Executive Board Members
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Nicholas Franco, GSC Chair School of Leadership and Education Sciences Nick is in his third year of coursework in the Leadership Studies PhD program, where his current research interests are focused on multiracial identities and racial meaning-making. Originally from Stockton, CA, he earned an MA in Women’s Studies from San Diego State University before coming to USD. Nick enjoys tennis, coffee, and poetry. |
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Farheen Kaka, GSC Vice Chair School of Leadership and Education Sciences Farheen is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and went to Santa Clara University. At SCU she received a BS in Marketing, with 2 minors in International Business and Spanish. She is currently in the School of Leadership and Education Studies (SOLES) working on completing her M. Ed in Curriculum and Instruction this year. When not working full time or in school, Farheen enjoys spending her free time traveling abroad and has been to over 25 countries and counting! |
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Brianna Tracy, GSC Secretary School of Arts and Sciences, Marine Science Bri is from Wheeling, WV and has her BS in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina. She is currently a third-year MARS graduate student researching invasive and native ascidian species in Mission Bay. Before coming to USD, Bri worked at SeaWorld Orlando. |
Members
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Afarin Dadkhah Tehrani, GSC Council Member School of Peace and Justice Studies Afarin was born in Tehran, Iran, and as a teenager was part of the organization Dialogue Among Civilizations (DAC), which promotes understanding between cultures. She also worked with the organization Mahak, which assists children suffering from cancer, and taught English as a second language to high school students. She holds a bachelor‚ Äôs degree in English language and literature from Islamic Azad University of Tehran Central Branch. Afarin is currently studying and doing extensive research on Post-Conflict Peace Building in Middle East and North Africa. |
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Britainy Birkhoff, GSC Council Member Hahn School of Nursing, MEPN program Britainy is a native San Diegan and graduated cum laude with her BA in history and a minor in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University. She is currently a second year student in the MEPN program with clinical interests in neonatal intensive care and pediatrics. Prior to starting her career as a nurse, Britainy worked in IT engineering at Qualcomm, Inc. and loves salsa dancing and beach volleyball. |
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Daniel Shehan, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration Dan is a second year International MBA student at USD, and the Director of Events for the Graduate Business Student Association. He is a native to San Diego, received his BS in International Business at San Jose State University, and worked for four years in New York City with an international relations non-profit company. |
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Evan Allen, GSC Council Member School of Law Evan is a first year law student who plans to practice employment law. He is originally from Pacific Grove, California and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from San Diego State University in 2010. Evan was an All-American cheerleader in high school and have collected over $300 in change I found on the ground. |
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Gina Stavrakakis, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration After having gained several years of professional experience, Gina decided to get an MBA and was drawn to USD for the amazing International opportunities. After having lived in Germany for part of her undergraduate degree, she couldn't shake the travel bug! Gina spent January Intersession in Delhi, India and Hong Kong and can't wait to go somewhere new next year. She has recently taken the post as President of the GBSA and is looking forward to a great year representing the Graduate Business Students! |
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Hayley Umayam, GSC Council Member School of Peace and Justice Studies Hayley is from Bothell, Washington and has her BA in International Studies (concentration: Post-Colonial Africa) and French from Humboldt State University. She is currently a Master's candidate in Peace and Justice studies with an interest in public diplomacy. Hayley is a intern at the San Diego Mediation Center and spends her free time cycling! |
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Julio Rios, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration Julio is from San Diego, California and has his BA in Finance from the University of Miami. He is currently enrolled in the Full-Time MBA program and is working toward a concentration in Supply-Chain Management and Finance. Before coming to USD, Julio worked at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. |
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Justin Logan, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration Justin is in his last semester of the evening MBA program at USD, where he also serves as the President of the Graduate Business Student Association. He has been employed for the last six years as the Regional Manager for a San Diego-based property management company. Justin is originally from Napa, CA and earned his Bachelors at University of California in Santa Barbara. When he has free time, Justin enjoys cooking, traveling, and hiking. Justin has climbed to the top of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous 48 states, three times. |
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Katharine Petrich, GSC Council Member School of Arts and Sciences, International Relations. Kat is originally from Seattle, WA and is currently in the second year of her M.A. in International Relations. She received her B.A. in 2010 from the University of San Diego in Political Science and Military History. During her undergraduate studies, Kat competed as a four year varsity student athlete for the Women's Rowing team and now volunteers her time to coach the current squad. She plans to continue on to a PhD in Political Science, specializing in Transnational Crime and Terrorism in Latin America. |
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Lana Blank, GSC Council Member Hahn School of Nursing, Master's Entry Program in Nursing Lana is from Sacramento, California but has lived in San Diego for over 7 years. She has her BS in Biology from University of California, San Diego. While at UCSD, she worked in a genetics lab where her main role was to farm corn. This ultimately made her a highly paid, and poorly trained organic farmer. |
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Laura McNaughton, GSC Council Member School of Leadership and Education Sciences Laura is a second year student in the Higher Education Leadership program, and she is also the President of the SOLES Graduate Student Association. Laura works on campus as a Graduate Assistant in the Student Leadership & Involvement Center advising students in campus programming. Laura is originally from the Sacramento area, but moved to Humboldt State to study Communication. She finished at HSU with a bachelor's degree (and a husband!). |
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Lauren Kawano, GSC Council Member School of Law Lauren is from Elk Grove, California and received her BA in International Studies from the University of San Francisco. Prior to law school, Lauren worked in Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Osaka, Japan. She loves traveling and plans to work abroad after law school. |
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Leonie Sandelbaum, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration, International concentration Leonie is from Frankfurt, Germany and moved to San Diego in the beginning of August. She has a Bachelor's degree in International Business Administration from a university in Stuttgart, Germany. Leonie started her career with IBM Consulting and Deloitte Consulting, but after a few years decided to pursue her MBA degree. She loves sitting on the grass in the sun somewhere on USD's beautiful campus, so say hello the next time you pass her! |
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Lindsay Sharon, GSC Council Member Hahn School of Nursing, Master's Entry Program in Nursing Lindsay is from Columbus, Ohio and has her BA in Health Communications & Marketing from The Ohio State University. She is currently a second-year MEPN graduate student with an interest in Labor & Delivery/Pediatric Nursing. Lindsay's favorite hobby is traveling and learning about new cultures, and she has both studied and worked abroad in Italy and Australia. |
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Lindsey Ball, GSC Council Member School of Law Lindsey is from Modesto, California and I have my BS in economics from University of the Pacific. I am currently a second year law student with a concentration in criminal law. Over the summer I worked at the Legal Aid Society of San Diego and helped open the first Consumer Law clinic in the area. |
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Meghan Tracy, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration, International concentration Meghan is the Director of Alumni and Clubs for the Graduate Business Student Association. She is originally from Centreville, Virginia and received |
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Michael Ross, GSC Council Member School of Law Mike is from Queensbury, New York, a small town roughly three hours north of New York City. Before attending the University of San Diego School of Law, where he is in his second year, Mike graduated from Boston College where he majored in Film Studies. Beyond his focus on the law, Mike is an outdoor enthusiast, having previously been employed both as a whitewater raft guide and in the ski shop at the Alta Ski Resort, located outside Salt Lake City. |
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Rebecca Aaron-Albanese, GSC Council Member School of Leadership and Education Sciences Rebecca is a second-year Masters student in the Higher Education Leadership program at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences. Rebecca received her Bachelors degree in Business Administration from PACE University in New York before moving to San Diego last fall. Currently, she holds a graduate assistant position at the United Front Multicultural Center where she focuses on spiritual development, and civil rights activism. |
| Picture coming soon! | Rob Thibaut, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration Rob was born and raised in Maui, Hawaii. He received his BA in Business Administration from the University of San Diego. He is currently a first year FTMBA student focusing on both Marketing and New Venture Management. Rob has a background in hospitality and is also the GBSA Director of Events. |
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Ryan Rigney, GSC Council Member School of Law Ryan is from Fresno, California and received his BA in Political Science from the University of California Davis. Before attending law school, Ryan worked in Sacramento for a gubernatorial political campaign but spent the last year teaching English in South Korea. Ryan's hobbies include cooking, billiards, and snowboarding. |
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Tom Bobo, GSC Council Member Graduate School of Business Administration Tom is from Seattle, WA and has his BS in Journalism from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Tom is currently in his second year of the full-time MBA program and also enrolled in the Master of Science in Real Estate program. An interesting fact about Tom is that he once road his bike from Seattle to Portland. |
Advisors
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Sean Horrigan, GSC Advisor (619) 260-4590 Sean Horrigan works as the Director of Student Conduct and Graduate Student Life and has been at USD since 2002. Sean serves as the Administrative Ex-officio (advisor) to the GSC. He completed his masters at USD and is now working on his PhD in the SOLES Leadership Studies program. Sean also helps over see the operations of the Graduate and Law Student Commons in SLP 401. If you ever need any help at USD please do not hesitate to contact him or a GSC member for assistance. |
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Megan Kennedy, Graduate Assistant GSC Advisor School of Leadership and Education Sciences (619) 260-2227 Megan is in her second year of the Higher Education Leadership program through SOLES. She is the Graduate Assistant for Graduate Student Life and serves as an ex-officio (advisor) to the GSC with Sean. Megan is from New Jersey and received a BA in Communication Studies from James Madison University in Virginia. She used to live in San Diego when she was very young, and is grateful to be back! |
