Board of Directors Member Bios

Meagan Fredrick, Corporate Secretary

I am currently a senior at Northern Arizona University majoring in Elementary and Special Education.  I am very involved on my beautiful campus through our student government and Pi Beta Phi sorority, among other things.  I truly believe education is a right and cannot wait to see where the USSA can go this year!

Carina Miller, First Peoples Chair

My name is Carina Miller and I will be a senior at the University of Oregon.  I'm a member of the confederated tribes of Warm Springs from the Warms Springs Reservation in central Oregon.

April-Kay Williams, Multi/Bi Racial Chair

I attend the University of Oregon and Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon.  I am very happy to be elected to the USSA Board of Directors.  I hope to serve my caucus as well as my own student government admirably.  I hope to bring awareness to the struggles people of multi-biracial identities face each and every day.

Christian Vasquez, State and System Student Association Coalition Chair

My name is Christian Vasquez and I am the SSSAC Chair. I am entering my third year at Arizona State University double majoring in Sociology and Psychology.  Last year I worked for my student government as well as my statewide student association on campaigns such as voter registration, tuition, and the fight against state budget cuts.

Kortney McBride, Community and Labor Liaison

I am a third year at the University of California, Berkeley double majoring in Political Science and American Studies with a concentration in Civic Engagement.  On campus I am involved with the Greek community, as the Vice President of Risk Management for the Panhellenic Council, with National Affairs organizing through the Associated Students of the University of California, and with the progressive student coalition CalSERVE.  I first began direct action organizing as a freshman with other USSA folks. This summer, I participated in hte Labor Summer Institute at UCLA and interned for the Change to Win Federation. I hope to apply concepts of social justice organizing by educating students on ther intersectionality of the labor and student movements.

Nestor Rivera, National Queer Student Coalition Chair

My name is Nestor and I am proud to serve as '09-'10 Chair of the National Queer Students Coalition for the USSA. I'm a third year student originally from San Diego attending the University of California at Santa Cruz and majoring in Legal Studies and Psychology. Since high school I've been involved with organizations and it didn't take me long for that mentality to come out again at UCSC. Keeping myself busy is not hard task as I participate in my College Activities and Programs, Campus Politics serving as the Representative for Kresge College, and Queer Organizing in various forms. I hope to build the National Queer Coalition to a level that would be able to represent as many experiences to have a coalition that is knowledgeable about the different issues that students are facing and victories that have been won. I'm also extremely excited to work on the DREAM Act!

Teresa Mabry, Women of Color Caucus Chair

As an undergraduate at Northern Arizona University, Teresa is a 4th year double majoring in Music and Spanish. She is currently in the process of establishing a women of color organization by the name of Women of Nia at Northern Arizona University.

Robert Greene, Pacific Northwest Region Chair

Robert Greene is a sophomore at the University of Oregon and a political science major. So far, I have enjoyed my college experience here in Eugene. I originally come from the Bay Area, all the way down in California, but the change of scenery has been refreshing. I have worked with the Oregon Student Association in their efforts to keep higher education affordable and accessible to all Oregonians. I started out in the student government and have continued to stay involved with politics on my campus. My duty within the student government is to handle and keep up to date with any sort of federal affairs that effect post-secondary education. I look forward to working with others from USSA in organizing national campaigns to advocate for students.

Tommy Le, Grassroots Legislative Liaison

As an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Tommy is an entering 4th year majoring in “Asian” American Studies. Tommy’s introduction to grassroots organizing and social justice work came from a queer and Trans youth of color organization in South Central LA called Qteam. At UCSC, Tommy’s involvement includes organizing around obtaining Trans-inclusive health care, co-facilitating a student-run seminar on Asian American Studies and API identity, as well as working with Engaging Education, UCSC’s student-initiated outreach and retention center. After UCSC, Tommy wants to continue to organize for better access and affordability in higher education like repealing California’s Proposition 209 which bans equal opportunity, as well as educate and empower queer & trans youth of color through social justice and grassroots organizing.

Emilio Lacques, National People of Color Student Coalition Chair

I consider my education as a right that all people should have access to, and I am passionate about issues affecting all underrepresented communities, such as Education, Labor, Youth Empowerment, Immigrant Rights, and many more because I learned that all of these issues are interconnected and I must represent the voices of people that have been marginalized from resources out in the real world everyday and challenge others to think outside the Higher Education and academia bubble to create real change for struggling people in this country. I have always considered myself a Coalition-builder and find my strength in the ability to be educated and struggle in Solidarity and advocate for many diverse communities outside of my own.

Edward Muna, National Asian Pacific American Student Coalition,

Edward Muna is a third year student at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he is working on a double major in Political Science and Asian American Studies. At UC Santa Barbara he serves as the co chair of A.S. Queer Commission, an entity devoted to serving the interests of LGBT Students on campus. In addition, Edward serves as the Queer Collective Liaison for the student organization Queer Student Union and was the Student Organization Coordinator in the External Affairs office of his student government. Edward originally hails from Guam,USA and is the first Chamoru to hold the position of Chair for the National Asian Pacific American Student Coalition.

Diego Hernandez, Non-Traditional/First Generation Chair

I was born In California. I have lived in Mexico, California, Washington, but I have spent most of my life in Oregon. My education has consisted of 7 different elementary school's and three different middle schools. I was mostly raised by my Mother and although we grew up poor, I feel that I have had a privileged life. I am a first generation student at the University of Oregon and I am planning on going to law school after I get my Bachelors in Political Science, Ethnic Studies and Sociology. My passion is serving the community.

Tina Trevino-Murphy, National Women's Student Coalition Chair

Tina Treviño-Murphy is currently a third-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying social welfare and gender and women's studies. She is serving her third term on the Board of Directors of United Council, the Wisconsin Statewide Student Association, and is the Programming Coordinator at the Campus Women's Center in Madison, which serves over 40,000 students. Previously, she served on student council, interned with the student government association as well as the LGBT Campus Center, and last year she worked for University Housing as a Diversity Coordinator. This year, she is looking forward to working with the fabulous Board of Directors on the Administrative Resolutions and Action Agendas passed at Congress, and organizing around other higher education and gender issues. She's especially excited for the upcoming midterm elections! 

Daniel Ramos, Rocky Mountain Chair

Daniel Ramos is a 5th Year Senior at the University of Colorado at Boulder, studying Sociology and Spanish. He serves as a current Executive for the student government at CU, working in issues related to Student Affairs. He has worked on many local, state and federal elections and is excited to bring that work back to the students to show them how they can be a part of it! Student Power!

Rich Yap, National Queer Students of Color Caucus Chair

My name is Rich Yap, and I am the National Queer Students of Color Caucus Chair for 2009-2010. I am a 4th year at UCLA and finishing up my undergraduate degree in Asian American Studies as well as my minor in Film and Television. In my campus, I am heavily involved with the Queer Alliance where I serve as the historian. I am also involved with the students of color orgs where I assist in facilitating workshops about reducing homophobia as well as other queer related issues. I look forward to serving USSA and NQSOC this year by replicating the work I do back at my home campus on a national level.

Getachew Kassa: People of African Descent Chair

As an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, Getachew is a senior Majoring in Political Science with a Minor in Business Administration. Previously President of the Black Student Union at the University of Oregon, he is excited to be involved with USSA as Chair People of African Descent.  First introduced to student organizing and leadership development through his involvement in the Black Student Union, he continues to learn and grow as a student activist. This year he is looking forward to serving students on a campus, state and federal level as Vice President of the Associated Student of the University of Oregon.   Getachew is a firm believer that education is a right for all students.  

Kamille Rocha: National Coalition of Students with Disabilities Chair

I am originally from California and moved to Minnesota in 2001. I am currently finishing up my Liberal Arts and Sciences Degree at South Central College. I am actively involved in the Minnesota State College Student Association and currently serve as the Student At Large Governing Council Representative.   I hope to transfer to a four-year university and major in Child Psychology and work in the hospital helping children cope with their stay. I would also like to earn an interpreting degree as a Certified Deaf interpreter. I am so excited to be serving as the National Collation of Students with Disabilities Chair.  

Mamie Ashoo: People of Middle Eastern and South Asian Decent Chair

Mamie Ashoo is an undergraduate student at Northern Arizona University working on degree’s in Political Science and Criminology/Criminal Justice. She values the chance and opportunity to attend a university, it is a chance most students, especially those who are of color, do not have. As the People of Middle Eastern and South Asian Descent Chair for the USSA board she plans on really reaching out to the people of her caucus. It is important that everybody knows what this organization does and how it will benefit them but feels it is vital to reach out to those who have been marginalized because of the color of their skin or their family background, especially in the United States with the current war crisis.