Meet the Advising Team

Maureen was born and raised in Los Angeles. A first generation college graduate, she attended UCLA where she earned a BA in Psychology, an MA in Higher Education and Work, and a PhD in Higher Education and Organizational Change. While in graduate school, her research focused on student retention and the impact of college on students' attitudes and values. Maureen has a wide range of experience in the area of undergraduate education, and she was the Senior Dean of the Advising Center at Columbia University prior to coming to USC in 2008. Previously, she oversaw Instructional Improvement Programs in UCLA's Office of Instructional Development and student retention and international programs at UCLA Summer Sessions. In her free time, Maureen enjoys travel, reading, hiking, community science, and spending time with her family and son.

Katrina Miranda was born and raised in Southern California. She majored in Political Science and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. As an undergraduate, she worked as an orientation counselor and enjoyed assisting students transition into the university. After that experience, she decided to pursue a Master's Degree in Higher Education Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she served as a graduate assistant in the Columbia University School of Social Work Office of Admissions. Katrina went on to complete a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education Administration at the USC Rossier School of Education. Prior to joining Marshall, Katrina served as an academic advisor for the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences for more than eleven years. Katrina is the lead for the Business of Cinematic Arts emphasis program and our New Student Orientation. In her free time, Katrina enjoys hiking, traveling, spending time with her family and friends, checking out new restaurants, and considers herself a "foodie."

Jeff earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies with an emphasis in Organization in the American Workplace at UC Berkeley. After graduating from Berkeley, Jeff moved back to Southern California and earned his Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs at USC. While earning his degree, Jeff also worked full time at the USC Financial Aid Office as a counselor and the Senior Assistant Director of the Aid Coordination unit. After leaving the financial aid office, Jeff spent five years as Assistant Director at Viterbi Admissions and Student Affairs where he served as an Academic Advisor to primarily first-year Engineering students. Jeff came to Marshall in 2016 serving first as an Academic Advisor and then as Assistant Director leading Marshall Academic Resources. He has also been involved in our Orientation, BCA, and Transfer Success Program teams.  In his spare time, Jeff enjoys going to the movies and watching live shows and concerts.

Mayra was born and raised in Southern California. Prior to joining USC Marshall, she spent eight years working at Mount St. Mary's College (MSMC) in Los Angeles in the Registrar's Office and then the Advisement Center where she first served as an Academic Advisor and then as Associate Director. She completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology at MSMC and has completed an Executive Master's of Leadership in the Price School at USC.  Mayra  leads our efforts related to the Marshall Recognized Student Organizations.  In her free time, Mayra enjoys traveling, camping and spending time with her family and friends.

Tina was born and raised in sunny southern California in Garden Grove, California after her parents left their homeland in Vietnam. She first attended Orange Coast College and transferred to the University of California, Berkeley to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare with an emphasis in Education and Asian American Studies. She started her professional pathway in education by working with middle school students, but later realized she was interested in finding her way back into higher education. Prior to joining Marshall, she served as an Assistant Director and Senior Assistant Director with Undergraduate Admission for over four years and brings a variety of experience in working with both freshmen and transfer students, developing social media efforts, building the Transfer Student Ambassador program, and hosting overnight programs. In addition, she pursued and recently completed her Master of Education in Educational Counseling with USC's Rossier School of Education. You can always find her immersed in the beauty of nature, trying new food spots, creating music, and spending time with loved ones in her free time. Go bears, but fight on (forever)!

Daisy Guzman is originally from the sunny Southern California neighborhood of Gardena, but she also calls Philadelphia her second home. After receiving her B.A in Human Development and Social Relations from Kalamazoo College in Michigan, she relocated to Philadelphia where she worked in college success and retention initiatives for under-resourced communities and decided to pursue her M.S.Ed in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Daisy worked at Philadelphia Higher Education for Neighborhood Development at UPenn overseeing a college retention program called the Next Steps AmeriCorps, supporting first- generation and economically disadvantage college students through civic engagement, mentorship and leadership development. Most recently, Daisy worked as an Academic Navigator at Mills College within the office of Advising, Career and Global Learning where she provided academic support to students on academic probation. Daisy enjoys bike rides along her neighborhood, exploring new restaurants and spending time with her family.

Elizabeth Rubalcava was born and raised in Southern California. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UC Riverside, where she was a Peer Mentor and first realized her passion for helping students succeed. She went on to earn a Master of Education in Student Affairs from UCLA. Prior to becoming an Academic Advisor at USC, Elizabeth was an Academic Advisor at Cal State LA, an intern at the LGBT Campus Resource Center at UCLA, and a Program Assistant at the Academic Resource Center at UC Riverside. Elizabeth is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for students and empowering them to achieve their personal and academic goals. In her free time, she loves to read, go camping with her dog, and spend time with family and friends.

Allie is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. As an undergraduate at Harvard she majored in Romance Languages and Literatures, concentrating in French and Francophone Studies. After college, she moved to Los Angeles and worked in the film industry before finding her way to into higher education as an Academic Advisor at the Kuwait Cultural Office. After earning her master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs at Louisiana State University, Allie served as the Coordinator for Transition Programs at Colorado State University. Allie has extensive experience working with new students as they transition into college, including in the areas of program development, student leadership development, and transfer student support. She is excited to bring these skills to the undergraduate advising team at Marshall and empower Marshall students to achieve their goals. Outside of work, Allie loves adventuring with her dog, reading, and sampling the amazing food options in and around southern California.

Jesús is from the City of Roses, Portland, OR. He earned a BS in Human Development and Family Sciences from Oregon State University. Through his involvement in university programs and student organizations, he discovered a passion for working in higher education to facilitate learning, retention, and student success.

He went on to earn an MS in College Counseling and Student Development from Azusa Pacific University. During his graduate experience, he worked in multicultural affairs at APU and residence life at Pepperdine. Prior to joining USC and Marshall, he worked at his alma mater, Oregon State University, as a Resident Director for 3.5 years, and an Academic Advisor for the College of Public Health and Human Sciences for 3 years.

Jesús enjoys spending time with his partner and goldendoodle, hanging out with family and friends, cooking, eating, listening to music, dancing, and watching movies or TV shows. He is thrilled to join the Trojan family and excited to help students Fight On!

Krystle is originally from the Bay Area but has lived in Southern California for over 10 years. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara and received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Education. After working in informal education for several years, Krystle went on to earn her master’s degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs at USC. Prior to becoming an academic advisor at Marshall, Krystle served as a student services advisor for the USC Price School of Public Policy. In her free time, Krystle enjoys spending time with her family and friends, kickboxing, trying new food, and exploring new places.

Steve was born and raised in Southern California. He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus in Business Administration and Management from California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). He also earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance and Financial Management Services from CSULA.

Before joining the USC Academic Advising team, Steve served as an academic advisor for four years at CSULA and was an administrative analyst for undergraduate students for three years prior to advisement. Steve's years of dedication for advising students is demonstrated in the individualized care he shows each student in trying to help achieve their academic goals and strive both during their undergraduate careers and future aspirations. In his free time, Steve enjoys watching movies, spending time with his family and friends, and exploring different restaurants in Southern California.

Cristian was born and raised in South Central, Los Angeles. He is a first-generation graduate and earned a BA in English Creative Writing and a minor in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Northridge. His interest in higher education began with his affiliation with the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). He then pursued his Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs (PASA) at USC Rossier School of Education. Throughout his graduate experience, he worked two Graduate Assistantships for UCLA Athletics and Cal-SOAP LA. Additionally, an internship in Digital Media that he had since his undergrad. Prior to joining Marshall, he worked for Occidental College, GEAR UP 4 LA as an Academic Advisor supporting students in his community. His values as an advisor are to maintain communication, persistence, optimism and be holistic. He stands by educational equity in all respects. Cristian values mentoring students and supporting their educational goals. On his free time, he enjoys walks on the beach, hikes during sunsets, traveling, and spending time with his loved ones.

Christina Cruz is from Southern California, and calls Hawthorne her home. She is a first-generation college graduate and earned her B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her involvement in student organizations and in NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP) helped her discover her passion for working in higher education and holistically support student success and retention. Christina went on to earn her Master of Science in Higher Education from California State University, Fullerton. During her time at CSUF, she had the opportunity to explore various areas of higher education and student affairs including Alumni Engagement and Student Life & Leadership. Prior to becoming an Academic Advisor, Christina served as the Interim Coordinator for Student Retention for the Latinx cultural center at Cal Poly Pomona. As an advisor, Christina values equity, creating a sense of belonging, growth, and support. In her free time Christina enjoys going to the movies, spending time outdoors, and spending quality time with her partner, dogs, family, and friends.

Laura was born and raised in Michigan. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Science from the University of Michigan, where she discovered her interest in working in Higher Education while serving as an orientation peer mentor, campus tour guide, and advising office assistant on campus.

Before joining the USC Marshall academic advising team, she worked in undergraduate admissions for six years with St. John's University, which allowed her to live and work in the heart of NYC. She returned to the classroom as a student to earn her Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs at USC, where she had a Graduate Assistant position with the USC Athletic Department as an Assistant Learning Specialist.

In her free time, Laura is a passionate sports fan, likes to explore museums and restaurants in Los Angeles, and is on a mission to befriend every dog that she meets.

Diana was raised in East Los Angeles and is a first generation DACAmented graduate who became interested in the student affairs field due to personal life experience. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Psychology and received her master’s degree in College Counseling and Student Development at Azusa Pacific University (APU). Her experiences include working at APU as a graduate assistant, UCLA as an academic mentor, and El Camino College as a Retention and Equity Advisor. As an advisor she strives to maintain authenticity, an inclusive environment, and advocate for students. In her free time, she enjoys reading thriller novels, watching horror/thriller movies, and hanging out with her family.

Dennis was born and raised in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles, CA. He is a first-generation college graduate raised in a single-parent household. Dennis earned his BA in Sociology, and a minor is Psychology from California State Polytechnic University – San Luis Obispo. He then earned his Master of Science in Educational Counseling at National University. Throughout his graduate experience, his passion and interest began to shift from the K-12 sector towards the Higher Education sector.  

Prior to joining the USC Academic Advising Team, Dennis served as an Academic Advisor for almost four years at National University and three years at Union Institute & University. Dennis has worked with both undergraduate and graduate students from various majors, minors, and credential programs.  During his tenure at National University, Dennis held membership under the Office of Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (S-JEDI) and the Culture Committee.

Dennis values being equitable, understanding, resourceful and supportive to all students in their educational path. He believes that his role as an advisor is a key component of the experience and success of each student.  

Dennis is deeply passionate about everything sports, enjoys listening to Hip-Hop and R&B, making memories with his wife and son, and wine tasting all over California.

Madison was born and raised in Southern California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from CSU Channel Islands, where she was a Career Closet Student Assistant and a Career Peer Mentor in the university’s Career Development and Alumni Engagement Department. From this position, she developed her passion for assisting students with their professional and personal needs. After graduation, Madison pursued her master’s degree in counseling from California Lutheran University (CLU). While at CLU, Madison was a Career Counseling Graduate Assistant for their Career Services Office, where she advised various students and alumni with their various career development needs. In addition to this role, Madison also worked at El Camino College, both as a Counseling Success Coach in the Counseling Department and as an Intern in the college’s First Year Experience Department.

In her free time, Madison spends her time with her animals, baking, painting, and reading. She is an avid animal lover and is a proud mama of three dogs, a chinchilla, a panther chameleon, a dumbo rat, and a 40-gallon freshwater fish tank with a variety of fish!