Staff

Lakeysha Jones

Program Director
NAF at Berkeley
CEP Leadership

Lakeysha has served UC Berkeley for 7 years, and most recently as the East Contra Costa County Regional Manager for Destination College Advising Corps & Early Academic Outreach Program, a role in which she has supervised 7 College Adviser Fellows; provided training, professional development, and guidance for her staff; and collected, analyzed, and evaluated student enrollment, service, and outcomes through data.

Before her role in CEP, Lakeysha served as an Assistant Director in the Office of Undergraduate Admission at UC Berkeley, where...

Leilt Habte

Associate Director (NorCal)
CCTS
TAP
Leilt Habte was born and raised in Ethiopia and she immigrated to the United States in her pre-teens. Post her secondary education she was admitted to University of California Berkeley as a Freshman. She was a pre-med student and majored in Interdisciplinary Studies. She eventually earned a Law Degree. She has been an advocate of access, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the field of Education for over 3 decades. She is passionate about increasing access to higher education for all people and has worked tirelessly to foster access in her professional career and personal endeavours. She...

Lenika Rivas Sanchez

Program Assistant
Puente

Lenika not only comes to Puente with an impressive background and skill set, she also has a passion for wanting to be involved in equity work for underserved communities that aligns with our program mission. As a first-generation student, she attended Brown University and earned a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in Latin American & Caribbean Studies. She also spent time in Washington D.C. as an intern for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Her most recent job was with the Office of Student Affairs at Columbia University. In addition, Lenika also brings...

Leonardo Zamora

Program Assistant
Puente

Leonardo Zamora is a father of two boys ages 8 and 3 who had been with Puente since 2001. He originally joined Puente Project’s Technical Support until 2009 and had been the Community College’s Program Assistant since. Leonardo is originally from the Philippines whose family migrated here in California in 1986. He is now residing in San Leandro with his wife and kids. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, sports and taking care of his plants. He is passionate about his work because he enjoys helping and assisting teachers and counselors as he is on with them in believing in...

Linyi "Nikki" Yu

Program Coordinator
EBSCC

Nikki Yu was born in Guangdong, China, and migrated to the United States with her family at age of 10. She first attended middle school in Los Angeles, California, but shortly moved to Oakland, California. Nikki graduated from the University of California, Berkeley receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies with two minors in Education and Chinese in May 2021. Her passion for youth empowerment and education started when she was in high school through her experience as a Tutor in a summer camp where she was later promoted to Program Director Assistant. Starting her first year at...

Luis Yataco

Data & Systems Manager
CCTS
TAP

Luis Yataco was born and raised in Peru before moving to California to complete his high school education. Although he did not consider pursuing a university education while in high school, he was lucky to find great mentors at his community college, where he also discovered his passion for education and promoting educational access. After transferring to UC Berkeley, he continued working with fellow students and was fortunate to find leadership opportunities at the Transfer Student Center, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and the Starting Point Mentorship Program....

Maika Jimenez

Transfer Specialist (NorCal)
CCTS
TAP

Maika (She/Her/Ella) was born in Mexico and immigrated to Pittsburg, CA when she was 3 years old. She is a first-generation, DACAmented, transfer student from Los Medanos College where she earned her associates degree in Sociology and Psychology. She graduated from UC Davis where she majored in Sociology and minored in Chicano/a Studies. After graduating from UC Davis, Maika served as a DCAC/EAOP College Adviser Fellow at Antioch High School for three years. As a Transfer Specialist, her goal is to help and support Community College students on their journey towards higher education...

Maryam Irfan

Assistant Director - East Bay Charters
DCAC
EAOP

Mayzia Thompson

Program Manager
DCAC
EAOP

Mayzia was born and raised in Sacramento, California. She is a product of the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and Academic Talent Search (ATS) program. A wildcat for life, Mayzia graduated from The University of Arizona in 2014 with a Bachelor’s in Nutritional Sciences, with an emphasis in Dietetics. At an early age, she recognized the importance and vast impact of college readiness programs, and now takes pride in being a part of a team that is making the same positive impact on younger generations. Mayzia enjoys shopping, traveling, watching and playing...