Winter 2024 Peer Advisers

The schedule for peer advisers is available below.

Did you know that the Economics Department hosts a team of trained student peer advisers ready to help anyone seeking to enhance their university experience? We encourage everyone to use this resource to ask questions, seek advice, and receive help to make informed, efficient decisions. 

Trained peer advisers are available to assist student peers with:

  • personal academic plans
  • general questions about the majors and courses
  • major declaration assistance
  • Study Abroad Department approval forms

Peer advisers can be reached by email for appointments and advising at econpeer@ucsc.edu or directly by Zoom via our advising calendar. (Zoom meetings are limited to UCSC students).

Our trained peer advisers are economics majors who strive to make your college journey a little smoother. "We speak from our own personal experiences and are extremely happy to help out anyone who seeks it."

Our team currently consists of one lead peer adviser, Jairo Garcia, and nine peer advisers enrolled in a two-unit course designed to fully capture the peer advising experience. If you are interested in peer advising and have the enthusiasm and aptitude to help others, we typically accept applications every quarter and encourage you to apply here!

Gohan Garcia
Gohan Garcia
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: MW 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon, F 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Hi! My name is Gohan (he/him) and I am a senior Stevenson affiliate. I am a double-major in economics/mathematics combined and philosophy. I am an international student from Peru, so any questions about that I can help out with. I love playing chess and enjoy reading Latin American poetry. I am here to answer any questions you might have, cheers!

Jairo Garcia
Jairo Garcia (Lead)
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: T 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., W 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Th 10:00 a.m - 12:00 noon, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.,  F 9:00 a.m.-12 noon
Hey everyone! My name’s Jairo (High-row) and I’m a fourth-year Crown affiliate. I’m majoring in business management economics with a concentration in accounting. In my free time I enjoy playing tennis, weightlifting, and hanging out with my friends. Feel free to ask me any questions!

Belen Gutierrez
Belen Gutierrez
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: MW 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Hi everyone! My name is Belen and I am a third-year Oakes affiliate. I am majoring in global economics and also have an interest in Latin American and Latino Studies courses. In my free time you can always catch me at the gym or spending time outside with friends. Always feel free to reach out, I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!

emily kamalnathan
Emily Kamalnathan
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: T 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, W 1:00 - 2:00 p.m., Th 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Hey everyone! My name is Emily (she/her) and I am a third-year Stevenson affiliate. I am majoring in business management economics, psychology, and anthropology. Some of my hobbies include: hiking, reading, singing, and photography. I also love going to the beach. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have!

Vedaant Katariya
Vedaant Katariya
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: M 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., T 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, F 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Hi everyone! My name is Vedaant and I am a third-year Cowell affiliate. I am a double-major in economics and politics, and I will be doing a minor in TIM. I love playing the guitar, soccer, golf, and randomly socializing! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions!

richelle miao
Richelle Miao (Lead)
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: M 9:00 - 11:00 a.m., MTWTh 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Hello everyone! My name is Richelle (she/her), and I am a third-year student majoring in business management economics with a concentration in accounting. I studied abroad with UCEAP in London last summer, so I'm happy to help with any questions regarding my experience. Feel free to reach out!

Lucy Nguyen
Lucy Nguyen
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: M 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., T 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., F 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Hi everyone! My name is Lucy (she/her) and I am a senior majoring in business management economics. I am currently studying abroad with UCEAP in Spain for the fall quarter of 2023 and have also managed to graduate in three years instead of four. I’d be happy to assist any students in regards to any of my experiences or anything else, so please feel free to reach out to me with any questions -- I’m more than happy to help! In my free time, I love going to the gym, the beach, dancing and of course, hanging out with friends.

Ethan Nunez
Ethan Nunez
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: M 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, W 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Th 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Hello everyone! My name is Ethan Nunez (he/him) and I am a senior majoring in business management economics (BMEC) with a minor in technology information management (TIM). I love weightlifting, hiking, fishing, and anything else related to the outdoors. I also enjoy traveling. I had the opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona through the UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) last summer 2023 and after completing my studies here at UC Santa Cruz, I plan to travel more.

Antonio Rios Soto
Antonio Rios Soto
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: M 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., T 9:00 - 10:00 a.m., W 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., Th 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
My name is Antonio (he/him), but you can call me Toni! I am a third-year pursuing a degree in business management economics with a concentration in accounting. I love weightlifting, reading, going to concerts, rock climbing, and traveling. After I graduate, I plan to travel and pursue an MBA. I'm super excited to join the peer advising team this fall! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.

Talia Romo-Kikuchi
Talia Romo-Kikuchi (Lead)
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: MWF 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., TWF 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Giovanna Santiago
Giovanna Santiago
econpeer@ucsc.edu
Schedule: WF 9:00 a.m. - 11:30, M 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Hey everyone! My name is Giovanna (she/her) and I am a third-year Stevenson affiliate. I am majoring in business management economics and minoring in TIM. I love cooking/baking, snowboarding, exploring nature, reading, and hanging out with friends. I am planning to study abroad next fall quarter in Barcelona, Spain. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions!