Meet our mentors
Advisor-to-advisor connections are a vital part of learning, growth, and fostering a sense of belonging. The Academic Advising Mentoring Program (AAMP) offers a supportive community where advisors can connect, share experiences, and grow professionally. Our mentors are valuable resources, and we encourage you to build relationships that enhance your advising practice and contribute to your overall well-being as an academic advisor at UC Davis.
Mentor matching opens at the start of each academic year (typically in September). If you’ve found this page after that time, don’t worry—there are still ways to get involved! Feel free to reach out to the AAMP co-chairs. If a mentor has capacity and your goals and interests align, we’ll do our best to arrange a match.
Jordan Dade
Advising Programs Manager
BFTV Cluster
I was born and raised in Southern California (and never imagined leaving), and earned a BS in advertising from Pepperdine University, and shortly afterward began my career in higher education at USC. I eventually moved up to Northern California and started working at UC Davis in 2009, first as a program manager at the Graduate School of Management, and then as an international academic advisor in the College of Engineering. I am currently the advising programs manager for the BFTV cluster, supporting the departments of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Food Science, and Viticulture & Enology. I also serve as the graduate coordinator for the Food Science Graduate Group. I earned a masters degree in academic advising from Kansas State University and have been recognized with the global outstanding advisor award from NACADA. I love dogs, Disney, sourdough, riding ATVs, and lifelong learning... and I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
BA in Advertising, Pepperdine University; MS in Academic Advising, Kansas State University
Kelli Sholer
Academic Advisor
Sociology and Anthropology
I have been an undergraduate advisor for 17 years at UC Davis and was also an undergraduate student at UC Davis as well. I began my advising career working with Design students for 6 years and then have been advising ANT/SOC students for the last 11 years. I am passionate about helping students make meaningful connections between their unique interests, values, and skills as they navigate their academic and career goals. One major professional milestone I'm especially proud of is developing and teaching a 2 unit course once per year that helps students reflect on their career development process. Outside of work, I enjoy seeing as many Broadway musicals as possible, scouting out new restaurants to try in Sac, and traveling (most recently to Costa Rica!) with my husband and 8 year old son.
B.S. in Managerial Economics (UC Davis), M.S. in Counseling with Career Counseling Specialization (Sac State)
Ashley Pelham
Academic Advisor
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
I am a proud first-gen college grad from the central valley. Much of my higher education experience has been in career advising for STEM students, specifically CSC/Engineering. I love my students and my campus community. I have served on Staff Assembly in various roles since 2023, most recently as Chair. This experience has given me great insight into leadership and the side of the university that most don't see. I am a mom of 3 busy kids and love to travel when I can!
BA - Psychology from CSU Fresno, M.Ed - College Counseling and Student Development, NC State
Kelly Torbet
Academic Advisor and Peer Supervisor
Yellow Cluster Advising
Hello and welcome! I am an Undergraduate Academic Advisor for Yellow Cluster Advising (Psychology, Cognitive Science, Philosophy, and Science & Technology Studies). I also serve as the Peer Supervisor for our peer advising team including recruitment, training, and professional development. I have a Masters in Counseling from CSU Sacramento with a specialization in Career Counseling. I have nearly a decade of experience not only in higher education, but in behavioral health and social services.
MS in Counseling (Career Counseling Concentration), CSU Sacramento 2020 | BA in Psychology BA in Communication, UC Davis 2017
Maria Saldaña
Academic Advisor
Agricultural and Resource Economics
Hola! I am Maria Saldaña one of the academic advisors in Managerial Economics with over 25 years of experience working in higher education. Before joining the Managerial Economics team, I worked in previous departments and programs such as: Viticulture and Enology, English, University Writing Program, Humanities, Comparative Litereature, French, Italian, Religious Studies, Cell Biology, and Genetics, to name a few.
A Mexican Native who grew up in South Central LA and Delano, CA, made my way to UC Davis and earned a Spanish BA in 1999, as well as an MA in Higher Education Leadership from Sacramento State in 2021. Currently lead, serving as Co-Chair of the UC Davis Chicanx Latinx Alumni Association, and as Advisor and Mentor for the Prytanean Women's Honor Society. In my free time, I offers my talents to help and serve the under-represented community through events and organizations like the Cesar Chavez Leadership Conference, and the Chicanx/Latinx Graduation, while also assisting Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) with various events throughout the year. In the community I directs the St. James Rite of Christian Initiation for Adult (RCIA) program and in the summer teach Faith Formation to children in the Davis Migrant Camp to the children of farm worker.
BA from UC Davis & MA from CSU Sacramento
Maria's advising philosophy
Lauren Wong
Academic Achievement Counselor / LEADR Program Advisor
LEADR, College of Engineering
Lauren serves as the LEADR Program Advisor in the College of Engineering. Prior to this role, she served in various advising and program management roles in Undergraduate Education and the College of Letters and Science. Her passion for advising started when she worked as an academic peer advisor for the Sociology Department on campus.
BA in Sociology, BA in Psychology (UC Davis)