Meet the Resident Assistant (RA) Staff!

What are Resident Assistants (RA)?

Resident Assistants facilitate community engagement, support community safety, and provide resources in a class-based model through the Pitzer co-curriculum. RAs assist ResLife with programming and mentorship for their assigned students and support a class-based year. 

First Year RAs – Pitzer Hall, Atherton Hall, Sanborn Halls (PAS)

Aaron Matuoka

Home City, State and/or Country
Redding, CT
Major, Minor, etc.
Organizational Studies & French Studies
Hobbies…
Language learning, reading, writing, and hiking
Fun Facts…
I binge read the Hunger Games trilogy over winter break.

Hannah Chimpampwe

Home City, State and/or Country
Carson, California
Major, Minor, etc.
Economics and Organizational Studies
Hobbies…
I love reading wiki pages of fictional stuff, watching cartoons and anime, exploring California, and hanging out with friends.
Fun Facts…
I once went to five states in less than a month.

Mia Pickett

Home City, State and/or Country
Seattle, Washington
Major, Minor, etc.
Human Biology
Hobbies…
I love to spend time outside, cook with friends and take care of my succulents!
Fun Facts…
I can play “Hot Cross Buns” on the clarinet.

Michelle Hernandez

Home City, State and/or Country
Los Angeles, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Sociology and Chicanx/Latinx Studies
Hobbies…
I love to listen to music, hang out with family and friends, watching youtube video essays, playing Mario Kart or Band Hero and yoga!
Fun Facts…
I can do the splits!

Brenda Aguilar

Home City, State and/or Country
San Antonio, Texas
Major, Minor, etc.
Psychology major and theatre minor
Hobbies…
I enjoy performing (poetry, acting and dancing). I love solving puzzles and watching horror movies. I enjoy writing and drawing! 🙂
Fun Facts…
I have a snow globe collection, I had a pet deer as a kid and I am half Mexican and half Honduran!

Angel Barraza-Estrada

Home City, State and/or Country
Pomona, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Sociology Minor: Chicanx/Latinx Studies
Hobbies…
Going to the gym, listening to music, playing guitar, and reading.
Fun Facts…
I love my mom’s enchiladas.

Ryan Lee-Nguyen

Home City, State and/or Country
Hacienda Heights, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Philosophy, Politics, Economics
Hobbies…
Reading, video games, playing cards, and traveling.

Fun Facts…

I binge-watched shows/movies 3 days straight.

Somari Beckett

Home City, State and/or Country
Washington, D.C.
Major, Minor, etc.
Undeclared
Hobbies…
I love reading Webtoons and watching anime! As well, I love cooking, baking, and saving recipes on Pinterest.
Fun Facts…
I am technically 4 years old! (I was born on February 29th) Also, I played a baritone saxophone in high school that I named Barry B. Benson.

Guillermo Mendoza Franco

Home City, State and/or Country
Cochabamba, Bolivia
Major, Minor, etc.
Neuroscience and Dance
Hobbies…
Nap in the PISA room, nap in my room, nap in empty classrooms. Fishing while writing poetry!
Fun Facts…
I was run over by a minibus. I have gotten sick a whopping 8 times during my freshman year!
Sahar Dabirian

Sahar Dabirian

Home City, State and/or Country
Northridge, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Public Health Major Spanish Minor
Hobbies…
I enjoy exercising, watching movies, and reading.
Fun Facts…
I’m a certified child passenger safety technician!

 

 

WES (West, East, & Skandera Halls) RAs

Kundai Jongwe

Home City, State and/or Country
Silver Spring, Maryland
Major, Minor, etc.
Cognitive Science
Hobbies…
Reading, spending time with friends, exploring the city, working out, cooking
Fun Facts…
I’m left handed

Karrys Benson

Home City, State and/or Country
Houston
Major, Minor, etc.
Sociology Major, Africana Studies minor
Hobbies…
I am just your friendly neighborhood up-and-coming third year trying to survive college. I am usually pretty active in the morning and love interacting with new people on a daily. I tend to spend most of my time hanging out with friends or having one on one time on a random adventure. I love anything dealing with art or gardening and at the end of the day, a little meditation and a good book is my ideal night.
Fun Facts…
I have three siblings and All of our names start with K’s. I like to say we couldn’t afford other letters. I am a self-taught instrumentalist, but if you ask me to play I will forget everything I know and will hand you my Ukulele. Nine times out of ten I will hug you if you just ask!

Ainona Black-Planas

Home City, State and/or Country
Reston, Virginia
Major, Minor, etc.
Psychology major, French minor
Hobbies…
Soccer, surfing, snowboarding
Fun Facts…
I have been to more European countries than American states.

Aidan Dugan

Home City, State and/or Country
Montgomery, New Jersey
Major, Minor, etc.
Organismal Biology
Hobbies…
I love hiking and other outdoor activities.
Fun Facts…
I have four cats and I’m a firefighter in my hometown!

Alexia Gutierrez

Home City, State and/or Country
San Jose, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Environmental Science major and Spanish minor
Hobbies…
Some of my hobbies include: singing, golfing, working out, listening to music, baking and cooking.
Fun Facts…
I’m a golf instructor! If you ever see me in a visor, just know that I’m off to the course. Want to learn how to play? I’m your girl! ⛳️🏌️‍♀️

Adaija Sheppard

Home City, State and/or Country
Chicago, IL
Major, Minor, etc.
Organizational Studies & Psychology
Hobbies…
Hanging out with friends, playing the switch, binging tv shows, and Acting.
Fun Facts…
I am First-Generation and Proud to be <3

Feven Aklilu

Home City, State and/or Country
Washington, DC
Major, Minor, etc.
Undeclared
Hobbies…
i love playing volleyball, thrifting, but mostly I’m often binging arrested development in my bed!
Fun Facts…
Have watched the Harry Potter series more than 60+ times.

Eliza Levy

Home City, State and/or Country
Palos Verdes, California
Major, Minor, etc.
Undecided/potentially Media Studies
Hobbies…
Improv, theater, dance, crafts, writing
Fun Facts…
I was on a game show when I was a kid!

Pitzer@CCA RAs

Bianca Joyner

Home City, State and/or Country
Chicago, IL
Major, Minor, etc.
Sociology
Hobbies…
I enjoy playing GTA online, planning events and outings and translating my favorite Kpop songs
Fun Facts…
I have never broken a bone!

Amya Bolden

Home City, State and/or Country
Las Vegas, NV
Major, Minor, etc.
Economics and Organizational Studies
Hobbies…
Playing guitar and hanging with friends/family
Fun Facts…
I had the opportunity to visit 8 other countries while studying abroad in Paris during my junior year

Carlos Gomez

Home City, State and/or Country
North Chicago, IL
Major, Minor, etc.
Chemistry Major, Data Science Minor with Pre-Med
Hobbies…
I like to work out, play volleyball, video games, explore new places, & I like going to music festivals!
Fun Facts…
I am double-jointed!

Alexander Kasiske

Home City, State and/or Country
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Major, Minor, etc.
Neuroscience
Hobbies…
Video Games, Scuba Diving, Reading, Hiking
Fun Facts…
I’m a certified master diver and have dove to almost 120 ft.

 

Mead Hall RAs

Marina Rodriguez-Garcia

Home City, State and/or Country
Los Angeles, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Organizational Studies Minor: Spanish
Hobbies…
I enjoy going hanging out with my friends and getting to go to Mt. Baldy or the beach! There’s so many nice places to visit around Pitzer, so most of my weekends I spend off campus.
Fun Facts…
I am a 3rd generational Pitzer student!

Matthew Gainsboro

Home City, State and/or Country
Concord, MA
Major, Minor, etc.
Cognitive Science
Hobbies…
Watching sports, listening to music, running, and movies
Fun Facts…
I am the youngest child

Ella Elizabeth Francis

Home City, State and/or Country
Oakland, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Environmental Analysis
Hobbies…
Woodworking, backpacking, and crocheting!
Fun Facts…
Frogs can’t swallow with their eyes open.

Andrew Pedicino

Home City, State and/or Country
Eureka, California
Major, Minor, etc.
Environmental Analysis
Hobbies…
I love playing pickup basketball, finding/shopping for cool shoes, going on drives, listening to music, and spending time outdoors with friends.
Fun Facts…
My older sister went to Scripps and my younger sister goes to Pomona, so I’m a part of a 5C Family. I love spending time up at Mt. Baldy and exploring the surrounding area.

Emilio Loew Muscarolas

Home City, State and/or Country
Los Angeles, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Creative Writing
Hobbies…
I love reading sci-fi on the mounds or in the outback, writing poetry, and creating art! I love media please give me music/tv/movie recs
Fun Facts…
My family is the only Muscarolas family in the United States and there’s a town in Spain named after our name!My family is the only Muscarolas family in the United States and there’s a town in Spain named after our name!

Meadow Solares

Home City, State and/or Country
Los Angeles, CA
Major, Minor, etc.
Environmental Policy Major, Studio Art Minor
Hobbies…
Pottery, crocheting, sewing, swimming and running!
Fun Facts…
I was named after a fictional Italian mob boss’s daughter