Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs Faculty

Dr. Andrew Byrne (he/him/his)

Program Coordinator, associate professor

Dr. Andrew M. Byrne is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he teaches counseling theories, counseling techniques, and foundations in education and contemporary issues, in the Master’s program in Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs. He is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), a Certified Career Counselor Educator (CCCE) and Gallup-certified Strengths Coach.

Dr. Byrne earned master’s degrees in Substance Abuse & Clinical Counseling and Rehabilitation Counseling, and later a PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling and Administration from East Carolina University. He has worked in vocational rehabilitation in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, working mainly with college-bound, college-attending, and newly graduated students. Dr. Byrne has also been a therapist to youth, adolescents and adults in inpatient and outpatient settings. Prior to coming to Cal Poly, Dr. Byrne taught at Ohio University and University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Dr. Byrne’s research focuses on technology, game design, social support, and adventure-based learning; and their impact on counseling and career development among students and faculty of underrepresented and minoritized backgrounds. He is a Co-PI on a $2.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professorate along with PI Dr. Daniel J. Almeida and Co-PI Dr. Sonia Ramrakhiani. Dr. Byrne consults as a vocational expert for the Social Security Administration and has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Rehabilitation and Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity. 

Learn more about Dr. Byrne ›

Associate Professor

Dr. Daniel J. Almeida is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he teaches courses on Student Development Theory, Multicultural Counseling, & Leadership. He has also taught Career Counseling, & Assessment in Higher Education. He received his BA in Psychology from Dartmouth College, MA in Higher Education Administration from Boston College, and PhD in Urban Education Policy – Higher Education concentration at the University of Southern California.

During his professional career, Dr. Almeida worked in Student Affairs at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo as a Coordinator of Student Development, and worked in Career Services at Cal State Long Beach and Loyola Marymount University. He is also a Gallup-certified strengths coach and a certified diversity trainer. Dr. Almeida is also the lead Principal Investigator for the California State University (CSU) Alliance for the Diversity & Strengths of STEM Faculty funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Alliance for Graduate Education & the Professoriate (AGEP) program. The project employs a culturally-informed strengths-based approach to faculty success for cohorts of STEM faculty from historically underrepresented groups. Dr. Almeida is also co-principal investigator of another NSF-funded program—Engineering Neighbors: Gaining Access, Growing Engineers (ENGAGE) employing a similar approach in a scholarship and mentoring program for cohorts of engineering and computer science transfer students.

Dr. Almeida’s research includes issues relating to first-generation college students, and community college students. He uses Social Network Analysis to study networks of relationships of faculty, staff, and students on college campuses. He also uses qualitative methods to examine the intersection of various aspects of social identity and individuals results on Gallup’s Clifton Strengths assessment.

Dr. Almeida has published articles the Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Applied Dispute Resolution Journal, and  Journal for Research in Mathematics Education Dr. Almeida also has two chapters included in the edited book The Problem of College Readiness, a chapter in Qualitative Inquiry in Higher Education Organization and Policy Research in the Core Concepts in Higher Education series and a chapter in Faculty Peer Coaching in Higher Education: Opportunities, Explorations, and Research from the Field.

Learn more about Dr. Almeida ›

Dr. Sonia Ramrakhiani (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor

Dr. Sonia H. Ramrakhiani is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Master’s program in Counseling & Guidance in Student Affairs/Higher Education in the School of Education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Dr. Ramrakhiani teaches Introduction to Educational Inquiry in the Master's Program in Counseling and Guidance in Student Affairs. She received her B.A. in Psychology from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai; M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Syracuse University, NY; Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Old Dominion University, VA.

She started her journey, as a teaching assistant at a school for children with special needs, called ADAPT - Able Disable All People Together (formerly known as The Spastic Society of India). Due to a lack of a counseling focus in India, she decided to apply to graduate programs in the United States for higher education. As a counselor, she has served in various roles and settings, including, outpatient, in-home and residential. She also worked with high school students in the Syracuse City School District, and helped in college readiness and preparation.

Dr. Ramrakhiani's research agenda focuses on social justice, advocacy and multicultural issues for minorities on college campuses. She has given voice to international students' needs on campuses in America. She recently conducted an exploratory factor analysis of the experiences and perceptions of campus safety among international students in America. Her research has also focused on examining ways in which counselor educators in our field can incorporate social justice/advocacy in their pedagogical practices. In addition, she has experience with grant writing and has assisted in securing a grant for expanding masters level experiential learning in Integrated Behavioral Health Settings.

Learn more about Dr. Ramrakhiani ›

Dr. Nohemy Ornelas 

lecturer

Dr. Nohemy Ornelas is a lecturer at the School of Education at Cal Poly and teaches Introduction to Educational Inquiry and Educational Foundations and Current Issues. In addition, she is the Vice Chancellor of Educational and Student Support Services at the San Bernardino Community College District. She leads the District’s Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Planning Unit, and Technology and Educational Support Services. Ornelas also oversees the Economic Development and Corporate Training programs that support industry partnerships and workforce training programs to increase local and regional collaborations to prepare individuals for employment.

Before joining San Bernadino Community College District, she spent over seven and half years as the Associate Superintendent/Vice President for Student Services at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. A first-generation college student, Dr. Ornelas began her educational career as an Allan Hancock student, later returning as a staff member in the financial aid department. 

Upon completing her master’s degree from Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo, she accepted a position as a financial aid supervisor at Berkeley City College in the Peralta Community College District and ultimately returned to the central coast as the Dean of Student Services at Cuesta College. At Cuesta College, Dr. Ornelas served on the college’s response team to restore accreditation and was the lead administrator for the implementation of the Cuesta Promise. 

As the Associate Superintendent/Vice President for Student Services at Allan Hancock College, Dr. Ornelas’s responsibilities included implementation of the college’s Student Equity Plan, SSSP, Outreach Plan, the Noncredit Student Success, and Support Plan, and the Student Equity and Achievement Program. Over the years, Dr. Ornelas was the college lead on important equity programs including the development of the college’s center for Dreamers, expansion of the Student Veteran and DSPS programs, and roll out of the Hancock Promise. 

The Hancock Promise provides “first-year free” tuition for all students in the college’s service area and comprehensive educational guidance that begins for students in elementary school. The community impact is astounding – enrollment at Allan Hancock College by local high school grads increased by more than 16 percentage points, and the number of graduates is at record levels. Her work in developing innovative and responsive initiatives like the auto-awarding program that “automatically award” thousands of degrees and certificates have been recognized nationally – increasing completion and removing institutional barriers for all students. 

Throughout her 25 years of public service, Dr. Ornelas’s background as a bicultural, equity-minded leader provides her with the opportunity to serve as a role model and strong advocate for students and the community, serving as a member of service clubs and steering committees. During the pandemic response, Dr. Ornelas oversaw a food distribution program that impacted more than 100,000 families in the community and served as the operations chief for Santa Barbara County’s vaccination clinic in Santa Maria, ultimately providing one out of every three doses administered in northern Santa Barbara County. 

Dr. Ornelas’ commitment to students has been recognized along California’s Central Coast, including the Future Leaders of America Latino Legacy Award, Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo’s Honored Alumni recognition, the Pacific Coast Business Times 40 under 40, and Santa Barbara County’s Commission for Women Service Award. 

Dr. Ornelas earned her doctorate at California State University, Fresno. Her research interests center around student access, equity, and college affordability.  

Dr. Kevin Grant 

lecturer

Dr. Kevin T. Grant serves at Cal Poly University as Director of Assessment and Research for Student Affairs and lecturer with the HECSA Program. Dr. Grant heads the division-wide assessment and research practices in Student Affairs, including success measurement of strategic initiatives, program review oversight, university survey development, and tracking of student learning outcomes/student engagement as they relate to student success. He received his B.A. in Cinema Media Arts from Biola University, M.Ed. in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University, and Ed.D. from Biola University in Higher Education Administration.   
 
With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Grant specializes in student affairs assessment, strategic planning, program development, and academic student support.  In addition, Dr. Grant serves as Executive Director for WITH US: The Center for Bystander Intervention at Cal Poly (withus.org) and oversees the National College Student Bystander Intervention Study (NCSBIS).  This national study explores bystander behaviors and barriers amongst college students within the areas of Sexual Violence, Incidents of Hate & Bias, Hazing, and Alcohol and Drug Misuse/Abuse.   
 
Dr. Grant is a regular presenter within WSCUC Educational Programs and serves as Assessment Leadership Academy faculty and program mentor.  Within NASPA, he is the national co-chair for the Assessment, Evaluation and Research Knowledge Community and has been the recipient of the NASPA Research Grant.  He has taught/presented internationally, and works with various universities consulting on student affairs assessment. 
 
He lives on a small ranch in Atascadero with his wife and three teenage kids, and enjoys hiking, camping, playing guitars, horticulture, coaching local youth sports, and caring for all the animals at “the Granch”.

Jason Mockford (he/him/his)

lecturer

Jason Mockford is the Director of Leadership & Service at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. He holds a B.S. in Graphic Communication and an M.A. in Counseling & Guidance, Higher Education, both from California Polytechnic State University. He currently mentors graduate students in their fieldwork and internship experiences. He previously taught leadership and consultation and has also guest lecturer and joined industry panels on a variety of topics including supervision, leadership, budgeting, and hiring.

Jason currently directs the signature student engagement units at Cal Poly including the Center for Leadership, Center for Service in Action, Clubs & Organizations and Fraternity & Sorority Life. Previously, he has also been responsible for advising Cal Poly’s orientation board, Open House committee, and developing the nationally recognized orientation leader training program.

Jason is a directorate member of ACPA's Mid-Level Community of Practice and has been involved in leadership roles with NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education as a Transfer Services Network Chair from 2011-2014 and as a member of the Annual Conference Advisory Committee in 2014. He is also a certified community mediator with Creative Mediation in San Luis Obispo and served on their Program Advisory Board. Lastly, Jason is a founding member of the Board of Directors for the newly chartered Collective Good Center for Dispute Resolution and Training.

Dr. Joy Pederson 

lecturer

Dr. Joy Pedersen serves a AVP and Dean of Students at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. In this role, she serves as the point of contact for student crisis intervention and is responsible for directly supporting the success and wellbeing of Cal Poly students. She is passionate about social justice and helping all students achieve their full potential.

Originally from the Central Coast, Dr. Pedersen returned to San Luis Obispo to work in the non-profit sector before transitioning to higher education. At Cal Poly, she has overseen the Center for Service in Action, Multicultural Center, and Center for Military-Connected Students. Prior to serving as dean, Dr. Pedersen was Associate Dean of Students for Student Success, Support, and Retention. In each of her roles, Dr. Pedersen has worked collaboratively with campus- and community-partners to create equity, access, and opportunities for students.

In addition to her leadership experience in student affairs, Dr. Pedersen has held positions in academic affairs and in the community. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Cal Poly and Brandman University. She has served as a Board Member of United Way. And currently, she serves as a Board Member of Transition-Mental Health Association.

Throughout her tenure, Dr. Pedersen has been intimately involved in campus climate concerns and student safety. She is a founding member of the Asian Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association (APIFSA), the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT), and the Peace Ambassador program at Cal Poly.

Dr. Pedersen earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Claremont McKenna College, master’s in higher education counseling and guidance from Cal Poly, and doctorate in educational leadership from UCSB. Dr. Pedersen enjoys paddle boarding and spending time with her family.

Dr. Jo Campbell (she/her) 

lecturer

Dr. Jo Campbell serves as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Campus Life here at Cal Poly. In her role, she has responsibility for and leadership of University Housing and Leadership & Service units. As a division leader, Dr. Campbell also develops new residential facilities, including a 10-year housing program to add over 4,000 beds and renovate the existing red brick residence halls. Cal Poly currently houses approximately 40% of its student body and seeks to house up to 65% in the future.

Dr. Campbell brings over 35 years of higher education leadership, inclusive practices, and administration to Cal Poly. She was formerly a director of residential life at the University of Toledo, Ohio and Senior Associate Director of Housing at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has served on dozens of committees and advisory boards to improve the campus climate related to academics, crisis and conduct, student enrollment, equity and inclusion, and drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Notably, she served on ACPA-College Student Educators International’s Executive Council as chair of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender awareness committee, and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Woods Humane Society.

Dr. Campbell was a co-instructor in the College Student Personnel Master’s Program at Bowling Green State University for two courses: Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs and Foundations of Higher Education and Student Affairs. She is looking forward to working with HECSA students in the Fieldwork Supervision course this year.

Dr. Campbell earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in student personnel services from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and a certificate of business administration with a strategic planning focus from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2015, she earned a doctorate in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University. Her doctoral research was on the behaviors, attitudes, skills and knowledge of senior student affairs professionals and their perceptions of leadership success. She lives in San Luis Obispo with her wife Ellen Broido and their cat G.

Rachel Smith (she/her/hers) 

lecturer

Rachel M. Smith is a Higher Education Counseling Student Affairs (HECSA) alumna, who graduated from the program in 2018. She is currently a doctoral candidate working on a PhD in Counseling at Oregon State University. Rachel's research focuses on the intersection of clinical and nonclinical support for students in settings of higher education. Rachel is entering her eighth academic year in Student Affairs at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where she has worked in various functional areas and offices, including University Housing, the Office of the Dean of Students, and Safer.

Rachel has had the privilege of teaching multiple courses in HECSA, including EDUC 555: Introduction to the Counseling Profession, EDUC 564: Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling, EDUC 561: Group Counseling, and EDUC 573: Fieldwork. Rachel also serves as a Research Assistant for the California State University (CSU) Alliance for the Diversity & Strengths of STEM Faculty funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Alliance for Graduate Education & the Professoriate (AGEP) program. As a member of AGEP's research team, Rachel is supporting qualitative data collection and analysis, as well as the development of manuscripts for publication.

Student health, wellbeing, and safety are at the forefront of Rachel’s work as a faculty member, student affairs practitioner, and researcher. Whether in the classroom, in the field of Student Affairs, or as a researcher, Rachel uses theory and praxis to support students on their journey in higher education. Her professional career is devoted to enhancing the success and retention of students at both the undergraduate and graduate level, where she centers the lived experiences and humanity of the students she serves.

Cat Placencia (she/her/hers) 

lecturer

Cat Placencia serves as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for University Housing at Cal Poly. In this role, she works to create a more equitable environment and remove barriers for all individuals, both Housing employees and residents. Cat also serves as a leader in the Chicanx Latinx Faculty Staff Association (CLFSA) and Staff Fellow for the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion (OUDI) in support of the Huerta-Lewis Social Justice RLC program.

Cat is also a proud CSU graduate, community college transfer, first-gen Latinx multiracial woman who has enjoyed working at Cal Poly since 2016. Cat earned her bachelor's degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Northridge and went on to earn her master's degree in Counseling, with a specialization in College Counseling and Student Services at CSUN as well. Cat has enjoyed teaching at CSUN and looks forward to working more with the HECSA program. Please feel welcome to reach out if you'd like to talk more!