Members

Elizabeth Garabedian, junior representative, CEA

Hello Gauchos! My name is Elizabeth Garabedian and I am the Chair of External Affairs (CEA) and Junior representative for the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC). I am a third year History of Public Policy and Law and Philosophy double major. As the Chair of External Affairs, I am in charge of running our weekly meetings and helping to maintain and facilitate communication between the committee and Student Affairs departments. Outside of SFAC I am part of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law fraternity, the Engaging Humanities program, and I also serve on UCSB Coastal Fund as an undergraduate board member.

elizabethgarabedian@ucsb.edu

Jun (Junjie) Ye, senior representative, CIA

Hello! My name is Jun (Junjie) Ye. I am a fourth-year Economics & Accounting major. I am honored to be the Chair of Internal Affairs and one of the Senior Representatives for the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) this year!

As a member of the SFAC, I will focus my voice on expanding the opportunities and resources available for the student body. SFAC will allow me to take an active role in ensuring the allocation of our student fees will support the resolutions of our UCSB community needs. In addition to my involvement in SFAC, I am a Promise Scholar with prior work experience in the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. I am honored to be serving with SFAC and I want to do my best to accommodate the needs of all students. SFAC is a great opportunity for students to be more involved with their campus and to have a say in its future. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at: j_ye@ucsb.edu

Romi Benasuly, senior representative

"Hi everyone! My name is Romi Benasuly, and I am one of the Senior Representatives of the Student Financial Advisory Committee. I am a fourth-year Communication major, double minoring in professional writing and applied psychology from Irvine, CA. I heard about SFAC after spearheading the Gaucho Groceries initiative, which is being funded for the ’22-23 academic year through a pilot grant from Student Fees. The service will take UCSB students directly from multiple stops in Isla Vista to the Calle Real Center (Trader Joe's, Nikka Japanese Market, etc.) and back, on a loop, during weekends. We have high hopes that this will help students who lack an adequate means of transportation to get to nearby grocery stores.

I am interested in hearing from students about what issues they see on our campus and voicing their concerns and struggles to our committee, along with voting on improvements to our campus that will directly benefit students. Beyond SFAC, I hold multiple positions in our Jewish community, including my co-presidency in Santa Barbara Hillel. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Shounok Ghosh, junior representative

Hi Gauchos! My name is Shounok Ghosh and I am a junior representative for the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC). I am a third-year L&S honors student double majoring in Economics & Accounting and Statistics & Data Science and am originally from Irvine, California. As a part of SFAC, I am very excited to be an undergraduate voice for campus-related issues as throughout my life I have always strived to make an impact on the community I am involved with. UCSB has grown to become a place I adore and I want to do my part in making an impact through SFAC and other school activities. Aside from SFAC, I am involved with UCSB’s premier South Asian Acapella Group Ravaani

Brian Yomtoubian, sophomore representative

Hey Gauchos! My name is Brian Yomtoubian. I’m a second-year Pre-Political Science major from Newport Beach, CA. As one of the sophomore representatives for the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC), I will devote my efforts to ensuring that student fees are used for the betterment of the UCSB community. Areas that I am most passionate about include campus infrastructure and housing. I’m excited to be able to advocate for this wonderful student body and don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any other members!

Asteria (Kexin) Xue, sophomore representative

Hello everyone! My name is Asteria (Kexin) Xue, and I am a second-year Economics and Accounting Major. I am one of the sophomore representatives for the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC). As an international student, I actively engage in campus activities and organizations. UCSB has become an important part of my life for which I sincerely care. I am motivated to research thoroughly on each project and proposal submitted to SAFC and contribute my best advice. I strive to voice out the needs of the student body of UCSB and I hope to contribute to SFAC with effective and inclusive solutions. Aside from SFAC, I am a member of the UCSB Fencing Club, Undergraduate Accounting Society, and International Student Inc.. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to chat!

Jessica Crum, transfer representative

Hi! My name is Jessica Crum, and I am the transfer student representative for SFAC this year. This will be my last year at UCSB, and I am a statistics and data science major. As this will be my first year on the council, I am looking forward to supporting all the new projects that will help enhance the student experience on and off campus, and I aim to ensure that the transfer student perspective is voiced in council discussions. I plan to reinforce that student fees are allocated from a cost-to-benefit perspective, so that the most can be made for the student experience with the funding available.

Sven Rundman, staff representative

Hi y'all! My name is Sven Rundman and I serve as the Assistant Director of Prevention Education for Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE). My background and expertise focus on violence prevention education and issues related to masculinity. This is my second year on SFAC and it's an honor to be part of the process to continue improving the services and resources that can meet the needs of our diverse student body.

Michael Miller
Staff Representative

My name is Michael Miller, I currently serve as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Services and have been on campus for about 20 years. My professional background is in access and affordability and I have a passion for developing programs that will allow students to thrive during their time here at UC Santa Barbara. I am the founder of our Promise Scholars program and have worked with many campus partners to establish sustainable basic needs programs that are vital to the success of our campus community. It is a true honor to be a part of SFAC, a group I have grown to respect greatly over the years. When not working, I have three amazingly beautiful and strong teenage daughters who keep me on the go. I also enjoy running and playing golf.

Madeleine Sorapure
Faculty Representative

Hello! I’m glad to be returning for my second year as a faculty rep on SFAC; it’s a great opportunity to learn about the UCSB student community and hopefully provide help where it’s needed. I’ve been a faculty member in the Writing Program since 1987. I teach courses in digital media and online communication, and I direct the Multimedia Communication track of the Professional Writing Minor. My recent research focuses on data visualization as a means of communication with non-expert audiences. I’m currently working on a book about different genres of COVID-19 data visualizations. In my spare time, I hang out with my husband and daughter and three cats and play as much pickleball as possible.