AAMP Advising Mentor Profiles

Supervisor of Undergraduate Advising, Languages and Literatures (LangLit)

Amy serves as the Supervisor of Undergraduate Advising for Languages and Literatures at UC Davis. She enjoys her job and student interactions so much that she wants to help new advisors across campus learn, grow, and find their own advising style, and she enjoys exploring and navigating the campus advising world alongside others. Away from work, she and her family enjoy camping, hiking, and fishing, and she loves reading, relaxing by the pool, and watching her son play high school sports.

Amy's advising philosophy

Academic Advisor, BASC

Lori serves as an academic advisor in the BASC at UC Davis, which she joined in 2024 after 27 years in advising roles ranging from coordinator to director. Originally from the Los Angeles area, she worked as a casting assistant before advising at UCLA and USC, then spent 20 years at the University of Oregon working with undeclared students and students in academic difficulty. She loves spending time with her son and partner, taking dance classes, trying new recipes, and walking along the beach.

BA in Communication Studies and History, UCLA; MA in Counseling in Student Affairs, UCLA

Lori's advising philosophy

Academic Advisor, Sociology and Anthropology

Kelli serves as an undergraduate advisor for Anthropology and Sociology students at UC Davis and has been advising for 17 years, starting in Design. A proud UC Davis alum, she is passionate about helping students discover their academic and career interests, and she developed and teaches a yearly 2-unit career development course while helping train advisors in integrating career and academic advising. Outside of work, she enjoys concerts, skiing in Tahoe, and traveling with her family, and is a self-described musical theater nerd.

BA In Managerial Economics, MS in Counseling with Career Counseling Specialization, Sac State 

Kelli's advising philosophy

Assistant Director, CBS/BASC

Joyce has served as an academic advisor for the BASC since its inception in 2013, working with students in Evolution, Ecology and Biodiversity; Plant Biology; and Undeclared – Life Sciences. In addition to advising, she has taught as an adjunct at California community colleges in the Sacramento area. Her dissertation focused on currently incarcerated students pursuing associate degrees in prison.

BA, Ethnic Studies; MA, Career Counseling; EdD, Educational Leadership

Joyce's advising philosophy

Associate Director, CA&ES Undergraduate Academic Programs

Alissa serves as the Associate Director in the CA&ES Dean's Office. The first in her family to go to college, she grew up in Patterson, a small Central Valley town, and loves supporting students' college and career goals and helping create a more inclusive campus. She has served on the UC Davis Staff Diversity Administrative Advisory Committee and the Gender Recognition and Lived Name Implementation Committee. She lives in Sacramento with her partner, two cats, and the cutest little chihuahua, and enjoys gardening, hiking, and reading a good book.

B.A. in English (Univ. of the Pacific), M.A. in English (Cal Poly SLO), and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (UC Davis)

Alissa's advising philosophy

Academic Advisor, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 

Mandy serves as an advisor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean's Office, after many years as a major advisor for Geology and Marine and Coastal Science. She studied Human Development and Communication at UC Davis and holds a Master's in Academic Advising from Kansas State University. Her favorite part of advising is getting to know students and guiding them toward the right goals and plans, and in her spare time she enjoys walking her dog, being in nature, traveling, reading, crocheting, and dancing.

BS in Human Development, UC Davis; MS in Academic Advising, Kansas State University

Mandy's advising philosophy

Academic Advisor, DSS Yellow Cluster

Rachel has been on staff at UC Davis since 2003 and has advised in the Yellow Cluster (PSC, CGS, PHI, STS) for almost eleven years, where she also facilitates the Campus Cat Safari First Year Aggie Connection each fall. A transfer from Solano Community College, she earned bachelor's degrees in History and German at UC Davis. Her lively household includes two teenage boys, two dogs, two cats, and a husband. She is a Hufflepuff, a Star Wars and Marvel fan (Princess Leia is her hero), an avid reader and crafter, and has dyed her hair almost every color imaginable.

BA in German, UC Davis; BA in History, UC Davis; AA in German, Solano Community College; AA in Liberal Arts, Solano Community College

Rachel's advising philosophy

Senior Academic Advisor, Undergraduate Education & Advising, College of Letters & Science

Wendy coordinates the undeclared program in the College of Letters and Science, which she joined in 2002, and works with the first-year team, supporting new students in their exploration. She began her advising career at the University of Oregon, later returning as Associate Director of the Office of Academic Advising after two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa. Wendy holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia and an M.S. in Counseling from the University of Oregon, and enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with family.

BA in Religious Studies, University of Virginia; MS in Counseling, University of Oregon

Academic Achievement Counselor / LEADR Program Advisor, LEADR, College of Engineering

Lauren serves as the LEADR Program Advisor in the College of Engineering at UC Davis. Her passion for student success began as an academic peer advisor for Sociology. Before joining Engineering, she worked in advising and program management roles across Undergraduate Education and Letters and Science. In her free time, Lauren enjoys drinking kombucha, cooking up a yummy meal, and admiring the beauty of creation.

BA in Sociology, BA in Psychology (UC Davis)

Lauren's advising philosophy