Center for Cultural Engagement and Inclusion
Enriching the cultural experience for all students

Meet the Staff

Sarah Garcia (she/her)

 Associate Director of Student Life: Cultural Engagement & Inclusion
 sarahgarcia@callutheran.edu
 805-493-3483

Sarah is an educator, innovator, and change agent dedicated to creating and sustaining environments that allow all to thrive. As the Assistant Director of Student Life, Sarah leads both the Center for Cultural Engagement & Inclusion and Service and Leadership. With over 5 years of experience leading diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within higher education institutions, she is excited to help advance Cal Lutheran's mission of developing global leaders dedicated to service and justice. Sarah also serves on Cal Lutheran's Incident Response Team and Core DEI Team, which leads CLU's institutional DEI efforts and initiatives. 

Passion Areas
Leading and supporting systems change efforts, social justice education and advocacy, leadership development, civic engagement, and equity in student success

Education
M.S. College Student Services Administration, Oregon State University
B.A. Communication and Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
A.A. Communication Science and Liberal Arts: Science & Mathematics, Santa Barbara City College
Rachel Bennett

 Coordinator for Cultural Engagement and Inclusion
 rbennett@callutheran.edu
 805-493-3489

Rachel is an alum of Cal Lutheran’s counseling program. During her time at the university, she has been involved in many areas within Student Life and encourages students to get involved as well. Rachel has worked for Cal Lutheran as a Diversity Peer Educator Graduate Assistant, NODA Intern, and now Coordinator focusing on enhancing student belonging through Race & Ethnicity and Gender & Sexuality programming.


Passion Areas 
Women in STEM, bridging the education/achievement gap, understanding historical inequities in education


Education
B.S., Biology, University of California, San Diego
M.S., Counseling and College Student Personnel
Jonathan Leon (He/Him)

 Coordinator for Cultural Engagement and Inclusion
 jcleon@callutheran.edu
 (805) 493-3277

As a recent alum from Cal Lutheran, Jonathan joins the CCEI team with excitement and enthusiasm to continue his journey here at CLU. As a student he has been very involved in many areas within Student Life. In fact, Jonathan served as Peer Advisor for two years and Peer Advisor Lead, before becoming Lead Programming Intern for the CCEI his final semester as an undergraduate student. He hopes to extend his skills that he developed as a student intern as he embarks on this new role as Coordinator where he will focus on developing a sense of belonging for our diverse community.  


Passion Areas:

First generation college students, LGBTQIA+ justice work, Allyship and inclusion of historically marginalized communities 


Education:

B.A. Sociology, California Lutheran University
B.A. Spanish, California Lutheran University

Ashlyn Bryson-Beane (she/her/hers)

 Lead Programming Intern

Ashlyn is a second year majoring in Psychology with a minor in Legal Studies. She is very excited to be working in the CCEI for another year. She is so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow as well as teach and lead. Ashlyn is committed to listening to CLU students by providing a safe space for each person the campus serves. 

From a young age she has been passionate about providing safe welcoming spaces for all people. This passion stems from her and her family's personal involvement with the foster care system and her experiences with the various injustices and disparities that are present in the system. Post-graduation she hopes to apply her psychological knowledge to change policy within the foster care system.

She is constantly learning about how she can uplift individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, and educate about allyship in both LGBTQ+ as well as BIPOC Communities. For fun, Ashlyn enjoys listening to music, reading, hanging out with her roommates, calling her family (she is one of 8 kids!), and attending concerts. 

 

EmmaRose Pulio (She/Her)

 Programming Intern

EmmaRose is a sophomore Psychology major with an emphasis in Clinical & Behavioral applications. She is not only thrilled to join the CCEI team, but also to learn and grow a better understanding of the various cultures at CLU. EmmaRose loves being a safe space for others and is dedicated to making sure students of all identities feel safe and included at CLU. From a very young age, EmmaRose has been passionate about advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, along with educating herself on various social justice movements. In her freetime, EmmaRose enjoys listening to music, running, watching horror movies, and spending time with her family/friends. This school year, EmmaRose hopes to make a positive impact on the overall student life experience. Don’t be afraid to say hi, too!
N'dia Battle (She/They)

 Programming Intern

N'dia is a Junior studying Theatre Arts. Growing up being a part of multiple marginalized communities herself, she has learned the importance of safe spaces and allyship. She is excited to be a part of an organization that is dedicated to helping people in the community who look like her. After graduation, N'dia hopes to inspire others by promoting inclusivity in various art forms like music and acting. She hopes to provide more opportunities for Black and Brown women of color in Hollywood. N’dia’s hobbies consist of screenwriting, reading, songwriting and bingeing her favorite horror shows/movies. 
Millennia Gamez (She/Her)

 Programming Intern

Millennia Gamez is a Senior majoring in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Spanish, an emphasis in Law and Public Policy, and is also part of the University Honors Program. Millennia is involved in numerous activities on campus, and truly loves being a student at CLU. Since she arrived at CLU she was grateful for all of the different learning opportunities that were presented both in class and outside of class. Her goal as a CCEI Intern is to make sure that all students on campus know that they belong and have a place on campus. She hopes to contribute to making CLU a welcoming community that values and showcases different cultures represented by the student population. She is excited for her last year on campus and is planning on attending Law School next. She aspires to become an attorney in the future to support communities that are too often overlooked. In her free time she loves dancing, playing soccer, taking walks with her pets, and traveling with her family. She is excited for her last year on campus and is planning on attending Law School next. She is hopeful for a wonderful senior year and is thrilled to be working in the CCEI!
Dayanna Rodriguez (She/Her)

 Graduate Intern

Dayanna graduated from CSUN in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She is currently in her final year of her Masters program at California Lutheran University, where she is persuing her degree in Counseling and College Student Personnel. She is excited to be working as a Graduate Assistant in the CCEI and CEL in the Student Life office. She loves supporting students in their educational and personal goals. Dayanna is committed to creating a safe space for all students to feel welcomed, seen, and heard.
Center for Cultural Engagement and Inclusion

Contact Us

ccei@CalLutheran.edu

 (805) 493-3489

 

Instagram  | @clustudentlife

Campus Location

Student Union (3391 Mountclef Blvd.)

 60 West Olsen Road #6300
       Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

Hours

 Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. - 5. p.m.; Weekends & Holidays: Closed

Sabbath Hour: Thursday, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

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