Student Showcase

Nathalia Raygoza is a junior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Pre-Law. A first-generation Latina student, she currently serves as the ASI Student President, where she gains valuable experience hearing from students and representing their needs to the larger university community. Through her previous work as a Disability Accommodations and Support Services (DASS) note-taker and her advocacy with the nonprofit Best Buddies, Nathalia has seen firsthand the importance of helping others feel included, supported, and heard. Committed to ensuring that no student is left behind, Nathalia believes everyone deserves to feel a sense of belonging and to know that their voice matters.   

Jay Paz is a senior majoring in Sociology at CSU Channel Islands. A first generation EOP transfer student from Santa Barbara City College, he currently serves as Vice President of ASI Student Government, having worked his way up through roles as Senator and Associate Justice before being appointed to the position. His capstone research examines LGBTQ+ underidentification and service underutilization. Jay believes every student deserves to feel seen, supported, and represented, and he is committed to making sure no one on campus feels left behind. He plans to pursue a career in education Here at CSUCI.   

Samantha Ledezma is a second-year student at California State University Channel Islands, double majoring in Health Science and Chemistry. She is passionate about research focused on women’s health, underserved populations, and improving access to healthcare. During the summer, Samantha participated in CSUCI’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). Her project, “Voices of Care: Evaluating Patient and Volunteer Experiences at a Community Free Clinic,” explored the experiences of patients and volunteers at Westminster Free Clinic, which provides healthcare services to uninsured individuals and families throughout Ventura County. The fellowship strengthened her interest in using research to address critical healthcare needs within local communities. Samantha plans to continue her research with a long-term goal of pursuing a joint MD/PhD program, becoming both a medical provider and researcher. Through this path, she hopes to bridge the gap between scientific research and patient care to improve health outcomes and treatment. The generosity and support of CSUCI donors have helped make these transformative opportunities possible for Samantha and countless other students across the University community.

As the youngest of three siblings in a family of five, Hector felt a significant sense of responsibility in choosing a university. He looked for a place that would provide strong academic resources and a supportive environment for personal growth. CSU Channel Islands caught his attention not only because it offered his desired major, Mechatronics Engineering, but also due to its small class sizes and approachable faculty. Plus, the campus’s beautiful scenery and welcoming atmosphere were a bonus. Hector notes he feels truly honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a CSUCI President’s Scholar. As he continues his academic journey, he hopes to make the most of this opportunity to support and grow CSUCI’s goals and programs but also to advance his interests and learning.

Dr. Vedang Chauhan is an Associate Professor of Mechatronics Engineering at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). He has more than 20 years of teaching and research experience across India, Canada, and the United States. His research focuses on robotics, artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning, and intelligent automation. Dr. Chauhan has led several industry-sponsored and externally and internally funded research projects and actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students. His research has resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications, many co-authored with his students, and he is passionate about integrating emerging technologies and hands-on research into engineering education.

Nancy Bran-Umana is a Mechatronics Engineering student at CSU Channel Islands with a background in military and aerospace service. She served for eight years in the United States Navy as an Aircraft Structural Mechanic and later worked for four years as a Technical Representative with Northrop Grumman.

Nancy chose CSUCI because of its engineering program and strong support for veteran students. For more than a decade, her professional experience centered around aircraft, so pursuing a degree in Mechatronics Engineering felt like a natural way to build on that experience while expanding her technical knowledge. 

Robert is a senior Mechatronics Engineering student at CSU Channel Islands, currently in his final semester. He was born in New Jersey but moved to Peru when he was eight years old, where he grew up before returning to the United States at sixteen to finish his junior and senior years of high school.

His interest in engineering comes from always being curious about how things work. Growing up, he enjoyed tinkering, taking things apart, putting them back together, and finding different ways to solve problems. That hands-on curiosity eventually led him to pursue Mechatronics Engineering at CSUCI. One of the things Robert has enjoyed most about CSUCI is its calm and welcoming environment, especially the campus scenery and connection to nature. As he gets closer to graduation, he is excited to take what he has learned and apply it to new projects and opportunities.

Keanu Ramirez is a senior at California State University Channel Islands pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering and expecting to graduate in fall 2026. As a participant in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows program, he worked on a vision-guided collaborative robot system, integrating Python, computer vision, depth sensing, and robotic control to automate object identification and pick-and-place tasks. Keanu is also a Department of Defense SMART Scholarship-for-Service recipient sponsored by Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. His interests include robotics, controls, mechanical systems, programming, and systems integration. He hopes to apply these skills to solve complex engineering challenges and support naval readiness and national defense.

Dr. Brenton Spies is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Environmental Science and Resource Management Program at CSU Channel Islands. A conservation ecologist, his work focuses on wildfire and disaster relief, habitat restoration, and endangered species management, with projects ranging from wildlife recovery to innovative soil remediation. He integrates student research into these efforts, creating hands-on learning experiences that advance both conservation outcomes and the next generation of environmental leaders.

Jet is a senior at CSUCI pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science & Resource Management with a minor in Public Policy. The well-connected Environmental Science program and the beautiful campus made deciding to attend CI an easy choice for them. Post-graduation, they plan to attend graduate school and pursue a career in restoration ecology. 

Photo and Bio Not Available

Devan is a senior in Environmental Science and Resource Management (ESRM) at Cal State Channel Islands. She chose CSUCI for its community atmosphere as well as its highly regarded ESRM program. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in ecological conservation. 

Christopher Blackwell is a senior at California State University Channel Islands, studying Environmental Science and Resource Management, with an emphasis on Earth Systems and Technology. His main reason for choosing CSUCI is the strong environmental community on campus, and the Santa Rosa Island Research Station. After graduation, he plans to achieve a master's degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and hopes to work with Ventura County's GIS department.   

Dr. Ray Bowman, D.B.A., CGBP, directs the Small Business Development Center serving Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, leading a combined SBDC and Accelerate California Inclusive Innovation Hub operation. He teaches Business Operations and Entrepreneurial Management at Cal State Channel Islands and currently instructs CSUCI's M.S. in Data Analytics capstone. A recognized leader at the intersection of operations and AI, he serves on the national SBDC Committee on Artificial Intelligence, co-leads CSUCI's Google AI Internship Program, and has spent three years building AI-driven teaching tools around a "cognitive complementarity" philosophy, using AI to sharpen judgment rather than replace it. 

Roci Barnes is a Senior Vice President and Client Reporting Manager II with over 38 years in banking and financial services. She leads a team of analysts and report developers, specializing in data reporting automation using SQL, Alteryx, and Tableau. A dedicated mentor, Roci has guided her team through major technology transitions and is passionate about driving AI readiness in the financial industry. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from CSUCI and is pursuing her MSBA to further equip her team for the industry's AI-driven future. As she is leading a team of analysts and report developers through a major shift in tools and AI-driven change, she needed structured, practical learning to guide her team forward. CSUCI's MSBA program delivered exactly that, with a curriculum built for real-world impact, in a convenient hybrid format that fits her schedule. 

Josh Randolph is an AI & Business Intelligence Engineer at Horsemen Investigations, where he is architecting a company-wide operational platform using Microsoft Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse, APIs, Python, and AI workflows. He translates departmental needs, stakeholder interviews and siloed knowledge into integrated applications, automations, structured data, and reporting systems. His recent CRM integration reduces critical data entry by 15–20 minutes across more than 60 daily cases, with more to come. Josh aspires to found a Technical Solutions Consultancy, helping organizations replace fragmented, manual processes with practical, scalable systems. He chose CSUCI’s MSBA program to connect his professional experience with practical training in analytics, technology, and systems design. The program, particularly the Google-funded SBDC internship, helped him secure his current position at Horsemen Investigations and establish it as a new role within the company. The MSBA program has provided him with learning to turn operational problems into measurable, scalable solutions. 

 

Professor Minder Chen is a professor of Management Information Systems at the MVS School of Business and Economics and faculty co-lead of the new Master of Science in Business Analytics program. He also directs the AI and Business Analytics Lab (AIBAL), funded by a MacKenzie Scott grant. His work focuses on the impact of generative AI on business, entrepreneurship, and education. 

Liz King has been a Professor of Art at California State University Channel Islands since 2003 and currently serves as Interim Chair of the Art Program. She teaches both fine art and computer-based art courses, with a particular interest in the intersection of art and technology.

Liz earned her MFA from UCLA, where she received the President’s Fellowship in Art and a UCLA Art Council Award. She was also awarded the Armand Hammer Prize in the Visual Arts from the Los Angeles Arts Council. Her artwork has been exhibited in juried shows and exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe.

Before joining CSUCI, Liz worked professionally in broadcast design and motion graphics at Novocom, where she contributed to the 1997 ABC Monday Night Football campaign. Her design work has included projects for CBS Sunday Morning, ESPN, Los Angeles UPN Channel 13 News, Entertainment Tonight, and Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet. As Art Director at USA Network’s Styleclick Inc., she worked on the First Auction website and created graphics for the Oxygen Network and NASCAR website.

Liz brings her professional experience in both traditional and digital art into the classroom, where she enjoys helping students explore creative possibilities across different media and technologies.

As a first-generation, low-income student, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and a minor in Art History at CSU Channel Islands. She values the opportunity to explore a variety of creative mediums through hands-on learning, foundational coursework, and studio time with faculty. With the guidance of her professors, she has grown significantly as an artist and is applying her knowledge and skills to professional creative opportunities. 

 

Photo and Bio Not Available

Raised in Ventura County, Ryeanne is an exploratory artist whose work is driven by play, material experimentation and colors. Working primarily with clay she is interested in the possibility of form, surface texture and atmospheric processes. She enjoys practicing methods of reusing, recycling, using found object, marine debris and incorporating it into her artwork. She is currently a student at California State University Channel Islands where she works as an exhibiting artist, teaching artist and studio assistant. Ryeanne plans to build a career in ceramics and continue her education by earning a masters degree in the field. 

As an Associate Professor of Biology at Cal State Channel Islands, Dr. Alvarado helps students gain hands-on experience in ecology, ornithology, and wildlife conservation. Through the CSUCI–Santa Barbara Zoo partnership, she connects student learning with real-world conservation projects that protect species and habitats. Her teaching and mentorship prepare students to become the next generation of conservation leaders.

Nicholas Burdick is a bioacoustics researcher and senior at Cal State Channel Islands, where he is completing a B.S. in Biology, a B.A. in Psychology, and a Certificate in Environmental Technologies. His work centers on passive acoustic monitoring and soundscape ecology across the California Channel Islands and Ventura County, spanning birds, bats, and amphibians. His current research includes acoustic monitoring of the California red-legged frog, a federally threatened species that depends on the region's creeks, ponds, and riparian habitat, conducted in partnership with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and the Santa Barbara Zoo. He also contributes to regional biodiversity monitoring through Sentinel Sites for Nature, a partnership between CDFW and the CSU system. 

Sasha chose Cal State Channel Islands to pursue a longstanding interest in animals through the study of biology, with a long-term goal of becoming a veterinarian. Courses such as Behavioral Ecology and Animal Physiology helped them connect an interest in animals with research and conservation. Last year, Sasha joined Dr. Alvarado’s lab and began studying bioacoustics, which uses recorded sounds to study animals without disturbing them. After visiting Santa Rosa Island with the research group in April, Sasha became particularly interested in nighttime animal activity near the Cloud Forest. Sasha is now analyzing acoustic recordings from Santa Rosa Island and mainland locations to examine bat activity and habitat differences. They hope these experiences will prepare them for veterinary school while allowing them to continue exploring animal behavior, wildlife conservation, and research. 

After seeing the great research opportunities that the Biology program offered and how much access to professors there is at CSUCI, the school became the clear choice for Mikai. His main interest is learning about animal behavior, which made the Red-Legged Frog project a perfect fit for his academic and professional goals. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school and continue his studies on animal behavior and hopes to make improvements in animal welfare for wild and domesticated species. 

Heather Castillo is a performer, choreographer, scholar, educator, and Department Chair of Dance, Music, and Theatre at California State University Channel Islands. A CSUCI faculty member since 2010, she helped transform Dance from an emphasis within Performing Arts into a Dance Studies degree grounded in accessibility, critical inquiry, creativity, and embodied knowledge. As the department’s inaugural chair, she advocates for performing arts visibility across campus. 

Castillo received the 2026 CSU Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching, the California State University’s highest honor for faculty and staff. Her teaching empowers students to discover confidence, identity, and creative agency through movement. With MiRi Park, she received the CSU Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award and founded the CSU Dance Collective, producing seven systemwide concerts during the pandemic. Before entering higher education, Castillo performed alongside artists ranging from Andy Williams to Selena Gomez. Her choreography credits include productions featuring Sally Struthers and Debbie Gibson. Her groundbreaking research tracing the origins of lyrical jazz will be published in February 2027 by Oxford University Press in Queer Dance: Meanings and Makings. Across her teaching, scholarship, choreography, and leadership, Castillo affirms her guiding belief that dance is for every body and essential to being human. 

Taylor Bowman is a second-year student at California State University Channel Islands. This is her second time performing at the President’s Dinner. She is a Dance major with a minor in Communications and is excited to continue developing as a dancer, performer, and artist at CSUCI. She has performed in Roots in Flow and ((echo/pulse)), CI Dance Studies’ Fall and Spring Dance Concerts. Taylor has also attended the American College Dance Association Conference, where she presented work. She is interested in exploring the intersections of dance, performance, and sport, and she is a member of the inaugural CSUCI Dance Team. 

James Gardner is a Senior in the Music B.A. Degree program in the Department of Dance, Music, and Theater. They have performed in Ride the Cyclone as Noel Gruber at CSUCI, Performed in the University Chorus at Carnegie Hall in New York City and been a Tenor soloist for the Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic in The Walt Disney Concert Hall. They pride themselves in bringing queer experiences into high art forms such as opera and theater. Their future endeavors involve applying to masters programs in Vocal Performance and performing anywhere and everywhere they can; this includes their Senior Recital in May 2027 in Malibu Hall.

Mahala Emeka is a Psychology major at California State University Channel Islands with a lifelong passion for dance. She previously trained at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and has continued to grow as a performer and choreographer at CSUCI. Mahala has performed and created work for both of CSUCI’s Fall and Spring Dance Concerts, Roots in Flow and ((echo/pulse)). She has also participated in the American College Dance Association Conference. Mahala uses movement to express emotion and connect with others, and she is grateful for every opportunity to continue creating and performing. 

Nicholas Kavoklis is a versatile movement artist whose career spans stage, television, music videos, and live entertainment. His performance credits include a lead role in Virgin Voyages’ Another Rose; Royal Caribbean’s AQUA 80, The Fine Line, and Hideaway Heist; Super Bowl LVI; Electric Daisy Carnival; FX’s Pose LA voguing showcase; and Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Kwerk, Full Throttle Nights, Voodoo Nights, and Snowy Nights. On screen, Nicholas has appeared in a national Cheerios commercial on the Kids’ Choice Awards, as a stunt double in FOX’s 9-1-1: Lone Star, and in music videos for T-Pain, Todrick Hall, Keke Palmer, Londrelle, Armaan Malik, and Dance Moms’ Nia Sioux. He has also served as a skeleton crew dancer for So You Think You Can Dance. Nicholas has assisted the choreography teams for Disney’s Encanto: Live at the Hollywood Bowl and Netflix’s Spellbound and has worked with acclaimed choreographers such as Jamal Sims, Richy Jackson, Dashaun Wesley, Comfort Fedoke, and JaQuel Knight. A certified Arthur Murray ballroom instructor and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics dance judge, he specializes in whacking, voguing, and a wide range of other street and club styles. He is passionate about honoring the cultural roots of dance while bringing authenticity, versatility, and dynamic storytelling to every performance. Nicholas is excited to represent CSUCI’s dance department and to be a founding member of CSUCI’s inaugural dance team. 

Adien is a third-year Dance major at California State University Channel Islands. She has been dancing for six years and is especially passionate about hip-hop and choreography. At CSUCI, Adien has performed and choreographed work for the Dance Studies Fall and Spring Dance Concerts, Roots in Flow and ((echo/pulse)). She has also participated in adjudicated concerts at the American College Dance Association Conference. CSUCI has helped cultivate Adien’s educational and artistic journey, and she looks forward to further exploring hip-hop and choreography, expanding her creative talents, and continuing to grow as both a dancer and scholar.