Shawn Ragan, Vice President, California Indian Nations College, UCR

Shawn Ragan is the Executive Vice President at California Indian Nations College, a two-year Tribal College located in the Coachella Valley. He is also an adjunct professor at University of the West in Rosemead, CA. He has a B.A. in History from Boise State University, an M.A. in History from UC Riverside, and is currently completing the final chapter of his dissertation, which examines the intersection of politics and religion in a period of crisis in the Roman Empire. He is always happy to support graduate students at UCR. 

Cati Porter, Executive Director, Inlandia Institute, UCR

Dr. Francisca Reyes was introduced to entrepreneurship when she was a graduate student. Since then, her focus is on Mexican American female entrepreneurs, rural entrepreneurship, technology transfer and entrepreneurship-led economic development.  She has provided technical assistance to entrepreneurs and reviewed the novelty of technologies prior to commercialization at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center and taught Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics at Western New Mexico University. Most recently, she worked with the United Nations Development Program Mexico creating strategies to attract investment and incorporate small businesses in global value chains. Francisca holds a Doctorate in Economic Development from New Mexico State University, an MBA and MPA from University of Texas at El Paso and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Institute of Technology in Durango, Mexico.  She joined the University of California - Riverside’s Office of Technology Partnerships on December 1, 2021, as the Entrepreneurial Education Lead and Campus Director for the Blackstone LaunchPad, where she promotes entrepreneurship among UCR students. 

Nancy Buckley, Professor, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Dr. Buckley is a professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is a cell molecular biologist who, in addition to teaching, conducts research with undergraduate and master’s level students. She and her students have two lines of research. They are investigating the effects of cannabinoids on Candida albicans infections. They are also investigating the effects of garlic on immune cells.

Fortino Morales III, Sustainability Manager, City of Riverside

Fortino Morales III has served as the City of Riverside’s Sustainability Manager since 2024. Fortino has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Riverside. Fortino brings his experience from UC Riverside where he served as the Sustainability Officer for 6 years. He previously served as the founding staff director of R’Garden, a seven-acre campus garden and experiential learning space for students and the surrounding community.

Caroline Vickers, Dean of Graduate Studies, California State University, San Bernardino

Dr. Caroline Vickers is Dean of Graduate Studies at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). Her main scholarly interests are related to second language socialization; multilingual interaction in the health care setting; and the experience of multilingual people in schools, universities, and society. She has published on these topics in journals such as Communication & Medicine, Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, Health Communication, Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, Journal of Pragmatics, Journal of Sociolinguistics, and The Modern Language Journal. Dr. Vickers is the co-author of a book, Introduction to Sociolinguistics: Society and Identity. She has also been the recipient of two National Institutes of Health grants to study multilingual clinical interaction and is currently co-PI for Project Raise, a National Science Foundation grant to investigate language-based challenges to students studying science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM) at the university. She is also co-PI for Creating Inclusive Pathways to Allied Health Professions, a U.S. Department of Education grant to support the development of allied health graduate programs at CSUSB and to enhance CSUSB’s Healthcare Spanish Certificate program.

Julio Sosa, Academic and Research Programs Officer, UC Alianza MX

Julio Sosa currently serves as the Academic and Research Programs Officer at UC Alianza MX, where he supports the administration of binational and systemwide initiatives for faculty collaborative and strategic research grants. Julio also coordinates research and academic exchange initiatives for UC undergraduate, graduate students, and postdocs as well as Mexican scholars.

Carol Hood, Associate Dean of Natural Sciences, CSU San Bernardino

Dr. Carol Hood is director of the Murillo Family Observatory, interim associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences and a professor in the Department of Physics. She is heavily involved in increasing the participation of underrepresented students in physics and astronomy and is principal investigator of the CSUSB-based ISSUES-X project, designed to help improve student success through faculty investigation and implementation of evidence-based pedagogies in STEM. Hood’s additional research interests involve studying the properties of galaxies and super-massive black holes via multi-wavelength observations to learn about their formation and growth over time.

Lidia Kos, Vice Provost & Dean of Graduate Studies, UCR

Dr. Lidia Kos joins UCR from Florida International University, or FIU, where she was a professor of biology, associate dean of the University Graduate School, and associate vice president of the Office of Research and Economic Development. At UCR, she leads the Graduate Division, which oversees graduate student recruitment, admissions, academic affairs, employment, and mentoring.

Miranda Evans, Deputy Community & Economic Development Director

Miranda is the Deputy Director of the Community and Economic Development Department (CEDD) for the City of Riverside. In her role, Evans oversees economic development initiatives, manages the successor agency to the former redevelopment agency, and leads real property services. With more than a decade of experience in economic development, city planning, and administration, Evans recently facilitated the relocation of Voltu Motor Inc.’s United States headquarters to Riverside.

Maryana Carreon, Program Associate, The Cheech Marin Center

Maryana is the Cheech Program Associate at the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum and also serves on the board of Riverside Latino Network. She is an advocate for Chicane/Latine artistic expression, environmental justice, community care, and Indigenous Rights. Carreon earned her Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dallas Rabenstein, Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Emeritus, UCR

Dr. Dallas Rabenstein is Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, former Dean of the Graduate Division, and Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Emeritus at UCR. His research was in bioanalytical chemistry, with a focus on the development of NMR spectroscopy methods and their application to the study of molecules of biological interest.

Sol Garay, Legislative Field Representative, City of Riverside, Ward 3

Sol currently serves as a Legislative Field Representative for City of Riverside Ward 3 Councilmember Steven Robillard. In this role, he supports the Councilmember through community outreach, constituent engagement, event coordination, and assisting with local policy initiatives. He previously served as an Advisor to Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson.

Sandra Martinez, Senior Communications Manager, Latina Futures 2050 Lab

Sandra is the senior communications manager at Latina Futures 2050 Lab, a research hub that addresses the multifaceted Latina experience in the U.S. by contextualizing key facts about Latinas. While its central focus is California, the impact of Latina Futures research extends far beyond state borders. Through its findings, Latina Futures will inform policies and decisions that influence the economic, social, and political lives of Latinas across the U.S.

Rob McMillan, Eyewitness News Inland Empire Bureau Chief, ABC7

Rob is the Eyewitness News Inland Empire bureau chief. He has been covering stories in Riverside County and San Bernardino County for almost 20 years. Some of the biggest stories he has reported on include the San Bernardino mass shooting, the Turpin family's "House of Horrors" and the coronavirus pandemic's impact throughout the Inland Empire.