Emily Galindo, interim vice chancellor of Student Affairs, today (Oct. 24) announced three appointments:

Kayton Carter — Executive director, Strategic Academic Retention Initiatives, while continuing to serve as the director of the Center for African Diaspora Student Success. Two other directors, Cirilo Cortez (Chicanx and Latinx Retention Initiative, and the Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success) and Michelle Villegas-Frazier (Strategic Native American Retention Initiatives, and Native American Academic Student Success Center) will report to Carter, as will Kawami Evans, assistant director, Center for African Diaspora Student Success. Carter will have the task of completing the strategic plan for the university’s retention initiatives. His duties also include establishing operations manuals and emergency procedures for the centers. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this expanded leadership role. He has been on campus since 2012 and is enrolled in the CANDEL program to attain his doctoral degree in educational leadership.

Galindo said Carter will soon launch the process of filling the position of director of the Asian Pacific Islander Academic Retention Initiative, and, that, throughout the process, Carter will work closely with members of the API Student Retention Advisory Committee.

Mayra Llamas — Executive director, Community Resource and Retention Centers. She had been serving as the interim executive director for the past 10-plus months and has been on campus for more than 12 years. She previously served as operations manager of the student-run, student-initiated Student Recruitment and Retention Center. She holds an Ed.D. from the UC Davis School of Education’s CANDEL program for working professionals (CANDEL stands for Capital Area North Doctorate in Educational Leadership.)

Greg Ortiz — Business manager, Associated Students of UC Davis. He held the post in an interim capacity for a year and half while also maintaining his role as ASUCD advisor to administrative advisory committees and Intercollegiate Athletics. Prior to working with the ASUCD, he was the assistant director of admissions at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, one of a number of positions he has held as a UC Davis staff member for more than 14 years. He is a UC Davis alumnus, holding a bachelor’s degree in economics and communication, and has a master’s degree in higher education leadership from California State University, Sacramento.

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