UCGPC is a non-profit organization that advocates for graduate and professional students at University of California.

President

Stephanie Valadez is a musician and scholar based in California and Mexico City. She is currently a PhD student in Ethnomusicology at UCLA, serves as the President of the Board of the University of California Graduate and Professional Student Council, and is the Executive Director of Xicameri Productions. She is a Marimba One Education Artist and maintains a private teaching studio. Valadez holds a Master of Arts in Music (Cross-Cultural Musicology) from the University of California, Santa Cruz and two Masters of Music degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in Music Composition and Music Performance: Marimba. In her spare time, she enjoys creating children's books in Nahuatl for her two sons as part of her commitment to decolonial parenting practices.

Connect with Stephanie at sfvaladez@ucla.edu.

Vice President

Harvir Kaur is a first-year Master of Public Policy candidate at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and serves as Vice President of the University of California Graduate and Professional Council. She brings a strong foundation in economics, having earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, and an interest in the intersection of technology, governance, and social impact. As a Tech Policy Fellow with the Paragon Tech Policy Fellowship, Harvir explores emerging issues in AI governance and digital equity, aiming to advance policies that ensure technology serves the public good. Her work is driven by a commitment to creating equitable systems and empowering communities through thoughtful, data-informed policy solutions.

Connect with Harvir at harvirkaur@berkeley.edu.

Secretary

Ramiro Cabanillas-Ledesma is a second-year law student at UC Davis School of Law.  He spent part of his childhood in Querétaro, Mexico, where he developed a strong interest in public service and community advocacy.  After returning to the United States, he pursued undergraduate studies at UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley, holding several student government positions focused on representing and supporting students.  Since 2021, Ramiro has contributed to local policy discussions as a member of the City of Davis Open Space and Habitat Commission, where he works on issues related to land use, sustainability, and equitable access to open space. In his leadership role with UCGPC, he is dedicated to ensuring that the perspectives of graduate and professional students are meaningfully included in systemwide decision-making across the University of California.

He’s fluent in Spanish and always happy to connect - ¡hola!

Connect with Ramiro at rcabanil@ucdavis.edu.

Treasurer

Melanie Girod is a second-year Master of Public Policy student at UC Berkeley and the Treasurer of UCGPC. She brings to UCGPC many years of private sector experience in finance and accounting. Originally from France and now based in the Bay Area, Melanie is dedicated to serving her community through public service and is a committed advocate for students and gender equity, both on and off campus.

As Treasurer, she is excited to support UCGPC’s mission through sound budgeting, responsible financial management, and efforts to increase funding. She is committed to ensuring that students are uplifted and centered in all key decisions.

Connect with Melanie at melanie_girod@berkeley.edu.

Executive Director

Patriccia Ordonez-Kim is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Riverside’s School of Education. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from California State University, Northridge. She served as the Interim President and Vice President of External Affairs of the Graduate Student Association at the University of California, Riverside from 2021-2022 and was an invited guest in Bill Gate’s inaugural session of Gates Notes Deep Dive on May 2021.

Patriccia is currently on leave, please direct all questions to rcabanil@ucdavis.edu.

Director of Government Relations and Legislative Affairs

Daniel Chulak is a first-year Master of Public Policy student at the University of California, San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy and serves as Director of Government Relations and Legislative Affairs at UCGPC. He brings more than seven years of experience in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he worked as a public servant dedicated to driving positive change at the local, state, and federal levels. Originally from New Jersey, Dan earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Business Economics from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) Governing at Rutgers University. During his time at Rutgers, he was a strong voice for students serving in the Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA), the SEBS Governing Council, and the University Senate. Dan is committed to advancing policies that strengthen higher education, support groundbreaking research, and empower graduate and professional students to reach their full potential.

Connect with Dan at dchulak@ucsd.edu

Executive Assistant

Zoe Shuck

Connect with Zoe at zrschuck@ucdavis.edu

Executive Assistant

Mishel Tachet

Connect with Mishel at tachetmishel@berkeley.edu