Dean's Office Directory
Dean
Philip Williams
He/Him/His
Bldg. 47, Room 31
805-756-2706
Email Dean Williams
Philip Williams began his role as dean of Cal Poly’s College of Liberal Arts in August 2019. Previously, he served as director of the Center for Latin American Studies and Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida. He was also Co-Partnership Director for the Colombia-U.S. Human Rights Law School Program and co-directed the Program for Immigration, Religion, and Social Change (PIRSC). Williams holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Latin American Studies and Doctor of Philosophy in politics from the University of Oxford in 1986.
He is co-author of "Living "Illegal": The Human Face of Unauthorized Immigration (The New Press, 2011), "Militarization and Demilitarization in El Salvador's Transition to Democracy" (University of Pittsburgh 1997),The Catholic Church and Politics in Nicaragua and Costa Rica (Macmillan 1989), and co-editor of "A Place to Be: Brazilian, Guatemalan, and Mexican Immigrants in Florida’s New Destinations" (Rutgers University Press, 2009) and of Christianity, Globalization, and Social Change in the Americas (Rutgers University 2001).
Williams earned a number of prestigious fellowships and grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, Fulbright, National Science Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Tinker Foundation, United States Agency for International Development, United States Department of Education, United States Institute of Peace, and United States Department of State.
Associate Dean for Administration
Debra Valencia-Laver
She/Her/Hers
Bldg. 47, Room 31
805-756-2359
Email Debra Valencia-Laver
Associate Dean for Student Success
Penny Bennett
She/Her/Hers
Bldg. 47, Room 31
805-756-2359
Email Penny Bennett
Associate Dean for Diversity and Curriculum
Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti
She/Her/Hers
Bldg. 47, Room 31
805-756-2359
Email Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti
| STAFF | Name & Title | Office | Phone | Pronouns | |
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Administrative Support |
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Receptionist Heidi Velasco |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-2359 | email Heidi Velasco | she/her/hers |
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Assistant to the Dean Lynne Ricard |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-2706 | email Lynne Ricard | she/her/hers |
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Faculty Contracts Analyst Margie Valine |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-7678 | email Margie Valine | |
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Evaluations Process Analyst Melissa Bodin |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-2337 | email Melissa Bodin | she/her/hers |
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Finance and Budget Analyst Joy Sisler |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-5755 | email Joy Sisler | she/her/hers |
College Advisors |
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Lead Academic Advisor Sabrina Canady |
Bldg. 47, Room 22B | 805-756-6200 | email Sabrina Canady | she/her/hers |
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Academic Advisor Katie Harris |
Bldg. 47, Room 22B | 805-756-6200 | email Katie Harris | she/her/hers |
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Multicultural Academic Advisor Alejandra Cebreros |
Bldg. 47, Room 22B | 805-756-6200 | email Alejandra Cebreros | she/her/hers |
Development Office |
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| Photo coming soon | Interim Assistant Dean for Development Adam Jarman |
Bldg. 47, Rm. 31 | 805-756-6776 | email Adam Jarman | |
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Administrative Coordinator Debi Schwartz |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-6246 | email Debi Schwartz | she/her/hers |
College Communications |
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Communication Specialist Rachel Schultz |
Bldg. 47, Room 22J | 805-756-1216 | email Rachel Schultz | she/her/hers |
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Online Communication Specialist Krista Smith |
Bldg. 47, Room 22K | 805-756-2986 | email Krista Smith | she/her/hers |
CLA Tech Support |
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Computer and Technology Support Jennifer Hodges |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-1252 | email Jennifer Hodges | |
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Computer and Technology Support Jeff Yeackle |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-1252 | email Jeff Yeackle | |
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Computer and Technology Support Scott Kraczek |
Bldg. 47, Room 31 | 805-756-1252 | email Scott Kraczek | |