Latino Leaders Fellow, and most recently an alum of NASPA’s Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Escaleras Institute.

Educational Background

Master of Divinity - Harvard University

Bachelor of Arts in History and minor in Chicana/o Latina/o Studies - Pomona College

Picture of Kristine Guzman

“The better we understand how identities and power work together from one context to another, the less likely our movements for change are to fracture.” - Kimberle W. Crenshaw

kguzma15@calpoly.edu

kristine a. guzman (She/hER/hERs)

Assistant Director, student Diversity and Belonging

As a first-generation college graduate and Latinx woman of color, Kristine’s lived experiences developed a nuanced understanding of marginalization and other systems of oppression and created in her a focused passion to protect, educate and uplift others that share these experiences. Kristine serves the Cal Poly community, through Student Diversity and Belonging (SDAB), in fostering an environment that is centered on inclusivity and community-building for all students navigating their intersectional identities and to have a strong sense of belonging. Kristine comes to Cal Poly from the Capital Region of NY where she worked
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) as the Assistant Dean of Students and served as Chair for the Bias Assessment and Response Team (BART).

Kristine’s time at RPI focused on student intervention and support,
advisement of identity-based student organizations, and policy-making for the Dean of Students to strengthen inclusion and accountability.

Educational Background

Masters in Public Affairs & Administration- Rutgers University-Newark

Bachelors in Social Work - Rutgers University-Newark

Picture of Christina Sholars Ortiz

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once. But, don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own," - Michelle Obama

csholars@calpoly.edu

Christina Sholars Ortiz (she/her/hers)

Coordinator, black Academic excellence center

As a first-generation Black college student with progressive growth, Christina has worked toward becoming an accomplished leader by integrating, coordinating, and fostering student development. Christina credits the influence of becoming empowered to contribute to providing transformative and empowering educational experiences with the encouragement and guidance received by the Black staff, faculty, and administrators at Cuesta College.

She further credits her mother’s passion for education and her work as a bilingual elementary school aide for inspiring her to create a safe, diverse, and dynamic learning experience to empower students to accomplish their goals. Previously, Christina served as the Program Coordinator for the Cal Poly Scholars Program. At Cuesta College, she served as the Financial Aid Specialist and liaison for the Monarch Dream Center, an assistant to the CalWorks, Foster Youth, and EOPS/CARE (CaFE), and an assistant to the Counseling department.

She Christina serves the Cal Poly community, as the advisor for the Black Student Union, a member of the Black Faculty and Staff Association, and a member of the Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association.

Educational Background

Master of Science in Higher Education Counseling/Student Affairs- Cal Poly (in progress)

Bachelor of Arts in General Students, Business and Management - Columbia College

Associate of Arts in Business Administration - Cuesta College

"Where there is Black joy, there is Black Healing!"

kncorey@calpoly.edu

KIANAH COREY (She/They)

Assistant Coordinator - Black Academic Excellence Center

Kianah Corey assists the coordinator while overseeing student staff and students who use BAEC as a resource. They are a student athlete alumnus here at Cal Poly and received her B.S. in Child Development. During their time at Cal Poly, she served as a student assistant for two years at BAEC and created programming surrounding the importance of mental health for Black folks. As the assistant coordinator, they support the BAEC student assistants with internal programming and assist the coordinator with staple, high impact events. Kianah is passionate about equity and the wellbeing of BIPOC students on Cal Poly’s campus.

Kianah is currently in the Master’s in Psychology program, while also in courses to receive her License in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Educational Background

Bachelor of Science in Child Development - Cal Poly

Vacant

Dream Center

Vacant

Gender Equity Center

dpaniagu@calpoly.edu

DAISY PANIAGUA-URIBE (She/her/hers)

coordinator - latinx initiatives

As a first generation, Latina from Santa Maria, California, Daisy is passionate about educational equity and dedicated to supporting Latinx students along their educational journey and beyond. She is committed to engaging in intentional, intersectional work that celebrates our culturas (cultures), empowers our Latinx students, and strengthens our comunidad (community) at Cal Poly.

Previously, Daisy worked as a Congressional staffer, managing a portfolio that included education, immigration, and civil rights. She also worked with the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Latina Leadership Network on several equity focused projects that helped her grow as an advocate and collaborator.

She has a Master’s degree in Education Policy from Brown University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA.

Vacant

Coordinator - men & Masculinities

ckoe@calpoly.edu

CAPRIAL KOE (She/hER/hERs)

COORDINATOR - MULTICULTURAL CENTER

Caprial started her journey at Cal Poly studying and recently graduating with a degree in Psychology triple minoring in Ethnic Studies, Law & Society, and Child Development. Throughout her undergraduate experience, she found a home in the MultiCultural Center and would go on to work as a Student Assistant for the center as well. As a student assistant some of her work centered on Asian Pacific Islander Desi American programming including interviewing one of the Co-Founders of #StopAAPIHate and hosting events with other APIDA activists.

As a coordinator she hopes to continue this work in encouraging students to not only find community at Cal Poly but also engage in critical conversations about identity and positionality. Through her experiences at Cal Poly she hopes to cultivate space for students to celebrate and uplift one another as they navigate personal, academic, and professional exploration. As the MCC was a catalyst for her own personal growth, Caprial hopes to help others in their own discovery of their intersectional identities and experiences.

Photo of Cheryl Flores

“Culture is ultimately lost when we stop telling the stories of who we are, where we have been, how we arrived here, what we once knew, what we wish we knew; when we stop our retelling of the past, our imagining of our future, and the long, long task of inventing an identity every single second of our lives.
Culture is lost when we neglect to tell our stories, when we forget the power and craft of storytelling.” - Deborah A. Miranda

cflore53@calpoly.edu

CHERYL FLORES (She/her/hers)

coordinator - native american and indigenous cultural center

Cheryl is a descendant of the Wixárika people of México. She grew up in California's Central Valley on unceded Yokut lands, and currently resides on unceded ytt Northern Chumash lands of California's Central Coast.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Ethnic Studies and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. She is pursuing a master's degree in the Educational Leadership and Administration Program at Cal Poly.

In her work in student affairs, she emphasizes the importance of supporting first-generation students in recognizing their intersecting identities and how this influences their college experience. She is particularly intent on supporting Native and Indigenous students, their pathways to college, and cultural approaches to their academic success. She works to create a space where Indigenous Peoples can build their knowledge, skills, capacity, and empowerment as future leaders.

She also works as an Indigenous food revitalist collecting her own family's recipes and advocating for Native and Indigenous students to have access to their traditional foods on campus. She enjoys listening to music, going to the beach, hiking, and reading in her free time.

“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” - Marsha P. Johnson

agarc597@calpoly.edu

Agustin Garcia Badillo (They/Them/Theirs)

coordinator - Pride Center

Agustin Garcia Badillo oversees the Pride Center. A few identities that have molded their pedagogy when working alongside minoritized people is being a Reconnecting-Indigenous person, navigating most of their education as Undocumented, and being Non-Binary. It’s important to mention that they were born in a Latin American country but raised and socialized in East Los Angeles for the majority of their life. In terms of their education, they received a bachelor's degree from Cal State LA in Sociology with an Emphasis in Inequalities and Diversities and a minor in Child Development. Most recently, they attended the University of Southern California where they received a Master's degree in Educational Counseling.

They’ve worked alongside many historically marginalized communities (LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, Low-Income, Undocumented, people with Disabilities, and First-Generation students) and together they’ve tackled external issues that communities have internalized or dealt with. They’ve accomplished the work of dealing with trauma through therapy, other holistic forms of healing, mentoring, and programming. .

Their goal here as the Pride Center Coordinator is to create a safe space for LGBTQIA+ folks especially those with intersecting identities (BIPOC, Undocumented, people with Disabilities, etc) to live and speak their truth as they wish. They also hope to build a support system that transcends beyond a room, center, and university. They plan on accomplishing this through equity minded practices and leading from a place of love. It takes a community to build or re-build something and the work starts within ourselves.

Educational Background

Master of Education – University of Southern California

Bachelor of Arts – California State University, Los Angeles

Picture of Jamie Patton

““The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

japatton@calpoly.edu

Dr. Jamie s. patton (he/him/his)

Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs (D&I)

Dr. Jamie S. Patton is responsible for developing, implementing and managing new programs and initiatives that advance diversity and inclusion at Cal Poly. As a division-wide leader and diversity officer, he provides direction and consultation for services and policies to ensure inclusive practices across all Student Affairs departments. In addition, he helps provide campus-wide support for diversity and inclusion efforts in partnership with the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity.

A native of north Philadelphia, Dr. Patton is a first-generation college graduate with more than 15 years of experience as a higher education administrator. Prior to Cal Poly, he served as the Assistant Dean of Students for Ohio University, where he directed the Parent and Family Program, co-initiated programming to increase graduation and retention rates among African-American male students, and implemented social justice development workshops for Student Affairs staff. Dr. Patton found his passion for a career in Student Affairs at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, where he held student leadership roles as Vice President of the Student Cooperative Council, President of the Black Student Union and founder of the Distinguished Gentlemen. He later served in several positions during a nine-year period at Northern Arizona University, including Director of the Student Learning Centers and Director of Inclusion and Multicultural Services.

Educational Background

Doctor of Education- Northern Arizona University

Master of Education- Northern Arizona University

Bachelor of Arts in Communication - Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

ashollow@calpoly.edu

Ashlee Holloway (She/her/hers)

Coordinator for Student Affairs Diversity and Inclusion Administration and Special Projects

Ashlee organizes and implements administrative systems and procedures while also assisting The Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs. In addition, Ashlee supports the Student Diversity and Belonging Department with day-to-day operations of the office

Ashlee found that working in the service of equity is a personal passion and an area she wishes to advocate for the students of Cal Poly and beyond. Ashlee hopes to serve the community here as a resource and ally and is always eager to learn and engage in ideas of inclusion.

Audience Nav

Student Diversity & Belonging

Division of Student Affairs

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