
Meet Our Team

asher@ucsc.edu
Director, ALEE Center
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Dr. Anna Sher has extensive experience and expertise in assessment of student learning, equity-minded analysis, survey research, program evaluation, and accreditation. To initiate and facilitate a campus-wide engagement in assessment at UCSC, she developed a methodological framework and analytical support for faculty-led assessment with a focus on identifying equity gaps in student learning outcomes. Since 2013, Anna has worked with many faculty members across the campus on program-specific assessment studies in undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition to assessment, she has overseen a wide range of survey projects at UCSC seeking to understand key factors in students’ learning experience in the major, decision-making about coming to or leaving UCSC, and students’ experience and perceptions of inclusion and diversity at UCSC, as well as survey projects that supported campus strategic initiatives. Prior to taking on a leading role in supporting assessment at UCSC, she worked with the UCSC Chancellor’s Advisory committee on evaluating and improving the climate for diversity, equity, and inclusion at UCSC. Her research interests include equity-minded methods in assessment of learning and survey research, leading to improvement in student experience and learning outcomes. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Stony Brook University, NY, and is a graduate of the WSCUC Assessment Leadership Academy.

psung1@ucsc.edu
Senior Assessment Specialist
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Dr. Priscilla Sung provides analytical and administrative support for numerous assessment projects across UC Santa Cruz. Priscilla first joined the UCSC Assessment Team in 2016, and brings a passion for developing data visualizations to effectively communicate findings from UCSC’s innovative equity-minded assessment approach to diverse audiences. A researcher and educator with over a decade of teaching experience, Priscilla sees assessment as a powerful means of promoting student learning, enhancing instructor engagement, and advancing educational equity. She has been thrilled to have the opportunity to mentor UCSC undergraduates in assessment-related research through the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program since 2021. Her research interests include bilingualism, cognitive development, and education. Priscilla holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from UC Santa Cruz, and a B.A. in Education Studies from Brown University.

dweiler@ucsc.edu
Assessment Specialist
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Dr. Dori Weiler discovered her interest in assessment work while serving as a Graduate Student Researcher on the Assessment Team during her Ph.D. studies at UC Santa Cruz. She was drawn to assessment research because of its potential to promote student learning, generate concrete feedback for instructors, and drive positive institutional change. As a former instructor and teaching assistant for diverse courses, ranging from large lecture-based courses to research-based field courses, Dori has personally witnessed the positive impact of effective assessment. Dori holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Santa Cruz, and B.A.’s in Integrative Biology and Earth Sciences from UC Berkeley. As a graduate of STEM fields, Dori specializes in applying assessment research and tools in STEM settings to create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment.
Current Graduate Student Researchers

Jade Moore, M.S.
Graduate Student Researcher
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Jade Moore is a Ph.D. student in Social Psychology at UC Santa Cruz. Her focus is on the intersection between psychology and the law. Her work has focused on many parts of the legal process, from false confessions and juror decision making to correctional institutions and the use of force by correctional officers. Currently her work is centered on Black women’s experiences within the legal system and the different ways the system is set up in order to target and discriminate against Black women. This work is grounded in a sociol, historical, and political analysis with the goal of shedding light on the systems at work. Her teaching experience and research into criminal justice systems has sparked her interest in equity-focused assessment research and led to her work with ALEEC.

Karinna Nazario, M.S.
Graduate Student Researcher
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Karinna Nazario is a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology at UC Santa Cruz. Her experience as a teaching assistant and her passion for equity have guided her toward assessment research. Karinna recognizes the importance of understanding the various factors that influence student success in their courses. Collaborating with instructors and professors who utilize tools developed through assessment research, she has witnessed firsthand the transformative impact these tools can have on both classes and students. Karinna earned her B.S. from Eastern Connecticut State University and her M.S. from UC Santa Cruz. Her current research explores how narrative frameworks can provide insight into how adolescents and emerging adults use social media and life experiences to develop critical consciousness.
Student Researcher Alumni
Graduate Student Researchers
Matthew Kogan
PhD Candidate, Linguistics
Gagandeep Sachdeva
PhD Candidate, Economics
Roberto Mauad
PhD, Economics
Sam McHugh
PhD, Psychology
Tess Shirefly
PhD, Psychology
Doriane Weiler (2022-2023)
PhD, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Claudia Castañeda (2017-2022)
PhD, Psychology
Yu Zhang (2019-2021)
PhD, Psychology
Priscilla Sung (2016-2019)
PhD, Psychology
Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship (CUIP) Students
2023-2024
Janai Dagdagan
Intensive Psychology Major
Regan Miller
Cognitive Science Major
2022-2023
Julian Crown
Sociology & Legal Studies Major
Juli Sofijski
Sociology Major
2021-2022
Ashley Ippolito
Cognitive Science & Linguistics Major
Kaylie Kurland
Cognitive Science Major & Sustainability Studies Minor
2020-2021
Jacquelyn Orman
Psychology major