Student Experience
Meet your 2025-26 Alumni Council
Twenty-two members make up this year’s Council, with each councilor serving two-year terms upon being elected.
From left to right: Shelly Meron, John Madrid, Juliet Musso, April Yee, Armando Flores, Patrick Garcia, Gregory Canillas, Jessica Lum, Julia Dolloff, Nicona MacDonald, Annapoorna (Anna) Gururajan, Walter M. Joyce, Abel Mkulama, Kelsey Knox, Diane Nguyen, Sterling Scott, Shonte Thomas, Kevin Volcan, Susan Potts, Diane Bridgeman, and Susan Cockerman.
The University of California Santa Cruz Alumni Association is proud to announce its 2025-26 Alumni Council cohort, welcoming three new members to the Council and two members to the executive committee. The UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council is the volunteer governing board of the Alumni Association.
Twenty-two members make up this year’s Council, with each councilor serving a two-year term upon being elected. The Alumni Council put out a call for applications in January. Applicants were then vetted by the Nominations Committee before being unanimously approved by the Alumni Council and will begin their term on July 1.
Alumni Councilors advocate for UC Santa Cruz and the UC system and primarily focus on engaging, supporting, and strengthening the university’s alumni network. Councilors share and promote the university’s vision, lead projects and initiatives to support the Alumni Council Strategic Work Plan, and periodically act in an advisory role when called upon for specific initiatives. They engage in impactful volunteer opportunities to support the university, its students, and each other to build lifelong connections to UC Santa Cruz.
Shelly Meron (Stevenson ’05, history) will serve as the Alumni Council president for her second term.
“I am honored to begin my second term as President of the UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council,” Meron said. I look forward to building on last year’s momentum and collaborating with this talented group to serve our community.”
Some of the Council’s priorities include matching alumni volunteers with meaningful opportunities and supporting students in three primary ways: first, through the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to over 40 students annually; second, through the Special Projects Fund, which provides up to $1,000 for student initiatives that focus on alumni engagement; and third, through the Distinguished Visiting Professor fund that provides about $100,000 in support to the Colleges to enrich the undergraduate education experience.
All UC Santa Cruz alumni are invited and encouraged to get involved—you don’t need to be a member of the Council to make an impact! There are many ways to get engaged. Contact alumni@ucsc.edu for more information.
Meet the Alumni Council
Executive Committee
Shelly Meron – President
While at UC Santa Cruz, Meron (Stevenson ’05, history) wrote and edited for City on a Hill Press and interned at the Santa Cruz Sentinel. She earned a master’s in journalism from UC Berkeley in 2007, and began working as a reporter for the Bay Area News Group. After five years as a journalist, she transitioned to a media relations role at the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP) and later became head speechwriter for the UC president. Today, she is the Deputy Director for Communications at UCOP.
John Madrid – Past President
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Madrid (Oakes ’98, language studies) worked in the information technology field for multiple financial institutions in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Currently, Madrid is the Director of Information Technology for United Artists Releasing.
Madrid previously served on the Alumni Council Board from 2007 to 2014, and served on the Scholarship Committee. John also served on the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion from 2010 to 2012.
Juliet Musso – Executive Vice President
Musso (Cowell ’82, psychology) is currently Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Graduate Programs at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, where she teaches courses in public policy and financial management. She is involved in several professional associations such as the Association for Public Policy and Management, the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration. Musso earned a Ph.D. in public policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.
April Yee – Vice President of Finance
Yee (Oakes ’02, American studies, psychology) worked in the private equity industry for over 10 years, based in San Francisco and New York City. After undergoing life-saving emergency cardiothoracic surgery in 2015, April is now a Holistic Life Coach focusing on Transformative Self-Care and well-being practices for professionals and anyone who wants to be more fully engaged in their lives.
In addition to the Alumni Council, Yee serves as the Board President of Santa Cruz-based Kidpower International,; is the Chair of the Dr. Jennie H.Y. Yee Scholarship Fund at Galileo Academy of Science and Technology in San Francisco; and is the Director of Membership for the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, San Francisco Chapter.
Armando Flores – Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Flores (Stevenson ’15, politics) has worked in politics and advocacy for seven years, tackling several public policy issues impacting the energy, transportation and land use sectors. Flores is currently involved with the Southern California Leadership Network, San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA). He also serves as Chair for VICA’s Energy and Environment Committee.
Patrick Garcia – Vice President of Administration
Garcia holds a MSW from UC Berkeley and a MPA from the University of San Francisco. Due to his experience as Director of Administration for Santa Clara Co Behavioral Health Services, Patrick has a strong background in human resources, career counseling, and mentoring; he brings valuable expertise to the UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council.
Alumni Councilors
Gregory Canillas (Cowell ’90, psychology and history)
Jessica Lum (Rachel Carson ’09, environmental studies and economics)
Julia Dolloff (College Nine ’13, environmental studies)
Nicona MacDonald (John R. Lewis ’12, community studies)
Annapoorna (Anna) Gururajan (Oakes ’15, molecular, cell and developmental biology)
Richard Mahon (Cowell ’78 history and religious studies; Ph.D. ’89, history of consciousness)
Walter M. Joyce (Cowell ’67, literature)
Abel Mkulama (M.S. ’21, coastal science and policy)
Kelsey Knox (Porter ’12, American studies)
Diane Nguyen (College Nine ’11, sociology)
Sterling Scott (Rachel Carson ’17, molecular, cell and developmental biology)
Shonte Thomas (Rachel Carson ’99, politics)
Kevin Volcan (Kresge ’91, biology)
[New member] Susan Potts (Rachel Carson ’22, anthropology)
[New member] Diane Bridgeman (Rachel Carson ’77; Ph.D. psychology)
[New member] Susan Cockerham (Rachel Carson ’93, biology)