Meet the Team
Connect to the other members of the EVC Office and learn about their roles supporting Academic Affairs. Visit our Meet the Executive Vice Chancellor page to learn more about EVC Simmons.
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Robert Continetti, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (Sr. AVC-AA)
The Sr. AVC-AA serves as a principal advisor to the EVC, supporting the priorities of Academic Affairs in line with the university’s strategic plan. He is also responsible for managing academic personnel processes, including serving as the primary liaison to the Senate Committee on Academic Personnel (CAP), as well as administering new academic initiatives and providing guidance about resource needs to meet programmatic goals. In this capacity, Robert Continetti oversees Academic Personnel Services (APS) and serves as dean designee for the Design Lab and the Qualcomm Institute.
Contact:
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Alison Sanders, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff (Asst. VC-AA/COS)
The Asst.VC-AA/COS is a strategic advisor and collaborator that provides expertise and counsel on policies, programs, and operations for administrative and academic units that report to the Office of the EVC. Alison joined UC San Diego in 2019, and in this critical role, she works closely with faculty, administrative leaders, staff, and colleagues across the UC system to advance UC San Diego’s strategic goals.
Contact:
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Gillian Hemingway Asch
Deputy Chief of Staff
As Deputy Chief of Staff Gillian provides broad scope research and analysis, leadership, and consultation in advancing the priorities of the Executive Vice Chancellor. She leads and collaborates on organizational initiatives and their implementation, directs programs and initiatives of a complex and sensitive nature, and has oversight for and directs the work priorities of the immediate EVC Office professional administrative staff. Gillian acts as a liaison for the EVC Office, consultant and member of various campus committees. She joined UC San Diego and the Office of the EVC in 2003.
Questions about EVC strategic initiatives, endowed chair and faculty fellowship policy and gift fund stewardship, and EVC Office administrative operations may be directed to Gillian.
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Pegah Parsi
Chief Privacy Officer (Campus)
Pegah is the inaugural chief privacy officer for the UC San Diego campus where she spearheads the privacy and data protection efforts for the research, educational, and service enterprise. She is passionate about data ethics and privacy as human rights and civil liberties issues and is an advocate for the idea that privacy requires much more than legal compliance. She provides thought leadership on privacy values, ethical frameworks, and philosophy.
She manages a complex portfolio of privacy initiatives related to employees, students, applicants, alumni, and research participants and provides guidance on privacy laws and regulations, such as the GDPR, FERPA, HIPAA, PIPL, California privacy laws, and research privacy/Common Rule. Her day may involve anything from a consult on license plate readers to research involving smart devices to using AI and predictive analytics to support student success.
Prior to San Diego, Pegah was a privacy manager at Stanford University, focusing on medical studies and international collaborations. She is an attorney and holds an MBA. In her spare time, she advises clients on human rights and asylum matters. She is a Veteran, who, among other things, was the Honor Grad of Army Truck Driver school!
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Contact for: Any privacy-related issues, uses of personal data, and AI systems that interact with personal data.
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Carolyn Arntsen, M.P.A.
Special Assistant to the Executive Vice Chancellor
The Special Assistant provides management support to the EVC on a wide range of matters, working closely with the EVC's Executive Assistant and the Assistant Vice Chancellor/Chief of Staff. The role involves high-level work associated with complex and sensitive administrative issues and serves as a liaison to senior leaders, faculty, and staff colleagues at UC San Diego and across the UC system.
Carolyn came to UC San Diego and joined the EVC team in 2016. She is the main point of contact for EVC signature items and remarks; prepares presentations, communications, and other documents on behalf of the EVC Office; and collaborates on other special projects across Academic Affairs.
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Contact for: EVC signature items and remarks
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Melanie Bentley
Executive Assistant to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Robert Continetti
Melanie has twenty years of experience in executive administration at UC San Diego both on the General Campus and in Health Sciences, with expertise in process improvement and executive search logistics. She joined the EVC Office in 2018 and supports the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs (Robert Continetti). In this role, Melanie is the primary point of contact for calendar commitments, briefings, SAVCAA signature items, coordinates ad-hoc and standing committees, and is the Program Coordinator for the Society of Hellman Fellows, a faculty award program. Additionally, Melanie serves the campus as a Peer Mentor and a member on the UC San Diego Staff Association Executive Board (2024-2025).
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Contact for: Meeting scheduling, travel planning, committee support including UCOP committees, EVC Office search coordination, VIP visit coordination, Society of Hellman Fellows
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Kimberly Lamke Calderón, M.A., APR
Strategic Communication and Engagement Director
Kim Lamke Calderón joined the EVC's team in 2021, after working for several years as a journalist, and most recently as a communications and marketing professional for universities including San Diego State University and Oregon State University. As the EVC's Strategic Communication and Engagement Director, Kim has developed and works to implement a comprehensive communications strategy to strengthen communications about Academic Affairs and the Executive Vice Chancellor's portfolio. She strives to work collaboratively with partners across campus to inform the UC San Diego community about the EVC's vision, mission, and strategic goals.
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Contact for: Questions about the Academic Affairs newsletter, the EVC's website and campus notices.
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Stacey Carrillo Diamond
Communications Specialist
Stacey joined the office of the EVC as a Communications Specialist in 2024. She reports to Kim Lamke Calderón and works on the EVC newsletter, campus notices, writing articles and strategic communications projects. She is an experienced communications and marketing professional, most recently in marketing and development roles at UC San Diego’s School of Medicine and the Salk Institute.
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Contact for: Questions about the Academic Affairs newsletter, the EVC's website and campus notices.
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Celeste Grant
Executive Assistant to Assistant Vice Chancellor-AA/Chief of Staff, Alison Sanders
Celeste is a seasoned nonprofit and administrative professional with extensive experience. She joined UC San Diego in June of 2023 and has been with the EVC’s office since 2024. In her current role, she provides comprehensive support to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chief of Staff, overseeing meeting scheduling, travel arrangements, and special projects, including search coordination.
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Contact for: Meeting scheduling, travel planning, and special projects on behalf of Asst.VC-AA/COS Alison Sanders
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Cameron Jabbari, M.B.A.
Business Operations Coordinator
Cameron joined the EVC team in 2023, utilizing six years of experience in designing and refining business processes to enhance operational efficiency within a corporate environment. As the Business Operations Coordinator, Cameron provides support for the office's daily operations, including fiscal reconciliation, process optimization, supervision of student assistants, management of contact lists, and coordination of meetings.
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Contact for: Contact list updates, Finance Reconciliation, Conference Room 111A Scheduling, Facilities Management Requests
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Megan Navamani
Event Manager
Megan joined UC San Diego in 2019. With over a decade of experience in event planning, she specializes in executing high-profile events and virtual event production. As EVC Office Event Manager, Megan provides strategic support and consultation, working closely with project managers and department organizers to ensure seamless event execution in alignment with campus policies and best practices. In addition to coordinating in-person events, she leverages her expertise in Zoom and virtual event technology to develop inclusive and engaging online meetings, conferences, and hybrid events.
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Contact for: EVC signature events, Academic Affairs rep for campus signature events, Faculty and Research Town Halls, event logistics and venue space consultation -
Jessica Pinto
Executive Assistant to the Executive Vice Chancellor
Jessica joined UC San Diego in 2020 and the EVC Office in 2021. Jessica has more than 15 years of experience in executive administration, and she is the primary point of contact for all of the EVC’s calendar commitments. Working with the Special Assistant, Jessica manages the EVC’s daily and long-term work schedule, compiles briefings for all of the EVC’s meetings and events and completes other projects in support of the EVC and the EVC Office as needed.
Any scheduling requests for the EVC should be directed to Jessica.
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Contact for: EVC meeting and event scheduling, EVC meeting materials, EVC travel planning, Academic Deans meetings and Deans & Chairs meetings -
Wendy Van Duyn
Administrative Analyst
Wendy has over 15 years of experience in higher education. She has been with UC San Diego since May of 2022 and joined the EVC’s office in March 2023 in her role as Administrative Analyst where she supports the Executive Director of Institutional Research (Christine Hurley) and the Campus Privacy Officer (Pegah Parsi). Before that she worked for the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix and Arizona State University for many years.
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Parnika Gupta
Student Office Assistant
Parnika is an undergraduate student at UC San Diego majoring in Math-Econ (or if you want to say Mathematics-Economics). She joined the EVC Office in 2025 as an administrative student assistant. She assists office operations and helps to manage and maintain the 111A conference room, organize office files, and update distribution and listserv contact lists.
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Joy Shin
Student Office Assistant
Joy is an undergraduate student at UC San Diego majoring in Interdisciplinary Computing and Arts. She joined the EVC Office in 2022 as an administrative student assistant. She provides support in office operations. She helps manage and maintain the 111A conference room, organizes office files, and updates distribution and listserv contact lists.
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