My name is Grayson Hutchinson and I am in my second and final year at Cabrillo as an honours anthropology major. I identify as a transmasculine nonbinary person and I use he/they pronouns. My dream is to work in anthropology and help redesign the education system to be more inclusive or be a college professor. I am an intern for the Office of Student Equity at Cabrillo and president of the Cabrillo College Gender and Sexuality Club. When I am not working or studying I am spending time with my partner, friends, and tripod Maltese named Bumper!

Kelly Jeong is a 50-year-old South Korean native and the editor-in-chief of Korean Life, a Korean-language newspaper. Currently pursuing a degree in chemistry and biology at Cabrillo College, she is on an inspiring journey to fulfill her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon or psychiatrist. With determination and passion, Kelly is chasing greatness one step at a time.

Hi, my name is Lizett Zuñiga Zamudio, also known as Liz, and I’m a Division Administrative Assistant for the BELA Division at Cabrillo College. I have over 17 years of administrative assistant experience, so I’m super organized. I was born and raised in Watsonville, CA. I graduated from Cabrillo in 2024 with my Associate's degree in Communication Studies, with the goals of earning a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree to have a career in still serving my local community. I’m a single mom of two beautiful children. In my free time, I enjoy dancing salsa and bachata, playing basketball, traveling with my wonderful fiance, and playing UNO with my two teenagers.

My name is Najia Fayez, and I am currently in my first year at Cabrillo College. I plan to spend two years here before transferring to a university to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. When I first arrived in the United States from Afghanistan, I thought I wanted to become an immigration lawyer, but after taking my first Criminal Justice class, I became interested in other areas of law. My hope is to have the opportunity to contribute to the legal system and make a positive difference in people’s lives. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, reading, playing with my siblings, and taking peaceful walks in the forest.

My name is Olivia Castillo and I am currently in my second year of college. I plan to transfer to a four-year this upcoming Fall and major in linguistics. My career goal is to become a pediatric audiologist. During my free time I love reading, going to the beach and spending time with my dogs Busty and Choco. In my Talk I am excited to share about a condition I have, Usher syndrome, which is the leading genetic cause of combined deafblindness.

I grew up in Marin County and moved to Santa Cruz in July 2020. I have worked as a bookkeeper since my first job at 16, and have been self-employed since 1998. After dealing with some health issues in 2019, I made the decision to move here to be closer to my support system. At the same time, I decided to make a career change and became certified as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. My goal is to support others who are looking to improve their health and wellness. In 2023 I decided it was time to stop living a life of regrets and finally earn my Associate’s Degree. I enrolled at Cabrillo and this fall will graduate with degrees in Business, Communications, and Kinesiology. I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do “when I grow up”, although I’m seriously considering something in nutrition.

My name is Wanda Conaway. I was raised in a small coal mining town in West Virginia. My father was a coal miner for over 35 years. We did encounter some racism growing up and I remember my first fight where I had to defend myself. I was six years old. My mother made sure that we knew the importance of having an education, so you have more opportunities to grow. I attended Cabrillo College twice and stopped both times as my children were born. When my grandson started attending Cabrillo College, I decided to go back myself. At first, I was skeptical about attending at the young age of 71. People asked me why do I wanna go back at this age? I told them 'cause it is on my bucket list. I wanna complete what I started.

Bio coming soon...

Join us for an inspiring session at Cabrillo Talks featuring Donnie, a dedicated professional and proud graduate of Cabrillo College and UCSC. Donnie's journey from student to program coordinator for the Rising Scholars Program showcases their passion for education and mentorship. At Cabrillo Talks, Donnie will share valuable insights and experiences, highlighting the importance of higher education and the transformative impact it can have on individuals' lives. Whether you're a student, educator, or community member, Donnie's talk promises to be both informative and motivating. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Donnie and learn about their dedication to empowering students. Join us at Cabrillo Talks and be inspired to reach new heights in your own educational and professional endeavors!

Andrea L. Hart (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate theatre-maker whose work ranges from creating large, sprawling devised pieces to writing opera librettos,to directing classic musicals to designing and building masks and shadow puppets. Her work has been supported by grants from Puffin Foundation West, Theater Bay Area, and Venturous Theater Fund, and has been developed and performed at UTNT and Hyde Park Theatre in Austin, TX, Thompson Street Opera in Chicago, #AmericanAF Festival in NYC, Great Plains Theatre Conference, the MacDowell Colony, CounterPulse, 6NewPlays, and others. Recent credits include directing a reading of Novid Parsi's THE LIFE YOU GAVE ME at the BIPOC Playwrights Festival in Boise, ID; directing MARIE ANTOINETTE for Cabrillo College, writing and directing MURKY AS HELL at UTNT in Austin, devising a geo-triggered audio journey, and working with composers and dancers on an immersive, participatory theatrical event. This summer she will direct Santa Cruz Opera Project's immersive DIE FLEDERMAUS. She holds an MFA in Directing from UT Austin and currently serves as the Artistic Director of Cabrillo Stage. www.andreaLhart.org

Dr. Devin Walker currently serves as the Director of Equity and Student Success at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, California. He earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin in 2018 where his research focused on the intersection of race, sports and education as well as the influence of global education on student’s self-concept, national identity and future orientation. Devin is a co-founder of the Black Student-Athlete Summit and the founder and CEO of World Walker LLC, an organization focused on providing transformational education abroad opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

Kendall Sooter is a full-time Instructor in Communication Studies, also teaching in Environmental Science and Engineering. Kendall is a Cabrillo College alumni and a current doctoral student in Sustainability. Kendall has taught public speaking for 10 years and focuses on empowering students to share their narratives to foster social and environmental change.

Jason Ferguson is a Los Angeles native and former student-athlete who secured a football scholarship to the University of Hawaii. Today, Jason thrives as a dedicated speaker coach, keynote speaker, senior sales leader in tech, and success coach who helps organizations develop their teams by shifting the way they think.