Dr. Williams has unique skill sets and perspectives on campus, and both have made her a transformational leader. A first-generation college student, she earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and a master of science in industrial business management. She earned a professional performance coaching certificate and completed the UC Executive Leadership Academy. Called upon to lead multi-divisional, multi-functional teams, Dr. Williams partners with faculty and student affairs practitioners in their shared pursuit: success and equity for all students. Student-centered and results-oriented, she is committed to working across disciplines to create opportunities, bolster support, and improve retention for underrepresented students.

Dr. Williams attributes her creative, intentional, and effective leadership as a student affairs professional to the system and designs thinking skills she gained as a chemical engineer. Similarly, as with engineering, she believes co-curricular experiential learning is essential to student success. She aspires to cultivate learning environments that ensure students develop a deeper understanding of themselves and a greater resolve to navigate the world around them.

As a scholar practitioner and equity minded educator, I center my work in data driven inquiry for action and institutional transformation.  My 24-year career at UCSC has included 20 years in our campus wide tutoring center and nine years on the HSI team.  I regularly work with students, faculty, staff and administrators to identify and address barriers to create multiple validating pathways to and through undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities with goals of educational justice for minoritized students.  I currently serve as the Principal Investigator on four Department of Education HSI grants and chair the HSI Leadership Committee.

Originally from Mount Airy Philadelphia, PA, Lenora has over 10 years of student affairs experience. She’s worked at a variety of institutions in a variety of locations across the United States, before landing at UC Santa Cruz. Lenora has spent her entire career advocating for staff and students through strategic initiatives that focus on efficiency, data-driven initiatives, trauma- informed innovation, and equity development. Before joining UC Santa Cruz, Lenora worked in housing, residential education, career success, multicultural affairs, and student life/activities.

Lenora earned her master's degree in Higher Education in Student Affairs from Salem State University in Salem, MA. She earned her bachelor's degree from Drew University where she majored in Mathematics and French.

Jesus is a transformational and dynamic leader who brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to UC, Santa Cruz. In his prior roles he has assisted in supporting executive decision-making and continuous improvement via key roles in offices of enrollment services, counseling, IT, institutional planning, policy formation, outcomes assessment and strategic, academic, and operational planning in both the California Community Colleges and State University systems. Prior to joining UC Santa Cruz, Jesus served as Director of Degree Planning Initiatives at Los Rios Community College District where he successfully implemented Highpoint Degree Planner online advising tool.

Jesus earned a BA in Social Behavioral Science from California State University and an MA in Higher Education from the University of Denver with an emphasis in Organizational Change.