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Student Involvement & Leadership Programs

SERVICE AREAS

Cal Corps Staff

Megan Voorhees
Director (On leave Fall 2009)
Megan joined the Cal Corps staff in 2000, after working for over a decade in the fields of service-learning and youth development. Her work experience includes five years with the San Francisco Conservation Corps as a Program Director and Education Trainer, running a program in Zimbabwe for US college students on global economic issues, coordinating a statewide leadership program for high school youth in Oregon, and serving as the Community Service Director at Lewis and Clark College. She oversees all management and programmatic aspects of Cal Corps, and is responsible for fundraising, budget management, and community partnerships.
510/642-1081
voorheesATberkeleyDOTedu

Mike Bishop
Acting Director, Fall 2009
Mike has been a member of the Cal Corps team since 2005. He oversees the Bonner Leaders program, and advises students who lead their peers on Alternative Breaks, in the Oakland Community Builders course, and Magnolia Project's initiatives serving the Gulf Coast. In the ten years between earning an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Georgetown University and M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Mike worked with at-risk/resilient youth in a variety of settings, from Nicaragua to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Prior to joining Cal Corps, Mike served as the Assistant Director of the Harvard College Public Service Network and Center for Public Interest Careers. His passion is creating experiential based and democratic learning environments.
510/642-7811
bishopATberkeleyDOTedu
Office Hours: Wednesday 12-1pm @ 102 Sproul
Schedule

Carrie Donovan
K-12 Programs Manager
Carrie works with the hundreds of Cal Corps students who tutor, mentor, or otherwise serve local youth. She manages BUILD (Berkeley United in Literacy Development), which places UCB tutors in afterschool programs in Oakland and Berkeley. She also works with Cal Corps-sponsored student service groups . Previously, Carrie worked as the Youth Director for CIRCLE, a national organization focused on youth civic engagement. She directed a national youth-led research grant program and co-managed an oral history project with high school students on the desegregation of their school. Carrie has worked for the National Civic League in Washington, DC, and served as a Leland-Emerson Hunger Fellow in St. Paul, MN and Washington, DC through the Congressional Hunger Center. She majored in Anthropology and French at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has taken graduate courses at the School of Education at the University of Maryland.
510/642-5429
carriedonovanATberkeleyDOTedu
Open Office Hours: Wednesday 4-5pm @505 Eshleman Hall

Minh Dang
Coordinator, Service and Outreach
Minh joined the Cal Corps staff team in September 2005. She is a Cal graduate with a B.A. in Sociology and was one of Cal Corps' Community Projects leaders during her undergraduate years. Minh was extensively involved with bridges Multicultural Resource Center and REACH! Asian/Pacific Islander Recruitment and Retention Center from 2002-2005. As our Service and Outreach Coordinator, Minh advises individual students, student groups, sororities and fraternities, and other organizations on how to develop effective service programs. She oversees our Volunteer Opportunities Database and serves as the Cal Corps liaison to community based organizations and non-profits. Minh also oversees the Residential Service Initiative, co-facilitates Social Issues, Social Action, and supports Bonner Leeader Volunteer Managers working with non-profit organizations.
510/642-3916
ccorpsATberkeleyDOTedu
Open Office Hours: Friday 1-3pm @ 505 Eshleman Hall
Schedule

Suzan Akin
Internship Programs Coordinator
Suzan advises the Cal Corps Public Service Center internship programs, Cal in the Capital and Cal in Local Government. These programs provide students with meaningful placements in non-profit and governmental organizations in Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville and Washington, D.C. She also oversees the W.T. Chan Fellowship program, which places college-age scholars from China in 5-month public service internships in the Bay Area. Suzan has a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a specialization in Higher Education Administration. Prior to coming to Cal, Suzan worked with public service programs at Northwestern University in Chicago and Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu.
510/643-0303
suzanakinATberkeleyDOTedu
Office Hours: Tuesday 2-4pm @ 505 Eshleman Hall
Schedule

Mong Vang
Administrative Assistant
Mong joined the Cal Corps team in January 2007. He provides support for the administrative aspects of the Bonner Leaders Program, Bears United in Literacy Development (BUILD), Graduate Americorps Internship Program (GAIN), sponsored student groups, and tracks financial expenses for Cal Corps. He graduated from UC Berkeley in Fall 2006. As an undergraduate, he majored in Legal Studies and minored in Education and served as a BUILD tutor with Cal Corps from 2004-2006.
510/642-5886
mongvangATberkeleyDOTedu
Office Hours: Wednesday 3-5pm @ 102 Sproul

Joni Yamashiro
Cal Corps Artist-In-Residence
Joni is a 4^th year Cal student majoring in Public Health and Art Practice. As the Artist-In-Residence at Cal Corps, Joni helps us communicate the work we are doing. Currently, she is leading a collaborative art project made up of 1,000 cranes (a symbol of peace) with all Cal Corps student leaders that will portray their collective service. According to Joni, “ I hope student leaders
see the piece as representative of the potential of a collective effort and the importance of individual action (no matter how small- a couple folds of a paper would do!) to achieve a greater goal.”

Damali Burton
Youth and Student Groups Program Coordinator
Damali is the Youth and Student Groups Program Coordinator for the Cal Corps Public Service Center where she manages Volunteer Managers for the K-12 services provided to community partners. She also helps coordinate recruitment and training for the Destination: College Program and oversees the Student Initiated Community Projects Grants Program. Before coming to the Cal Corps Public Service Center, Damali served as a Program Manager with City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley and as a Community Development Specialist with Girl Scouts of Utah. Damali received her B.S. in Biology from Saint Mary's College of California and a Masters of Philosophy in Experimental Pathology from the University of Utah.

510-643-0307
damali-burtonATberkeleyDOTedu

Office Hours: Tuesday 3-4:30pm @ 505 Eshleman

Schedule

Bonner Leaders 2009-2010

All of our Programs are run by Bonner Leaders! Want to join this cool team? We recruit new student leaders at the end of the year. Check out the Bonner Leaders page for more info.

Ariel Annon	Berkeley School Volunteers -- Oxford
	I am only one person, but I have the ability to affect the lives of millions. I choose to do so with a warm heart and an open mind. As the character Socrates said in one of my favorite movies, Peaceful Warrior, “There is no greater purpose than service to others.” I believe in this statement and aim to live its message.
Lizette Avila	Berkeley School Volunteers -- Malcolm X
	I am a Mexican-American first generation college student, and Political Science and History double major. I attended high school in Richmond, Ca, though I love the city I grew up in, I have realized that it is place that lacks social and economic inequality. I hope to work as a human rights lawyer (when I grow up) and fight to bring civil liberties to many, and allow them a chance of also making a difference.

Roya Bazaei	Cal In the Local Government Assistant Director


Elaine Chang	Berkeley Food and Housing Volunteer Manager
	When I first came to Berkeley, I was shocked by the drastic difference from my small suburban hometown. I am inspired to social action by this new environment, to be active in correcting the daily injustices that plague so many and to contribute myself in continuing growth in our community.

Lillian Chen	BOSS Volunteer Manager
	Frustration inspires me to social action. The more I learn about injustices in the world (and I am still learning about them), the more frustrated I become by people's lack of action or emotion toward these wrongs, even sometimes by my own lack of action or emotion. Because of this, I'm inspired to change myself and turn my ignorance into actions to change the world around me, however small these actions may be. As I learned from Stefan from TV's "Top Chef," when you run into a crisis, "you don't complain - you fix it."

Sonam Dabholkar	Cal in Local Government Director
	When I see people less fortunate than myself, I am inspired to get involved in my community by trying to make life easier for those who didn't ask to live under harsh conditions. Meaningful service is any action that changes the lives of others in a positive way, no matter how large or small the impact. If your actions are remembered as being beneficial toward the community, then your service was meaningful. As a UC Berkeley student, I intend to spark Cal volunteers' interests in community service by connecting them with local leaders and providing opportunities for all levels of community involvement.

Michelle Fong	YEAH! Volunteer Manager



Maribel Garcia	Think College Now Volunteer Manager


Alison Glenesk	Magnolia Project Director


Meghan Hunt	Youth Support Program Volunteer Manager
	I am passionate about eating, cooking and growing good food; traveling and making new discoveries; and helping children around the world grow to meet their full potential and accomplish their dreams.

Briana Jauregui	WriterCoach Connection Volunteer Manager
	Knowing that I am creating pathways of opportunities for future generations of my community through recycling my own success as a student is what inspires me to social action.

Katia Johnstone	Emerson Elementary Volunteer Manager


Romina Keshishyan	Oakland Community Builders Course Facilitator


Joli Kongvoranan	Oakland Unified School District Volunteer Manager
	I am fourth year studying Psychology and Sociology. I am originally from Torrance in Southern California that is perfectly situated between the hills and the ocean. I am incredibly interested in working with youth and education. I love Disneyland, postcards, traveling, cupcakes, and photography. I enjoy good conversation, passionate people, and living in the now.

Jordan Levine	OBUGS Volunteer Manager
	What inspires me to social action is the fact that Berkeley has the largest achievement gap in California. I think we as privileged Berkeley students have the responsibility to help struggling children realize that they can go to college and lead successful lives. We need to believe in them so they can believe in themselves. I am passionate about dancing, social justice, and surrounding myself with the people I love.

George Liang	Berkeley School Volunteers - John Muir
	George Heng Hua Liang is born in Guangzhou, China and has moved to San Francisco at the age of 8. George is currently a Sophomore at Cal studying Molecular Environmental Biology with minors in Education and Classics. He is an agent of change and has dedicated many hours in community service projects in his community. George wants to further contribute to his community as a John Muir Elementary Volunteer Manager because he sees a lot of talents in today's schools and he does not want those talents to be wasted. Besides social injustice, George is interested in basketball,chess,traveling, and celebrating Asian cultures.

Albert Lin	Cal in the Capital Student Director - Alumni & Employer


Rebecca Mason	Fraternities and Sororities Liaison


Sara Mousavi	Alternative Breaks Director


Catherine Nguyen	Altermative Breaks - Communication Director

	I have three intelligent, talented, absolutely amazing younger siblings. They annoy me like crazy, but I would do anything for them. However, as they’re becoming young adults, I’m in a polisci lecture missing their volleyball games and band concerts. I’m not there for their track meets, and I can’t help them with their homework. I’m missing all those moments in their lives that my parents missed in mine, and the guilt I feel haunts me. I’m not there to teach them right from wrong, and if I don’t, if I can’t, who will? Every youth leader who has influenced my siblings, every tutor who has mentored them, every person who has been their motivation and inspiration when I couldn’t be—these people inspire me to public service. These people inspire me to social action. Pay it forward.
Lucy Nguyen	Residential Service Initiative Coordinator


Johnathon Ortega	Cal in Local Government Assistant Director


Ravi Patel	Magnolia Project Director
	Having had the privilege to work with some of the most hardworking and passionate student leaders on Cal's campus, I am inspired to work to help others have the service opportunities that I have had.

Phoebe Peronto	Cal in the Capital Student Director - Academics & Events
	Social action is important in order for the public's voice to be heard. I am inspired to affect change by the dynamism of legislators on Capitol Hill, and the passionate students here at Cal. My peers and their goals for a cooperative community are my source of motivation.

Jacqueline Roby	Berkeley School Volunteers -- Washington
	What inspires me to social action is witnessing all of the injustice around the world. I feel that life will be that more enjoyable when everyone is properly educated, housed, fed, and loved.

Osaama Saifi	McCullum Youth Court Volunteer Manager
	I feel that after one realizes of the many social injustices in the world, one must do what is in their capacity to alleviate social issues. I am inspired to social action because it is my duty as a member in this world we all share. We may see ourselves as autonomous beings, but the actions we do affect each other. By helping each other we help our selves, and we must continue this cycle." "I am passionate about about talking to people, and learning from the different stories we all have. We walk through life with many different perspectives, and these perspectives shed a unique light on life only we can see. By talking to people around and far from us, we can gain the puzzle pieces to the picture of life. Through this global perspective, we can realize that we are all much more similar than different.

Davetta Selma	Berkeley School Volunteers -- King Middle School
	The efforts of individuals in the past have greatly influenced my life chances. As a result, I am inspired to extend a helping hand to others.

Tahiya Sultan	Oakland Community Bulders Course Facilitator


Emma Tome	Alternative Breaks Director


Chloe Valencia	Training, Reflection, and Pedagogy Coordinator

Gwendolyn von Klan	Greening Berkeley Volunteer Manager
	People with hope and passion for our environment in dirty, dysfunctional, or wasteful circumstances inspire me to social action because when someone believes in a moral cause despite hardships and obstacles, I want to be a part of the positive action that takes place. Developing the hope and passion that lead to environmental change begin with education and awareness, so teaching others instigates positive interactions with the Earth and our community!

Jenna Westendorf	GRIP Volunteeer Manager


Wendy Wu	Rebuilding Together ABE Volunteer Manager


Maggie Young	Magnolia Project Director
	What inspire me to social action are the people in my life who embody the quote, “Be the change you seek.” I have been moved to social action by their example of not being overwhelmed by injustice but instead learning from their experiences and recognizing their own role in achieving constructive and meaningful change.

Allen Zheng	Cal in the Capital Student Director