Class of 2026: USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

CLASS OF

2026

KEY: Dual Degree

∞ Dean’s List (GPA 4.0)

* Dean’s Honorable Mention (GPA 3.95-3.99)

Φ Phi Alpha Honor Society ◊ USC Student Affairs Order of Areté

CLASS OF 2026 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY MAY 15th, 2026

Order of Program Processional International Greeting Welcome Address Vassilios Papadopoulos, Interim Dean Keynote Address Kristen Kavanaugh Dean’s Recognition Awards Doctor of Philosophy - Presentation of Diplomas and Hooding Doctor of Social Work - Presentation of Diplomas and Hooding Master of Science in Nursing - Presentation of Diplomas Nurse Practitioner Oath Michelle Zappas, Director Master of Science in Nursing Program Master of Social Work - Presentation of Diplomas Graduate Certificates Presentation Social Work Oath Jennifer Lewis, Director Master of Social Work Program Closing Remarks Vassilios Papadopoulos, Interim Dean Recessional

MSW Donia Abdelhameed Johnesha Adams Tatiana Adams ◊ Chelsea Agee Zinnya Aguilar * Christine Aguirre * Arthur Agustin ∞ Shanta Akins Noor Alassdi * Alfredo Aldana Ruano LeeAnn Allen Erika Janella Almira ∞ Lauren Altaweel Daniela Alvarado * Santos Alvarado ∞ Sandra Antunez * Daisyguadalupe Arias * Diva Arias Jennifer Arreguin ∞ Luis Avalos Marline Avendano-Colmenarez Hla Nandar Aye * Irina Babajanyan Suzanne Baeza ∞ Katie Bailey ∞ Amy Ballard ∞ Φ Samantha Bano Breana Banuelos Φ Saray Barrera Ashley Batts ∞ Megan Berkovits ∞ Milena Beyruti * Jazman Blount Lynn Bonds Rivas Nidia Boswell * Zoe Brin * Tiara Brown Katrina Buck Alina Bujanda *

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK Hannah Burciaga Marilynda Bustamante ∞ Alexis Cadiz Donna Calzada Gonzalez Yolexiz Camacho * Ryan Cameron ∞ Φ Yamilet Campos-Chavez ∞ Graciela Cano Φ Edson Cano Rosas ∞ Rafael Consino-Pineda Ariana Caronna ∞ Brigitte Carrillo ∞ Stephanie Castellon Amaya Castillo * Virginia Castro Megan Cazimi * Diana Champagne ∞ Asa Chan ∞ Jerry Chaney Φ Sandy Chavez Carolina Chavez Olivas Nuo Chen ∞ Φ Emily Chin Camelia Churchian Jaelyn Clark Paige Coddington ∞ Julie Coffey Yahdiya Coleman Anne Condou Christopher Conkey Mark Contreras Monique Contreras ∞ Elizabeth Coronel * Nathalie Cortez Jamaica Crearer Wisner D Meza William Danielson Jazmyne Davis ∞ Marco Antonio Davis

Diana Del Toro Damanpreet Dhillon ∞ Mariana Diaz Dianna Do * Hadassah Dorce * Elizabeth Douglas ∞ Giselda Dubon Charles Dunnam Dulce Duque Pineda Noemi Duran Stephanie Durazo * Megan Escalante Mathilde Escalona Alejandra Espino ∞ Beyla Espinoza * Blessing Essien Jaesen Evangelista ∞ Φ ◊ Tia Evans * Cara Farley ∞ Quintin Fells Sally Fernandez * Yasmeen Fernandez Haley Fick Alyza Figueroa ∞ Julia Fitzory-Chow ∞ Jennifer Fleming ∞ Dionne Flores Horlenes Flores * Φ Irismabel Flores Sabrina Flores Claudia Franco Miriam Frunza Sarah Gaines ∞ Jocelynn Galindo Aleksi Galvan McKenzie Gannon Michelle Garber ∞ Alessandro Garcia Angeleke Garcia

Jessica Garcia * Andy Garcia Cazares Lorraine Gardner Mona Gerami ∞ Taylor Gerdeman ∞ Tyana Ghazanian ∞ Maleni Gilez Leslie Giron Laura Godinez ∞ Amine Golden Lucylibeth Gomez Marroquin Sharnyle Gonzales ∞ Rosa Gonzalez Melissa Groves ∞ Christian Gudiel ∞ David Guerrero Emi Guzman ∞ Mia Halladay ∞ Whitney Halleck Melissa Ham ∞ Ashley Hankins Halston Harper Khaila Harris * Lisa Harris Lauren Hart ∞ William Hatcher * Φ Lanay Hazzard-Marcell Andrea Henneken Carlie Hensley ∞ Φ Jennifer Her Natalie Herrera ∞ Melissa Herzstein ∞ Yvette Hong-Jones * Emmily Hovhannisyan * Natalie Hubbard ∞ ◊ Natalie Hung ∞ Justin Hwang Vanessa Ibarra * Ladoris Jackson Titiana Jackson Catherine Jara ∞ Elizabeth Jarquin Justin Jenniges

Ashley Jensen Eileen Jimenez ∞ Melody Jon * Aisha Jones Autumn Jones Amandeep Kaur ∞ Kaden Kawamoto ∞ Megan Keefe Daniella Kennedy * Priyanka Khadka Grace Kiralla ∞ Tabitha Kleiner ∞ Michelle Koperski Rachael Kuhn ∞ Anthony Languren * Alyssa Lee * Analizeth Leiva * Alexis Lema ∞ Lisa Lenihan Sirena Lepe Celia Lilly Dong Lim ∞ Jennika Linsangan ∞ Jeoffrey Lopez Vanessa Lopez Kaitlyn Lozewski Erika Lucio ∞ Jeffrey Luna Paul Luna ∞ Christopher Lutz Abigail Machado * Johnny Maese ∞ Anthony Mai Manuel Mancera Samantha Manzo ∞ Eric Martin * Gissel Martinez Irene Martinez Stephanie Martinez Φ Sandi Martinez Monterroso Jacqueline Mateo * Shuichi Matsumoto Grecia Matweef

Geoffrey Mayes ∞ Robery McCurley Kerrie McDermott Anne McLaughlin Norma Medina Φ Imani Meeks Demmi Mejia * Frankie Mejorado Meilani Meleisea ∞ Brenda Mendez Mora Ethan Mendoza Cecilia Mercado ∞ Mary Miranda ∞ Kimberly Mitchell ∞ Φ Trianna Mitsanas ∞ Chelsie Moak * Diane Montano Alejandra Mora Sandra Mora Delilah Morales ∞ Sabrina Morales * Andrea Marie Morland-Tellez * Lauren Morreale Ella Moss-Vazquez ∞ Erin Moy * Lauren Mulhern Carmen Munoz * Samantha Munoz Fernando Murrain Makaila Nartea * Linda Nellis * Vanessa Newman April Nguyen Tammy Nguyen ∞ Claire Nichols * Φ Melissa Nolan ∞ Andrea Nuno Gloria Ochoa ∞ Lauren Ofman Caitlyn Oh Souha Omar Jennifer Ortega * Melina Osmundson

Isamar Osorio Mark Pabalate Joey Anne Pangilinan Olivia Panozzo ∞ Oscar Paredes-Hinestroza ∞ Sarah Park * Shin Young Park ∞ Isabel Payne ∞ Brenda Perez Devonne Perez ∞ Laura Peterson * Janesha Pitts Sophia Plache-Creech ∞ Adrian Prasad DeShonna Prescott Thomas Radford Karla Ramirez Aminah Ramjan Larissa Ramos Alvarez Melanie Reyes Tara Riffle * Carol Rodriguez Giovanna Rodriguez Melissa Rodriguez-Parra Luis Rojas ∞ Jasmine Rojas Gonzalez ∞ Adrianna Roldan ∞ Rebecca Rosenzweig * Holly Rowan Chandler ∞ Razak Sadiq ∞ Vanessa Salazar Φ Jackelin Salgado ∞ Eliza Samore ∞ Catherine Sanchez Nala Sanchez ∞ Jacqueline Sandoval Islas Allison Sariles ∞ Denise Saucedo Alyssa Savala ∞ Mikayla Scales Carolyn Schroeder Misha Scott Alison Segel *

Noel Seriale ∞ Elizabeth Serrato ∞ Hiral Shah Monica Sharber Jacob Shelton Icee Shields-Harris Naomi Shifman ∞ Paul Shirey ∞ Molly Silk ∞ Whitney Sims Jaylan Snowden Margarita Solorzano Hernandez Eloise Somerby Allen Soong ∞ Φ Sarah Sorensen ∞ Alaysia Spikes ∞ Javan Spoolstra Jennifer St Jude ∞ Geneva Steward ∞ Melissa Struzzo ∞ Malik Summers Astrid Tadeo ∞ Corrina Tadros Lamrot Tafesse Shuyi Tang Christina Tejada Ethiopia Tesfaye * Ariana Tett-Fowler ∞ Olivia Thomas ∞ Susana Thompson Φ Christeen Tilenius * Darling Tobar Christina Tonapetian * Azul Torres Martinez ∞ Jacqueline Torres-Raya Deztenie Toscano Christine Toth ∞ Sally Troncoso Anthony Tucker Chloe Turcotte ∞ Φ Cassandra Vaglienty ∞ Sueraine Valderrama Rios ∞ Jazmin Valencia ∞

Martha Valencia ∞ Tatevik Vardanyan Karen Ventura Karsyn Wallace Cornella Ward ∞ Audrey Webb Owen Weber ∞ Clavin Westbrook Ingrid Wik Asia Williams ∞ Φ Jie Wu * Megan Wu Shiaw-Lii Wu ∞ Wei Xiong ∞ Deanna Yadollahi Adrianna Yanez Ryann Yassine Michaela Yatauro ∞ Kathleen Yi ∞ Francesca Youn ∞ Corinne Zachry ∞ Jazmine Zamarripa Isaac Zuniga * Rafael Zuniga

MSN Christine Adams ∞ Lilit Arakelian Sera Benedetti Austin Bratton Nadire Bringas * Minette Bunag * Kaitlin Callorina Darrell Cave * Lisa Chi Yejin Cho Rebecca Choi Timothy Cookerly Erick Duddy Olivia Dumas Faythe Elimelech ∞ Maria Escoto ∞ Robin Evanson * Ariana Gallarzo Mahshid Ghazaryan Kulsum Gosain Anne Gronlund * Jessica Heddinger * Leticia Hernandez Linda Hyun * Judy Jeong Anita Jindani Shrabya Joshee * Jaspreet Kaur * Deni Lam ∞ Abigail Ledbetter * Chelsea Lim Cora Lim * Xinran Li-Ugalde ∞ Emily Lock ∞ Lorena Molina Brittany Morland Maya Mousa Momoka Nakamura Adriana Paredes

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

Jeet Patel Katie Prescott Keyonda Proctor * Jennifer Quach Simran Sangha Diana Santana Kimberlee Sapanghila Emely Shoenfelt Gabrielle Marie Siao Mariane Tolentino * Katharine Triplett Shelby Wakeman * Veronica Williams Jena Willis * Kylee Xu ∞

DSW

DOCTOR OF SOCIAL WORK

Rihana Acklin ∞ Activating the Code: A Blueprint for Systemic Justice in Black Maternal and Infant Health Olivia Ale Eradicating Obesity in the Samoan Community Kaye Anderson Bay Area Mental Health Workforce Initiative Namier Aziz-Yasoua Street To Retreat, “We Practice What We Preach, Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”

Jacqueline Becton Φ Rally Point!: Social Empowerment for Older Veterans Joterrica Cross It Takes a Village: The Path to the 4th State of Declare an End to Veteran Homelessness-Homeless Veterans Program (HVR) Roadshow Rachel Ferrara ∞ Closing the Health Gap: Recovery in The Parks Myiesha Freeman Helping Youth with Mind Over Matter (HY MOM) Victoria Grey ∞ Inclusive Therapeutic Role-Playing Games: A Practice for Managing Trauma in Multiple Marginalized People Elizabeth Jacobs-Ware ∞ Planted in the Middle: Developing an On-Demand Support Mechanism for African American Female Sandwich Generation Caregivers Isabella Karabed AHORA Framework for Resilient Conflict Resolution: A Training and Digital Application to Strengthen Psychological Safety and Inclusive Culture in Social Service Organizations

Meaghan Kauffman * Cultivating Survivor-Affirming Spaces to Counter Campus Rape Culture D’Asha Leonard-Johnson * Planting Seeds of Success: Belonging First- Black Family School Partnership Journey Map Anaiah Mitchell * GenLabs: An Intergenerational Mentoring Program Designed to Shift Negative Perceptions of Justice-Involved Young Adults to Reduce Recidivism and Mass Incarceration Beth Morgan ∞ Social Change Activator: Partnering with Black Women Entrepreneurs to Create Sustainable, Positive Change in Black Communities Meghan Murphy ∞ Not Every Path Leads to Hospice: Redefining Follow-Up Care for Palliative Patients in Disease Remission Ashley Nelson Aging Out of Foster Care: Ensuring Successful Outcomes for Vulnerable Youth Vincent Oviedo Transforming Digital Isolation into Connection: Leveraging Gaming Culture Through a Mobile App to Promote Social Health in Gen A Males Kellye Palmer PSA Advocacy Network: A Trauma-Informed Toolkit Model for Survivors and Systems Responding to Post-Separation Abuse Ashley Parks * Create the Culture (CtC): Emotional Intelligence as an Upstream Suicide Prevention Strategy for Junior Enlisted Sailors in the U.S. Navy Xavier Perez The Rebuilders Project: A Community-Driven Approach to Preventing Situational Homelessness Through Appalachian Revitalization Heather Pham ∞ Φ Rebuilding Financial Independence for Survivors of Financial Coercion: A Community-Informed Project Addressing Coerced Debt

Pixie Popplewell ∞ Φ ◊ Rainbow Learning Library: Navigating the Queer Information Jungle with Community Knowledge and Third Spaces Rachel Radjewski ∞ How Emotional Intelligence Can Be Used to Reduce Burnout in Emergency Veterinary Clinicians: A Curriculum Focused on EmERge Doctors While in Training Kieyonna Roberts Expanding Access to Maternal Health Care: A Maternal Health Toolkit Intervention Kathryn Storm ∞ Φ The Belonging Bus: Connection without Condition Patrick Taylor Addressing the Micro Pipeline in Social Work: A Prototype Workshop for Macro Career Navigation Justin Uzzle All Together Now: Connection/Engagement/Relationship Building Donald Ward Rosalyn Warren Eradicating Social Isolation in Black Women Aged 35-44 Who Disproportionately Suffer from Depression and Social Isolation and are at Risk for Suicide Heather Weaver Jerry Wilburn Community Integration of the Backyard Portable Dwelling Units Project Larry Woodard Hello Friend : A Study of Social Isolation Among the Blind and Visually Impaired — Connecting Without Barriers Jasmine Wynn ∞ Identify Early: A Culturally Responsive Toolkit for Mental Health Support in Schools

PHD

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

John Bosco Bunyi Dissertation Chair: Hans Oh The Use of Digital Tools to Support Mental Health Among a Diverse Sample of Asian American and Pacific Islander Emerging Adults (AAPI-EA): Understanding Digital Mental Health Using a Mixed Methods Approach Maiya Hotchkiss ∞ Dissertation Chair: John Blosnich Understanding Sucidality among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness Corinne Zachry ∞ Dissertation Chair: John Blosnich Social Inequities, Mental Health Needs and Barriers to Care for Bisexual People

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE Breana Banuelos

Social Work Practice in Addiction

Jazmin Blout

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Katrina Buck

Social Work Practice in Addiction

Sandy Chavez

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Nathalie Cortez

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Mariana Diaz

Advanced Clinical Social Work Pratice

Stephanie Durazo

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Aleksi Glavan

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Jessica Garcia

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Andy Garcia Cazares

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Lisa Harris

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Carlie Hensley

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

LaDoris Jackson

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Catherine Jara

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Irene Martinez

Social Work Practice in Addiction

Sabrina Morales

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Melissa Nolan

Social Work Practice in Addiction

Shin Young Park

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Tara Riffle

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Melissa Rodriguez-Parra

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Jackelin Salgado

Truama-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Catherine Sanchez

Law and Advocacy

Melissa Struzzo

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Christina Tejada

Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice

Karen Ventura

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

Karsyn Wallace

Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings

OATH SOCIAL WORK I do affirm that as a professional social worker: I will work to help all people in need.

I will work to reduce the social problems in our society.

I will challenge injustice particularly to vulnerable and oppressed individuals.

I will respect the inherent dignity and worth of every person.

I will work to enhance the well-being of individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities.

I will strive to increase my professional knowledge and skill and to advance the knowledge base of the profession.

I shall conduct myself in a professional and ethical manner and abide by the profession’s code of ethics as established by the National Association of Social

OATH NURSE PRACTITIONER As a nurse dedicated to providing the highest quality care and services, I solemnly pledge that I will:

Consider the welfare of humanity and relief of suffering my primary concerns.

Act in a compassionate and trustworthy manner in all aspects of my care.

Apply my knowledge, experience, and skills to the best of my ability to assure optimal outcomes for my patients.

Exercise sound professional judgment while abiding by legal and ethical requirements.

Accept the lifelong obligation to improve my professional knowledge and competence.

Promote, advocate for, and strive to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient.

With this pledge, I accept the duties and responsibilities that embody the nursing profession.

I take this oath voluntarily with the full realization of the responsibility with which I am entrusted by the public.

Keynote Speaker

KRISTEN KAVANAUGH Kristen Kavanaugh is shaping the future with courage and conviction. A Marine Corps veteran, former senior executive at Tesla, and founder of a leadership firm dedicated to building trust and resilience in high-stakes environments, Kristen has spent her life serving people and building systems that work—for everyone.

She is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Agency Initiative, an Austin-based consulting firm focused on organizational effectiveness and courageous leadership. Dedicated to creating a world where more leaders choose courage in their most critical moments, Kristen equips executive teams to navigate complexity with clarity, integrity, and impact.

Kristen is also the co-author of Courage Over Fear: Harness the Power of Agency to Lead in Uncertain Times, a leadership book born from her work at The Agency Initiative with organizations navigating polarization and transformation in the face of uncertainty. The book offers a practical path for leaders to align their values, decisions, and actions in high-stakes environments. Through stories, research, and reflection, Courage Over Fear makes the case for a different kind of leadership—one rooted in trust, resilience, and curiosity rather than control and fear.

Kristen’s journey has taken her from the U.S. Naval Academy to the frontlines of military service, from grassroots community leadership to executive roles at the highest levels of the private sector.

Appointed by the Secretary of Defense, Kristen served as Vice Chair of the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, where she helped shape policy recommendations for one of the nation’s largest and most complex institutions. Today, she continues to advise senior leaders across sectors on building cultures that are bold, inclusive, and built to last.

As Senior Director of Inclusion, Talent, and Learning at Tesla, she led Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Talent Management, and Learning & Development for the global organization—formulating many of her foundational ideas on courage and leadership while driving inclusion, performance, and purpose at scale.

Kristen believes the future demands more than competence—it demands courage. She’s spent her life helping others rise to meet that call, while striving to meet it herself every day. Kristen’s voice and work have been featured in leading institutions across the country, including Harvard, Yale, MIT, and the U.S. Naval Academy. She has spoken on stages from TEDx to the Democratic National Convention, and her writing on LGBTQ+ military and veteran experiences has been published in academic texts and professional references. Whether addressing national security, leadership, or inclusion, Kristen brings clarity, candor, and courage to every room she enters.

She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in English from the United States Naval Academy.