The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is here to assist you with all of your financial aid related needs and our goal is to provide UCSB families with the services necessary to achieve their educational goals. We are committed to providing accurate, user-friendly, responsive, and respectful service to students and their families. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way.
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Ariana Flores
Financial Aid Advisor
Ariana is a member of the Financial Aid Advisor unit. Financial Aid Advisors work closely with students, families and colleagues across the university in various capacities. She supports students in the Teacher Education Program with their financial aid needs and coordinates the Private Student Loans Program in our department.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
I would really like to learn how to surf! I love the ocean and living in Santa Barbara I feel like it's a must!
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Arleth Real
Financial Aid Advisor
Arleth is a member of the Financial Aid Advisor unit. Financial Aid Advisors work closely with students, families and colleagues across the university in various capacities. She serves as our Dream Scholar Advisor where she fosters a safe and supportive environment to our Dream population. Additionally, she coordinates the Middle Class Scholarship program, awarding approximately 15 million dollars in State funding.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
Campus point! The view at sunrise is amazing.
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Benito Zaragoza
Scholarships Advisor
Benito manages scholarship awarding for all campus scholarships, awards, prizes, resources, and from external agency donors. This support provides more than 15 million to UCSB students.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
I would like to learn how to Scuba Dive because life under water is so beautiful.
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Betssy Valencia
Financial Aid Advisor
Betssy is a member of the Financial Aid Advisor unit. Financial Aid Advisors work closely with students, families and colleagues across the university in various capacities. She specifically coordinates the awarding process for approximately 1,800 students studying around the world as they attend Education Abroad Program each year.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
My favorite spot on campus is down by the shoreline, because I love looking out at the water.
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Christina Gutierrez
Work Study Coordinator
Christina coordinates the off campus Work-Study Program ensuring UCSB students have opportunities to explore careers outside the UCSB campus and providing a valuable resource to local businesses. She is the main contact for off-campus Work-Study students and employers.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tacos!
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Ethan Foster
Business Systems Analyst
Ethan develops business efficiencies so that the department can award students more effectively and offer quality, streamlined processes for staff and students.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
I am very interested in game development! I have been slowly building up my skills since I was a kid but still have lots of work to go!
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Jesse Quintino
Financial Aid Advisor
Jesse is a member of the Financial Aid Advisor unit. Financial Aid Advisors work closely with students, families and colleagues across the university in various capacities. He is the lead administrator for our Federal Direct Loan Program. This program accounts for more than $75 million in disbursed student aid each year.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Tacos! You could never go wrong with some carne asada tacos.
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Jessica Castillo-Tapia
Basic Needs Advisor
Jessica is a member of the Financial Crisis Response Team and supports the Basic Needs efforts for the campus. This work ensures students are getting the support they need to thrive at UCSB.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Guatemalan Hot Dogs/Mixtas, has always been a favorite of mine. Best way to have a hot dog, and the options for toppings are limitless!
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Josie Miller
Financial Analyst
Josie provides support to the fiscal operations unit.
What is your favorite spot on campus?
Overlooking the lagoon, it’s a peaceful place to stand and you can see and feel the ocean.
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Juanita Iheanacho
Scholarships and Donor Relations Manager
Juanita manages the department’s scholarship efforts, ensuring that we are doing the most to provide scholarship support to our amazing UCSB students.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Tagliatelle con Funghi Misti from Trattoria Vittoria. Trust me on this!
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Julie Portillo
Fiscal Manager
Julie directs all fiscal activities for over $400 million in student aid dollars that OFAS is responsible for administering. This work makes sure student awards can be paid timely and accurately.
What is one thing you would really like to learn?
How to speak Arabic. It's one of the languages I started to study but never fully learned.
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Justin Lin
Financial Aid Advisor
Justin is a member of the Financial Aid Advisor unit. Financial Aid Advisors work closely with students, families and colleagues across the university in various capacities. He coordinates the Federal Pell Grant program, awarding approximately 40 million in federal aid dollars to income-eligible students each year.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - this is my ultimate comfort food. Gotta try it if you haven't yet!
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Karina Rodriguez
Financial Aid Specialist
Karina is a critical member of the student services team, carefully assisting all of our students through the financial aid process in multiple capacities.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Pozole, because it is my favorite food and reminds me of my childhood and Christmas.
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Lianne Gil
Assistant Director
Lianne supervises a team of financial aid advisors with diverse aid program responsibilities. With a focus on federal funded programs, Lianne plays a pivotal role in ensuring that students have access to the financial resources necessary to pursue their academic goals.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
Benches on northeast side of the campus over looking the Pacific Ocean!
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Lili Hernandez
Assistant Director
Lili supervises a team of financial aid advisors with diverse aid program responsibilities. With a focus on state funded programs, Lili specifically coordinates the Cal Grant Program, awarding approximately 82 million dollars in State funding. Lili is dedicated to empowering students in their pursuit of higher education.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
I would like to learn multiple languages within my lifetime. I love to travel and learning the languages of the countries I travel to will help me connect with them more.
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Makoa Rios
VA Certifying Official
Makoa supports our veteran and veteran related students, processing their VA benefits and working closely with UCSB Veteran & Military Services to provide support for the community.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Doners! There is so much variety and versions from all over the world. Germany and Mexico are just a few nations that have many of their own takes on the original Turkish Doner.
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Maria Galicia
Work Opportunity Analyst
Maria provides support to the fiscal operations and work study unit.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
Paddle boarding, it looks fun but I would also like learn to balance and stability!
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Mischa Lopez
Business Systems Analyst
Mischa develops business efficiencies so that the department can award students more effectively and offer quality, streamlined processes for staff and students.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
How to play the piano because it creates beautiful and calming music.
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Monet Prudhomme
Financial and Work Study Analyst
Monet is the main processor for on campus work-study. She also assists with handling outside agency scholarship checks, as well as reconciliation of state aid programs.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Tacos! You can never go wrong with tacos! I could have these everyday and never get tired of them.
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Montse Granados
Basic Needs Advisor
Montse is a member of the Financial Crisis Response Team and supports the Basic Needs efforts for the campus. This work ensures students are getting the support they need to thrive at UCSB.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
Pottery so I can make funky pieces of art!
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Natalie Armistead
Basic Needs Coordinator
Natalie leads the Financial Crisis Response Team and multiple Basic Needs efforts for the campus that ensures students are getting the support they need. Her team provides responses to students in crisis within 24-48 hours so that no student falls through the cracks during an emergency.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Veggie Tacos!
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Nathan Cook
Senior Associate Director
Nate leads the advising and financial aid program administration unit. He works behind the scenes to help ensure timely processing of financial aid applications, student budgets, awards, and disbursements.
What is one thing you would really like to learn?
The meaning of life, the universe, and everything.
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Nicole Dominguez
Compliance Manager
Nicole monitors our processing to ensure federal, state, and institutional compliance. She also trains the staff on new regulations so that we maintain quality, accurate processing.
What is your favorite spot on campus?
The bluffs by campus point
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Stacey Eymann
Associate Director
Stacey oversees the Compliance & Training, Basic Needs, and Customer Service teams for our department.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
Walking the cliffs along Lagoon Road right across from Anacapa dorm, especially looking out at the Goleta pier at night, the lights reflecting on the ocean remind me of Vincent Van Gogh's painting Starry Night Over the Rhône.
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Toni Martinez
Assistant Director
Toni manages the student services team that assists over 17,000 students with their financial aid every year. She also supervises our student staff.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Chicken Tikka Masala because the flavor is so vibrant!
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Valerie Ellis
Financial Aid Specialist
Valerie is a critical member of the student services team, carefully assisting all of our students through the financial aid process in multiple capacities.
What is your favorite spot on campus and why?
I love to watch the Mallard ducks at the Koi pond
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Willy Lopez
Financial Aid Advisor
Willy is a member of the Financial Aid Advisor unit. Financial Aid Advisors work closely with students, families and colleagues across the university in various capacities. He specifically handles updating student's awards when they cancel their enrollment for the quarter or when returning to school after a break, as well as when students are enrolled in UC Cross-Campus during Summer.
What is one thing you would really like to learn and why?
I definitely want to learn to cook more of the meals I see on TV. I always want more food variety in my life!