Staff

Devan McFadden

Program Manager
EBSCC

Devan McFadden, Richmond-born native, attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Social Welfare in Fall 2014. During his time at Cal, Devan was heavily involved in programs that focused on mentorship and college access such as Stiles Hall’s Mentor / Role Model Project, Y-Scholars Program, and Breakthrough Sacramento. Devan continued pursuing his passion of working with youth by becoming a College Advisor Fellow with UC Berkeley’s Destination College Advising Corps (DCAC) and Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP). Since completing...

Elizabeth Potts

College Advisor
NAF at Berkeley

Elizabeth Potts graduated from UC Berkeley in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Minor in Education. As a first-generation and low-income college student herself, she has a passion for mentoring and college access. She believes that education is a human right and that all people, regardless of identity, academic background, or financial status, deserve to pursue their goals. As a college student, Elizabeth was heavily involved in the middle school mentoring organization Project SMILE, and as an RA in the Residence Halls. After graduating, Elizabeth served two years as...

Emerald Young

Associate Director of Academics
DCAC
EAOP

Emerald is a proud product of Oakland Public schools and the TRIO Talent Search Program formerly
known as Educational Guidance Center. As a first-generation low-income student, education has always
been an important part of Emerald and her families’ goal. With the support of her family and key
mentors, she was admitted and graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Sociology with an
emphasis in social psychology.
She always envisioned herself working in a field that gives back to the community that raised her.
Through her work during her undergraduate year with the...

Folasadé Obisanya

Silicon Valley Regional Associate Director
DCAC
EAOP

Sadé is no stranger to UC Berkeley nor CEP. She began her educational career here in February 2017 with the Upward Bound/Upward Bound Math Science program as the Math Science Program Coordinator. She truly found her passion working with students from similar backgrounds and intersections to her, underrepresented, low-income and first generation. From making great strides of service and advocacy, Sadé then stepped in to become the Regional Manager for Destination College Advising Corps, supporting the East Bay charter schools. She then suddenly transitioned to the College Board as an...

Gina Saechao

Assistant Director - West County
EAOP
DCAC

Gina is the oldest daughter of Southeast Asian immigrant refugees from Richmond, CA. She is a first-generation college graduate. These intersecting identities have shaped her and her passion for equity in educational access. Gina attended UC Berkeley and received her B.A. in Public Health with a minor in Education (Go Bears!). Following undergrad, she had the privilege of working at San Lorenzo High School as the DCAC/EAOP College Adviser Fellow helping build their college-going culture. She went on to receive her M.S. in Counseling at San Francisco State University, and went back to...

Gizelle Roberson

Middle School Training Coordinator
Puente

Grace Ebron

Director of Community College Programs
Puente

Hazel Amina

Associate Director of College Advising
Pre-College TRiO
UB
UBMS

A Native Hawaiian from Nānākuli, Hawai’i, and a graduate of Waianae High School. Hazel began her TRIO Journey with the Pre-College TRIO Upward Bound (UB) program from the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa (UHM). She continued on to the Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS) Program at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). While at the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa campus, Hazel participated in the TRIO Collegiate program Student Support Services. She was passionate about “making...

Dr. Jennifer C. Villicaña

Senior Policy Adviser & Associate Director for Organizational Development
CEP Admin
CEP Leadership

Committed to advancing educational and career equity, Dr. Jennifer C. Villicaña, our Senior Policy Adviser and Associate Director of Organizational Development, guides policy analysis and implementation, oversees department-wide projects, including strategic planning and organizational development, and leads human resources and risk management initiatives. Dr. Villicaña's journey with CEP began as a work-study undergraduate student with our Pre-College Trio Educational Talent Search Program (ETS). She then held different roles within our Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and...

Jessica Thach

Associate Director of Data Analysis and Communications
CEP Leadership
CEP Admin

As an Oakland native, daughter of Southeast Asian refugees, and first-gen college graduate, Jessica is rooted in bridging academic research and community praxis into her role as a college access practitioner-scholar. Jessica’s moment of impact that defined her purpose for this work emerged from being a product of two college access programs and being mentored by Southeast Asian educators. Not only has Jessica supported multiple generations of students from the Bay Area to the Greater Los Angeles Area in the capacities as a college adviser and college writing instructor, she is...