My name is Grayson Hutchinson and I am in my second and final year at Cabrillo as an honours anthropology major. I identify as a transmasculine nonbinary person and I use he/they pronouns. My dream is to work in anthropology and help redesign the education system to be more inclusive or be a college professor. I am an intern for the Office of Student Equity at Cabrillo and president of the Cabrillo College Gender and Sexuality Club. When I am not working or studying I am spending time with my partner, friends, and tripod Maltese named Bumper!

Kelly Jeong is a 50-year-old South Korean native and the editor-in-chief of Korean Life, a Korean-language newspaper. Currently pursuing a degree in chemistry and biology at Cabrillo College, she is on an inspiring journey to fulfill her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon or psychiatrist. With determination and passion, Kelly is chasing greatness one step at a time.

Hi, my name is Lizett Zuñiga Zamudio, also known as Liz, and I’m a Division Administrative Assistant for the ELLA Division at Cabrillo College. I have over 17 years of administrative assistant experience, so I’m super organized. I was born and raised in Watsonville, CA. I graduated from Cabrillo in 2024 with my Associate's degree in Communication Studies, with the goals of earning a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree to have a career in still serving my local community. I’m a single mom of two beautiful children. In my free time, I enjoy dancing salsa and bachata, playing basketball, traveling with my wonderful fiance, and playing UNO with my two teenagers.

My name is Najia Fayez, and I am currently in my first year at Cabrillo College. I plan to spend two years here before transferring to a university to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. When I first arrived in the United States from Afghanistan, I thought I wanted to become an immigration lawyer, but after taking my first Criminal Justice class, I became interested in other areas of law. My hope is to have the opportunity to contribute to the legal system and make a positive difference in people’s lives. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, reading, playing with my siblings, and taking peaceful walks in the forest.

My name is Olivia Castillo and I am currently in my second year of college. I plan to transfer to a four-year this upcoming Fall and major in linguistics. My career goal is to become a pediatric audiologist. During my free time I love reading, going to the beach and spending time with my dogs Busty and Choco. In my Talk I am excited to share about a condition I have, Usher syndrome, which is the leading genetic cause of combined deafblindness.

I grew up in Marin County and moved to Santa Cruz in July 2020. I have worked as a bookkeeper since my first job at 16, and have been self-employed since 1998. After dealing with some health issues in 2019, I made the decision to move here to be closer to my support system. At the same time, I decided to make a career change and became certified as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. My goal is to support others who are looking to improve their health and wellness. In 2023 I decided it was time to stop living a life of regrets and finally earn my Associate’s Degree. I enrolled at Cabrillo and this fall will graduate with degrees in Business, Communications, and Kinesiology. I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do “when I grow up”, although I’m seriously considering something in nutrition.

My name is Wanda Conaway. I was raised in a small coal mining town in West Virginia. My father was a coal miner for over 35 years. We did encounter some racism growing up and I remember my first fight where I had to defend myself. I was six years old. My mother made sure that we knew the importance of having an education, to have more opportunities to grow. I attended Cabrillo College twice and stopped both times as my children were born. When my grandson started attending Cabrillo College, I decided to go back myself. At first, I was skeptical about attending at the young age of 71. People asked me why do I wanna go back at this age? I told them 'cause it is on my bucket list. I wanna complete what I started.

Bio coming soon...

Liz is passionate about empowering students and creating opportunities for growth and success. She currently serves as the Learning Communities Center Coordinator. She has also contributed to various campus initiatives, including the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Leadership Committee and the Chicano Latino Affairs Council (CLAC), Nuestra Recognition Ceremony (aka Latino Graduation), Cabrillo Talks, and more. As a proud Latina, daughter of migrant farmworkers, and single mother to two teenagers, Liz brings her personal experiences and cultural background into her commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success. She is a proud Cabrillo graduate and is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Public Relations at San José State University, with aspirations of becoming a leader in higher education administration. As a former Cabrillo Talks 2025 speaker, Liz hopes to inspire others to share their stories, embrace their voices, and recognize the power of empathy, courage, and resilience.

Andrea (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate theatre-maker whose work ranges from creating large, sprawling devised pieces to writing opera librettos,to directing classic musicals to designing and building masks and shadow puppets. Her work has been supported by grants from Puffin Foundation West, Theater Bay Area, and Venturous Theater Fund, and has been developed and performed at UTNT and Hyde Park Theatre in Austin, TX, Thompson Street Opera in Chicago, #AmericanAF Festival in NYC, Great Plains Theatre Conference, the MacDowell Colony, CounterPulse, 6NewPlays, and others. Recent credits include directing a reading of Novid Parsi's THE LIFE YOU GAVE ME at the BIPOC Playwrights Festival in Boise, ID; directing MARIE ANTOINETTE for Cabrillo College, writing and directing MURKY AS HELL at UTNT in Austin, devising a geo-triggered audio journey, and working with composers and dancers on an immersive, participatory theatrical event. This summer she will direct Santa Cruz Opera Project's immersive DIE FLEDERMAUS. She holds an MFA in Directing from UT Austin and currently serves as the Artistic Director of Cabrillo Stage. www.andreaLhart.org

Donnie is a proud graduate of Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz. As the Program Coordinator for the Rising Scholars Program, Donnie is passionate about empowering students, creating opportunities, and helping individuals overcome barriers to achieve their educational and personal goals. Their own educational journey has shaped their commitment to mentorship, student success, and the transformative power of higher education. As a former Cabrillo Talks 2024 speaker, Donnie understands the importance of sharing personal experiences and inspiring others through storytelling. Now serving on the Cabrillo Talks Planning Committee, Donnie continues to encourage others to find their voices, embrace their journeys, and recognize the power of empathy, courage, and resilience.

Pamela came to Cabrillo College in 2023 with a lifelong dream of becoming a college graduate, but along the way, she discovered a supportive community that encouraged her to grow, succeed, and find her voice. Over the past three years, she has transitioned from a student to a student employee, and now to a full-time staff member and proud Cabrillo College graduate. During her journey, she served as a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader for two years and worked in the CTC before stepping into her current role as FSS for ELLA and Instruction. As a 2025 Cabrillo Talks speaker, Pamela experienced firsthand the power of storytelling and the importance of sharing personal journeys. She hopes to inspire others to find their voices, share their experiences, and recognize the courage and resilience within their own stories

Dr. Devin currently serves as the Director of Equity and Student Success at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, California. He earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin in 2018 where his research focused on the intersection of race, sports and education as well as the influence of global education on student’s self-concept, national identity and future orientation. Devin is a co-founder of the Black Student-Athlete Summit and the founder and CEO of World Walker LLC, an organization focused on providing transformational education abroad opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

Kendall is a full-time Instructor in Communication Studies, also teaching in Environmental Science and Engineering. Kendall is a Cabrillo College alumni and a current doctoral student in Sustainability. Kendall has taught public speaking for 10 years and focuses on empowering students to share their narratives to foster social and environmental change.