Meet the Staff

Betsy Kaminski

Director of Women, Gender, and Sexual Equity

Betsy is the Director of Women, Gender, and Sexual Equity, which encompasses the Women's Center and the Non-Traditional Student Resource Center. She came to UCSB after spending eleven years as a faculty member at a public university in Connecticut. She enjoyed teaching courses on subjects such as social movements, LGBTQ communities, research methods, and the sociology of music, but decided that she preferred working with students outside of the classroom on programs that reach across the university community. Influenced by her academic background in social movements, Betsy’s approach in mentoring students is to support them in identifying their strengths, envisioning their goals, and building coalitions in pursuit of social justice!

Viviana Valle Gomez

Associate Director

vallegomez@ucsb.edu

As the Associate Director of Women, Gender, and Sexual Equity, Viviana (all gender pronouns) is dedicated to bridging the gap between scholarship and activism, recognizing the immense potential of combining rigorous academic insights with tangible on-the-ground experience and strategy. Viviana has spent the past ten years sharpening a feminist approach to critique the historical and philosophical frameworks that our society is built on. They see the Women's Center as the perfect space to help cultivate student's emerging feminist consciousness and the issues that they feel most connected to. The Women's Center becomes the necessary supplement to put what students learn in the classroom into practice and amplify their impact.

Viviana got her Master of Arts in American Studies with an Sexuality and Gender at Columbia University in 2020 and her Bachelor of Arts in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a minor in Chicana/o Studies from UC Davis in 2018. Viviana is currently working on their Doctorate in Feminist Studies at UCSB. Her research explores sex workers' meaning-making and self-actualizing practices through tattoos. On her time off, Viviana likes to play tenor saxophone in various bands across California, fantasize about interior design projects, and figure out if her cat actually likes her.

Drop-in hours vary, schedule time with Viviana here.

Administrative Coordinators

Isabella Pierce

Administrative Coordinator/Social Media Coordinator

isabellapierce@ucsb.edu

Isabella (she/her) is a Political Science major who aspires to go to law school. As a long-standing Women’s Center enthusiast, she is so grateful to be a part of the community as the Social Media manager. She loves to read, wander around grocery stores with her friends, and go on four hour walks in the Santa Barbara hills. She’s a big fan of visitors, too, so always feel free to chat at the desk with her!!

Jade Pickerstein

Administrative Coordinator & Reproductive Justice Specialist

Jade is an Anthropology major with a minor in History. As an Administrative Coordinator & Reproductive Justice Specialist, she is excited to help make reproductive health products more easily accessible to those in the UCSB community. In her free time she loves to play the guitar, dance, and search for gems at the thrift store. She loves to meet new people, so feel free to come say hi to her at the front desk!

Logan Tiska

Administrative Coordinator/Newsletter Editor

ltiska@ucsb.edu

Logan (she/her) is a fourth year Biology major with an emphasis in Biochemistry. She is absolutely stoked to take on her second year as an Administrative Coordinator! In her free time she loves to climb, sing, do yoga, and go on adventures! When you see her sitting at the front desk feel free to talk to her about literally anything she loves to yap and learn new fun facts!

Student Programmers

Carissa Newsome

Graduate Student Programmer

carissanewsome@ucsb.edu

Carissa (she/her) is a second year PhD student in the Feminist Studies department. She is passionate about sex workers' labor rights, their organizing efforts, and the field of sexuality studies. She has two cats, loves running, and is a Swiftie. From spending almost everyday in the Women's Center at her undergrad to working in one after obtaining her master's degree, Women's Centers have been spaces of joy and refuge for Carissa. She wants to contribute to creating the same kind of space for others at UCSB!

Sruthi Sudarsan

Student Programmer

Sruthi is a fourth-year double majoring in Biological Sciences and Statistics & Data Science, and she hopes to go to medical school after graduating. She's passionate about women's health equity and education, and she loves creating spaces where people can learn about their bodies and their health without feeling judged or left out. As a Student Programmer, she's looking forward to planning events that bring people together and help the Women's Center feel like a second home. Outside of work and school, she loves to dance, practice yoga, and read!