Graduate Student

Emily Springhart

Emily Springhart is a Master's degree candidate in the 24th cohort of the Principal Leadership Institute program at UC Berkeley's School of Education. Her educational interests include special education, program development, mental health supports and services, and inclusive educational practices.

Emily currently works as a school psychologist in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, where she serves as the co-chair of the Psychology department as well as the district behavior team. She is also an active cadre member of CAPTAIN (California Autism Professional Training and...

Ángel Vargas Rico

Ángel Vargas Rico is a Chicano social justice practitioner and educator and a Master's degree candidate in the 24th cohort of the Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) program at UC Berkeley's School of Education. Ángel is committed to yielding equitable outcomes for historically underserved students and seeks to break the generational cycle of poverty for marginalized students and their families by removing barriers to their educational success. Ángel's commitment to educating, empowering, and supporting students in fulfilling their needs aligns perfectly with the PLI's mission. Ángel...

Yesenia Castro-Mitchell

Yesenia Castro-Michell is a Master's degree candidate in the 24th cohort of the Principal Leadership Institute at UC Berkeley's School of Education.

Yesenia has worked in education since she was a student in Los Angeles Unified Schools District (LAUSD). She has worked in a variety of contexts, including at UCLA, SFUSD, CSUSM, SSU, and OUSD serving in capacities that range from IEP Coordinator to Department Chair for Computer Science. Yesenia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Fine Arts. She has a Masters in Instructional Science Technology, a credential in Art and Computer...

Katy Memon

Katy has worked in special education since 2015. Currently, she serves as the resource program specialist and special education team leader at Sutro Elementary School in the Richmond District of San Francisco. Throughout her nine years in education, Katy has also held roles as a paraprofessional, behavior interventionist, special day class teacher, and teacher educator. In 2024, Katy was nominated for the Advocate Worthy of Excellence Award from the SFUSD Community Advocacy Committee for her work at Sutro Elementary School.

Katy received her Bachelor’s in Philosophy, Neuroscience...

Elena DeNecochea

Elena Lycette DeNecochea is a Master's Graduate Student at the Berkeley School of Education (BSE) specializing in the Cultural Studies of Sport in Education (CSSE) program. She is an Assistant Coach for JV Football at El Camino Fundamental High School and a Substitute Teacher for the San Juan Unified School District.

They are a BSE Delegate for the Graduate Assembly. Previously, Chairperson of the Gender and Sexuality Commission (GASC) for UC Davis (ASUCD), the California State Student Association (CSSA) Liaison and Vice-Chair of Lobby Corps for (ASI) at Sacramento State University...

Henry Sales Hernandez

Henry Sales Leonel Hernandez, a first-generation college student from an Indigenous Maya Mam immigrant family from Guatemala, is a doctoral candidate in the Language, Literacy, and Culture cluster at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. His path as an Indigenous Maya Mam has been shaped by resilience and a dedication to his cultural heritage, driving him to become a recognized researcher and academic working to revitalize the Maya Mam language and culture. He lives in Oakland, CA with his wife and a lovely daughter.

Growing up in San Juan Atitán, Guatemala, Henry developed a profound...

Ivon Gomez Vargas

Ivon is an educational leader with over a decade of experience dedicated to advancing equity and justice in early childhood education. Her diverse roles—including teacher, director, founder of private centers and family child cares, and Head Start coordinator—have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the early childhood sector. As an equity-driven leader and edupreneur, Ivon is committed to serving historically marginalized children and families across various early childhood settings.

In her practice, Ivon is a reflective...

Kayla Thomas

Kayla Thomas is a third-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at the BSE. She graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and minors in Education and Spanish. During her time at Stanford, she received the Andrea Naomi Leiderman Fellowship, allowing her to assist in the evaluation of a social-emotional learning curriculum as part of a research-practice partnership with San Francisco Unified School District. Kayla also worked as an Education Partnerships Fellow where she taught early learning skills to bilingual preschool and elementary students...

Sarah Goulart

Sarah Goulart is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Berkeley School of Education, specializing in social research methods. As a first-generation student with a strong interest in the transfer student experience, Sarah's research focuses on the challenges in the transfer process. She examines the intersection of institutional policies and AI models aimed at facilitating cross-campus planning.

As a Chancellor's Fellow and a Gardner Fellow, Sarah is committed to fostering equitable educational systems. Drawing from her own experiences and a passion for advocacy, she believes that...

Thong Trinh

Thong M. Trinh is a Berkeley Fellow and PhD student at the University of California, Berkeley, where his research focuses on Higher Education Policy, particularly on Finance. His work explores critical issues such as student willingness to pay, university budgeting, and the design and implementation of financial aid systems. Using quantitative research methods and quasi-experimental designs, Thong's research contributes to understanding how financial policies impact both institutions and students in higher education.

Thong holds an EdM in Education Policy, Organization, and...