Staff
Melisa Anne Bagasao Bautista, M.Ed
Director, Asian Pacific American Student Development (APASD)
Phone: 510.847.2164
Email: melisa.bautista@berkeley.edu
Hello! Melisa Anne Bagasao Bautista, M.Ed (She/Her) is a 1.5 generation Pinay and Ilokana born and raised in Southern California. I am energized to continue doing meaningful work alongside students and colleagues to transform the educational conditions and experiences of our Asian American, Pacific Islander, and South, South Asian, North African students, staff, and faculty as the Director of the Asian Pacific American Student Development (APASD) office! I am inspired by conversations with people that are centered on reflection, humanization, and storytelling as we collectively move towards liberation for all people.
In my early career, I was a middle and high school Ethnic Studies educator and youth organizer; prior to joining UC Berkeley in March 2024 I was the Assistant Director at UCSF Multicultural Resource Center. I received my Masters in Education and CA History teaching credential from the University of California, Los Angeles and Bachelors of Arts in Political Science with an Asian American Studies minor from San Francisco State University.
I grounds myself by making ancestral medicine and tea blends, cooking, napping, connecting with her family/chosen fam and spending as much time in the Sun and with nature as possible! I look forward to connecting with you and supporting you in your growth and journey here!
Doaa Dorgham, MA
South Asian, Southwest Asian, North African (SSWANA) Program Director
Phone: (510) 365-4549
Email: doaadorgham@berkeley.edu
Hi! My name is Doaa Dorgham. I am a first- generation Palestinian American. I grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina and obtained my B.A. in Psychology from North Carolina State University and received my M.A. in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs from San Diego State University. Previous to this role, I worked with the Student Retention and Success Department at UC San Diego, and at the Center for Intercultural Relations at San Diego State University.
I am so excited to be in this role and advocate for SSWANA students. My passions lie in co-creating with students and community to create a more just world. I am also a self-proclaimed foodie and love to go for runs, hikes, bike rides, and talk about the latest shows on Netflix! Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you want to chat or are needing additional support. I look forward to crossing paths with you soon!
Angel Halafihi
APASD Assistant Director, Pacific Islander Initiative
Email: halafihi@berkeley.edu
Hello! My name is Angel Halafihi (Hah-lah-fee-hee). I'm an APASD Assistant Director and I manage the Pacific Islander (PI) Initiative here at UC Berkeley. I'm a first-generation Tongan, born and raised in the Bay Area. Prior to this role, I attended UCLA where I organized through their Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) and the Pacific Islander Education and Retention (PIER) program. I graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Psychology and have been at Berkeley as a staff person ever since. In this role, I’m excited about working closely with our young people, advocating for PI students and communities, and supporting the visions they have for their villages on campus and beyond. I'm a visual artist, and love music! If you have any questions, need support, or would like to chat, please don’t hesitate to send me a message.
Miya Sommers, MA
APASD Assistant Director, Asian American Political Activation Program
Phone: (510) 664-7714
Email: miyasommers@berkeley.edu
Hello ~ my name is Miya (they/she) and I am one of the Assistant Directors in APASD. I oversee the Asian American Political Activation (AAPA) Program which includes the AAPA internship, MOVE Fellowship, and BLOOM: Asian American Community Program.
I am a third generation settler in the territory of xučyun, the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people, and have spent most of my life here. I am mixed gosei (fifth-generation Nikkei/Japanese-American) and have used this experience to inform my community organizing work.
Earning my BA at UCSB in Global Studies (with in emphasis on South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific) as a student organizer to more recently completing my Master's in Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University helped me cultivate (and continue to grown in) an educational praxis rooted in collective liberation. Outside of APASD, I engage in community organizing in Oakland and creative/dreaming work related to healing people and the land.
I look forward to getting to know you and am happy to set up a time to chat to learn more about you and how APASD can help you thrive!
You can make an appointment a calendly.com/miyasommers/30min or send me an email!
Sophia Perez
Graduate Mentor
Email: sophiaeperez@berkeley.edu
Sophia Perez is a Chamorro filmmaker working toward her PhD in Geography at UC Berkeley. With roots in the Mariana Islands and the California Bay Area, she experiments with film as a way of building bridges that cross cultural and political divides. Her interests include militarism in the Pacific, the political status of US territories, grassroots environmental justice movements, and indigenous language revitalization.
Ratu Orisi Lalabalavu
Graduate Mentor
Email: orisi@berkeley.edu
Bula all, My name is Ratu Orisi Lalabalavu, but I just go by Orisi. I was born in Fiji and grew up in different parts of California, but my hometown is Sacramento, CA. I am a UC Berkeley Master in Public Health Student.
Designated Campus Partners
Jeff Lee, LCSW
Clinical Social Worker, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Email: jeffreylee@berkeley.edu
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I am a Chinese American San Francisco native, and I started working in non-profits in 2002 until starting at CAPS where I've been for 3 years. NPO work focused on areas of education, homelessness and mental health primarily with disadvantaged youth and young adults. One of my social work internships worked at a API NPO that focused on sexual health in the tenderloin. Here at Berkeley I enjoy working with students experiencing symptoms of anxiety/depression, as well as around identity and relationships. You can book an appointment with Jeff through CAPS Let's Talk Program. Jeff's hours are weekly on Thursdays from 4:00 - 6:00pm. |
Arman M. Liwanag, M.Ed
Senior College Advisor, College of Letters and Science
Email: aliwanag@berkeley.edu
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Hello! My name is Arman Liwanag (he/him) and I am excited to collaborate with APASD to provide academic advising for L&S students from AA/PI/SSWANA communities! I am a queer Filipino American, born and raised in Ramaytush Ohlone Land (San Francisco, CA). I am a first-generation college graduate and earned my bachelor's degree from UC Irvine as well as my master's degree from the University of Maryland. I have worked as a Filipinx/a/o American Studies educator and academic counselor for high school and college students and am passionate about supporting the wellness, empowerment, and success of minoritized students. I currently work at UC Berkeley as an academic adviser for the College of Letters & Science. Outside of work, I can usually be found in the kitchen trying to perfect my mother’s recipes, exploring cities through their food and public transportation systems, and dancing/singing to Beyoncé's Renaissance album. You can book an appointment with Arman using https://ls-apasd.youcanbook.me/ If you are unable to book an appointment using this online system, email Arman directly at aliwanag@berkeley.edu and indicate that you are an APASD, SSWANA LLC, or BLOOM student, and he will be able to prioritize your appointment. |
Kelsey Owyang, MA
College Advisor, College of Letters and Science
Email: kelseyowyang@berkeley.edu
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Hi! My name is Kelsey (she/they) and I am excited to be one of your APASD L&S Satellite Advisors. I am Chinese American, with roots spread out across the many Chinese diasporic communities of Northern California. I worked as a college counselor and elementary school teacher before starting at Cal in 2020, where I have served in three offices: New Student Services, the bridges Multicultural Resource Center, and now L&S Advising. As an advisor, I want to learn about your ideas, goals, and dreams just as much as I want to hear your critiques, frustrations, and challenges. Most of all, I welcome questions, whether they are about small technical issues or big existential reflections. I look forward to working together with you! You can book an appointment with Kelsey using https://ls-apasd.youcanbook.me/ If you are unable to book an appointment using this online system, email Kelsey directly at kelseyowyang@berkeley.edu and indicate that you are an APASD, SSWANA LLC, or BLOOM student, and they will be able to prioritize your appointment. |
Riri Shibata,
College Advisor, College of Letters and Science
Email: rshibata@berkeley.edu
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Hi! My name is Riri Shibata (she/her/hers) and I am grateful to serve as one of the satellite L&S academic advisers for our Asian American, Pacific Islander, and South Asian, Southwest Asian, and North African students. As someone who emigrated from Japan at a young age, I made it here because of the mentors, advisers, and peers who supported my academic path and personal growth as a first-generation college student. I am determined to help students navigate their own journeys, find their intrinsic strengths, and create academic goals and plans that realize their unique aspirations. From my time as a Peer Adviser then Program Coordinator at UC Santa Cruz, to all the moments in between as an Academic Counselor at San Francisco State University, to now, as an Academic Adviser at the College of Letters and Science, I have always been passionate about supporting students! I am also passionate about being outdoors, eating delicious foods, and spending time with loved ones! Your academic, personal, and career goals are important to me and I'm excited to work together on that journey with you. You can book an appointment with Riri using https://ls-apasd.youcanbook.me/ If you are unable to book an appointment using this online system, email Riri directly at rshibata@berkeley.edu and indicate that you are an APASD, SSWANA LLC, or BLOOM student, and she will be able to prioritize your appointment. |
