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Peer Assisted Learning Program (PAL) Center for Science & Math Success

Support Page Content

Meet the Facilitators

Office Hours


PAL office hours are held in person in SQU 315; Math (SQU 313) and Chem (SQU 321) are in inner rooms.

S25 Math Office Hours

S25 Chemistry Office Hours

S25 Biology and Physics Office Hours

PAL Facilitators By Class

Supervisory Facilitators

Mela David

Supervisory Facilitator

Headshot of CarmelaWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I’m looking forward to being a PAL facilitator because I want to help other students feel more confident and motivated when it comes to building foundational math skills. I understand that math can be pretty tough to learn, and because of that, I want to create a positive and supportive environment so that I can help others thrive in their class and develop essential skills for the future! I’m also excited to make new connections and see my peers succeed as well.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I like to hang out with my friends and family, play video games, and eat good food.

Avery Farlee

Supervisory Facilitator

Headshot of Avery Farlee

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am so excited to work as a PAL facilitator so that I can help other students grow and succeed in learning anatomy and physiology as well as directing them down the right path towards success in the career that they are striving for. I want my PAL classroom to be a safe space for students to explore their interests and become the best learner that they can be!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? Along with anatomy and physiology, I am very passionate about fitness and weight training. I am a personal trainer at the Well, so I love working with clients and seeing them grow and reach their goals. I spend most of my time at the gym, studying or reading a good book.

Logan Lawrence

Supervisory Facilitator

Headshot of Logan Lawrence

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I found that working together in a group setting allowed me to thrive in very difficult class, I am excited to facilitate and aid students in a similar manner.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I enjoy working out, reading, playing video games, and binging TV shows. I also enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, family, and other close friends.

Chem 1A Facilitators

Alaina Hagen

Chem 1A

Headshot of Alaina

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? From my own experiences, I understand that STEM courses can be difficult. I am excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I have experienced the academic and social benefits of taking PAL courses, including being more confident in my coursework and making new friends. I enjoy working with others and would like to help other students have a similar experience with PAL and STEM courses.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I like to take Ballet and Contemporary dance classes, listen to music, play board games, and write short stories.

Michael Welsh

Chem 1A

Headshot of Michael

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I believe that this position will be fulfilling as I will have many opportunities to guide students along their academic journey. I have always had an affinity towards the sciences and I am excited to be able to share that with others in the context of providing academic support. I also have personal experience of how difficult secondary education can be, and I want to help ensure that anyone pursing the sciences does not feel alone or out of place.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I thoroughly enjoy reading science fiction, horror, mythology/folklore, and nonfiction books (regarding science/medicine/math). I also enjoy discovering new types of music as I listen and play music (flute/piano) a lot.

Manh Le

Chem 1A

Headshot of Manh

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I'm excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I want to help students feel more confident and comfortable in their chemistry classes. I believe a helpful mentor can make a big impact on a student's learning. I hope to create a positive and fun learning environment for students to grow and develop foundational chemistry knowledge that will come in handy in future classes and future assessments.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I enjoy playing all types of video games, playing sports, and hanging out with my friends and family. I also enjoy watching different movies and shows, having just caught up with One Piece.

Chem 1B Facilitators

Kelly Chan

Chem 1B (Lead)

Headshot of Kelly Chan

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I’m excited to be a PAL facilitator to meet new people, make friends, and especially aid others when they struggle with math. Personally, math is my favorite subject, so I want to make it as easy as possible for others.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I enjoy watching dramas, trying new foods, and spending time with friends. I also really enjoy puzzles, but I never have enough time to complete one entirely.

Diana Gamboa

Chem 1B

Headshot of Diana

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? To be able to share a passion of science with others is so exciting! I look forward to watching people conquer the difficult study that is Chemistry and watching their confidence grow as they overcome these challenges. Anything can be learned as long as effort and practice is put in.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I enjoy dancing and doing art when I get the chance! I also love playing video games but most of my spare time is spent studying. Such is the life of a college student.

Chem 4 Facilitators

Avigail Anguiano

Chem 4

Headshot of AvigailWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I love sharing my passion for chemistry with my peers. I want to create a positive environment where everyone has the opportunity to grow and have fun.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I love to hang out with my friends, take long naps, and play Minecraft.

Jessy Cadena

Chem 4

Headshot of JessyWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I’m excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I have the opportunity to help mentor students who are in the same position I was in starting STEM-based courses, asking for help can be intimidating but I’m hoping to make this process easier for students, and be there for them as needed.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I enjoy going to the gym, snowboarding, sunset-watching at the lake, and coloring. Anything that includes being outside or challenges me!

Alejandro Monterrosas

Chem 4

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Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I help as many students as I can with achieving their academic goals. Going into Math 30, I was very nervous about the material that would be covered in the class and thought that I would get a low grade. However, enrolling in a PAL really helped me understand the material and the facilitator's method of assisting students really resonated with me. Now that I am a PAL Facilitator, I am excited to encourage students to work hard and to connect with their peers in order to succeed in their academic journeys!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I like to do various things in my spare time. Sometimes I like to hop in a call with my friends and play video games, listen to music, and sometimes I like to talk and hang out with my family and relax.

Chem 24 Facilitators

Maarten Rios

Chem 24 (Lead)

Headshot of Maarten Rios

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I'm excited to become a PAL facilitator because I look forward to helping others build a strong foundation in chemistry. As a PAL facilitator I'm also looking forward to fostering peer interest in all STEM fields.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I really enjoy plants so in my spare time I like tending to my vegetable and california native garden as well as going on nature walks and hikes when I get the opportunity.

Abby Polapink

Chem 24

Headshot of Abby

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I’m excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I love sharing my passion for chemistry to my peers and helping them feel more confident in this field of interest. I hope to create a comfortable space for students who feel intimidated in their STEM courses, and be someone they can go to for help.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I really enjoy spending time with my loved ones whether that’s friends or family. I’m really into video games, daily walks, reading and sketching. I also have a cat named Eroda whom I absolutely adore.

Chem 124 Facilitators

Sophia Schultz

Chem 124 (Lead)

Headshot of Sophia Schultz

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL facilitator because I am passionate about learning and helping other people succeed. I look forward to seeing my peers grow academically, as well as grow with them.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I enjoy spending time outdoors, playing with my dog, and catching up with friends and family.

Aaisha Dass

Chem 124

Headshot of Aaisha

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I love Chemistry and hope to help students succeed like my past facilitators helped me. My goal is to help make each student feel capable of tackling a challenging but rewarding subject: Organic Chemistry!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I love to spend my free time with friends as well as listening to music, playing video games, and simply lying in bed!

Math 12 Facilitators

Destiney Housley

Math 12 (Lead)

Headshot of DestineyWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I’m excited to be a part of PAL because I like helping people understand math at a base level. I also like interacting and working with others.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I love to crochet and play pc games in my spare time. I also like listening to music while doing both activities.

Madaline Padilla

Math 12

Headshot of MaddieWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I enjoy helping others and believe this will be a fulfilling experience. Math can be a difficult subject to learn, so I hope to create an environment that makes the learning process less stressful. I look forward to watching my students grow over the course of the semester!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy reading, watching tv, running, and rock climbing. I love to spend time with family and friends, and go thrifting any time I can with them.

Walker Quintero

Math 12

Headshot of Walker

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to be a PAL facilitator because of all the new people I get to meet who share a similar interest in math. I know it can be difficult at times, but I look forward to helping students become more confident in their abilities.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I spend pretty much all of my free time playing music. I've been playing guitar for about 13 years and recently started playing the drums!

Math 29 Facilitators

Sam Gaitan

Math 29 (Lead)

Headshot of SamWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I'm excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because not only will it help me learn as an educator how to best support my students, but I also love to see students have their "aha!" moments when something difficult finally makes sense.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? During my free time, I love to bake, garden, and play a lot of video games like Marvel Rivals and Stardew Valley!

Anthony Knight

Math 29

Headshot of AnthonyWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am thrilled to work as a PAL facilitator because I am passionate about helping students at Sacramento State. I understand how challenging it can be to ask for help, and I want to be a supportive and easily approachable resource for students and people at Sacramento State. I aim to make it easier for students to overcome challenges and succeed.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I like to do physical activities like hiking, snowboarding, boxing, or working out at the well or just going out with friends in general. When I'm at home I like to spend my time playing video games like Marvel Rivals or Sparking Zero.

Math 30 Facilitators

Victoria Mosley

Math 30 (Lead)

Headshot of Victoria Mosley

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL Facilitator because I want to share my passion for math and science. I want to help others succeed in difficult classes and achieve their goals. I understand math and science can be frustrating sometimes, but with a little guidance these subjects can actually be quite fun and interesting!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time I love to crochet, play with my crazy dog, or play basketball. I also enjoy watching movies and shows on Netflix.

Michael Kenny

Math 30

Headshot of Michael Kenny

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I'm excited to be a PAL Facilitator since I've always had a passion for helping others as well as math and so this is the perfect place for both!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I play a lot of video games in my free time on my computer, I like to read here and there as well as watch shows on streaming platforms and anime, as well as traveling with friends and creating new memories with those I love.


Math 31 Facilitators

Sahil Kumar

Math 31 (Lead)

Headshot of Sahil Kumar

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL facilitator because I look forward to students working together to solve problems that they are struggling with.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time I like to play video games, make music, and work on my car.

Nicholas Agudelo

Math 31

Headshot of Nicholas

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? Despite what the face in my photo might imply, I'm quite excited to work as a PAL Facilitator since I'll be helping students pass the very difficult path that is Math 31. Plus, I get to practice my Socratic dialogue skills.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? Considering that I'm a walking, talking chatter box, going out with friends, acquaintances, and strangers is always a tremendous pleasure. Aside from that, I'm very fond of the movie theatre experience, playing the guitar, the gym, and cooking traditional Colombian snacks.

Phys 5A Facilitators

Riya Sandhu

Phys 5A (Lead)

Headshot of Riya

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? As a PAL facilitator, I’m most looking forward to meeting students and watching their growth over the semester we have together. This program has helped me thrive in my classes, and I am eager to be able to help others. I’ve seen how PAL builds community, as students bond over a subject’s challenges and other shared experiences. I am so excited to be a part of such a supportive environment!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I consider myself a matcha enthusiast and love making lattes at home. I enjoy going to the beach and taking care of all of my fish. I like low stress games like Animal Crossing and Roblox. I am currently on a journey to try every cafe in Sacramento to see which one is the best!

Christy Au

Phys 5A

Headshot of Christy

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? As a PAL Facilitator, I can’t wait to work with students and watch them succeed through their journey here at Sac State. Additionally, I would like to share my love for math with others and help them understand concepts may be more challenging than others.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I love to solve Rubik’s Cubes and enjoy putting together puzzles. I also love playing Wordle, CrossNerdle and Free Cell.

Bio 25 Facilitators

Arrianna Lewis

Bio 25 (Lead)

Headshot of Arrianna

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work as a PAL facilitator because I want to help students succeed. I came from a poor academic background which led me to learn how to do everything independently. But I want to encourage students by giving them the tools to be the best academic weapon they can be. I know this course can be hard, but I want to give students helpful study habits that can be used to flourish in BIO 25.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? For fun, I love going to the gym. I have been a big gym rat since high school and love pushing myself to the limits. I also love going shopping and hanging out with friends.

Gabriel Sanchez

Bio 25

Headshot of Gabriel

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? Growing up I struggled in school, but my grandma was always there and never gave up on me. Her support allowed me to find my stride academically, and I am forever grateful. What excites me about being a facilitator is having an opportunity to pay it forward and be for other students what my grandma was for me while focusing on a subject I am passionate about.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? Whenever I have free time, I love traveling, exploring new places, hiking, and going to the gym. On quieter days, I enjoy sleeping in, listening to music, playing video games, and spending time with my cat, family, and friends. I’m always eager to try and experience new things, whether it’s a show, hobby, music, food, etc.

Angelina Slivinsky

Bio 25

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Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? Working as a Facilitator is an opportunity to share my love for bio, help students with all the things bio related by guiding them and ensuring confidence in them

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I play the piano, go on walks and bike rides. I also love having sleepovers with my nieces and nephews.

Arjun Maharaj

Bio 25

Headshot of Arjun

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I’m excited to work as a PAL facilitator because there is a great amount of opportunity and growth I can utilize for future plus I want to help give back to the community that helped me through the challenging classes I took.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time, I would be working out, doing my physical therapy, or watching mma fights mainly Muay Thai which I hope to train once cleared.

Bio 26 Facilitators

Carolina Flolo

Bio 26 (Lead)

Headshot of Carolina

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to be a PAL Facilitator because I am passionate about the human sciences, especially BIO 25, and want to help introduce my peers to the subject in a supportive way. As a former PAL student myself, I know firsthand how beneficial PAL courses can be. I want to use what I learned from my own PAL facilitators to empower students and help them gain confidence in their ability to learn, just like my facilitators did. BIO 25 is a rigorous course, but with the support from someone who was once in the same position, and hard work, you can thrive!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I enjoy a lot of hobbies in my spare time! I really enjoy being outdoors, where you might find me rock climbing, picking wildflowers, or combing a river, lake, the ocean, or any body of water I can find, for rocks, fossils, or shells. I also love my cozier, at home hobbies, like reading, jewelry making, and playing video games! You can also find me at local coffee shops with friends enjoying an iced mocha!

Aury Perez

Bio 26

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Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am most excited to see students grow in understanding human anatomy and physiology. As a former student of PAL and BIO 26, I can understand how intimidating it can be taking these courses. With the skills I have gained through my academic journey in taking these courses I hope to share my knowledge to help students grow comfortable with themselves and build confidence. By providing a safe space for students I look forward to seeing them grow successful and learn efficiently in these courses!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy spending it with my loved ones and my dog whether that looks like spent at home or can even be outdoor activities such as shopping or trying new places! Some of my hobbies consist of watching movies or binge watching my favorite shows, reading books, and listening to music.

Bio 121 Facilitators

Bella Lares

Bio 121 (Lead)

Headshot of Bella LaresWhy are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am most excited to see all the new faces that come to the palace! STEM is such a wonderful community and PAL is a wonderful way to meet people and work towards that degree together.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I love to cook and bake! Chances are you'll find me stealing herbs from the arboretum after I forgot one from the store. I also love to talk about my dog, Beyblade.

Rachael Basra

Bio 121

Headshot of Rachel

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to be a PAL facilitator as I seek to encourage students to develop their interests and knowledge in the sciences. Furthermore, I believe the group environment as well as guidance from facilitators greatly help increase confidence in going through challenging problems. Being a PAL student myself I found the class to be very helpful as it helped me academically as well as socially as I got to meet new people. I look forward to working with my students and hope to gain new knowledge from them as well as they go through their academic journey.

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? Some of things I like to do is to spend time with my family and crocheting.

Bio 131 Facilitators

Kevin Salimo

Bio 131 (Lead)

Headshot of Kevin Salimo

Why are you excited to work as a PAL Facilitator? I am excited to work with students as a PAL Facilitator to help them achieve their academic goals. As a former PAL student, I am inspired by my facilitator to create an environment that stimulates learning and growth. I want to allow students to make connections with the difficult concepts of BIO 25 and be able to carry on those techniques into additional courses. Being able to watch my students succeed and start understanding the material is my goal!

What do you like to do for fun or in your spare time? I like to do a lot of things in my spare time! During the winter I like to go ice skating with my friends and snowboarding with my family. I enjoy exploring nature through hiking, rock climbing, and swimming. Indoors I like to just relax in bed, watching movies and shows, reading a book, or be on facetime with friends