Student Leadership
PICA Leadership Team during our Zoom meetings.
The Program in Community and Agroecology's leadership team is a collection of students who work together to maintain and develop PICA's community resources and functions. Student leaders often hold paid coordinator positions, but all PICA residents and other members of the UCSC community are welcome to participate in meetings and contribute to the program's broader visions and goals.
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It is the leadership team's duty to reflect the interests of PICA in the planning of events, residential programs, workshops, and inter-organizational collaborations. The leadership team provides opportunities for PICA residents to work towards a just and sustainable food system, as well as empowers non-residents to do the same in their own communities. The leadership team includes the PICA Residential Assistant, and student coordinators for the garden, propagation, compost, community meals, and events (Provost's Sustainability Intern). The leadership team also writes grants to support PICA's programing.
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Contact us to inquire about our meeting times or reserve time on our agenda. You may also read through the agenda and notes to see what we talked about at our most recent meeting. You can also email the PICA leadership team at pica@ucsc.edu
PICA Leadership Team 2020-2021
Claire Swetlin
Compost Coordinator
I am a 4th year student associated with college nine. I double major in Sociology and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES). I am from Redwood City in the Bay Area. When I am not gardening or in class I like to cook yummy vegan food, volunteer with Food Not Bombs and go roller skating with friends! I joined PICA because I believe in our mission statement and I wanted to learn more about gardening and sustainable food systems because good food is the basic source of all social justice movements. As compost coordinator, I collect the food scraps from the village residents and transport them to our compost system. I then remove the ready compost and bring it back to PICA for our gardening days!
Karely Valdez
Programs Coordinator (2020-2021)
Hello! I am a 4th year double majoring in Psychology and Spanish Studies. I am affiliated with college nine ! I wanted to become a part of PICA to become more aware of food justice/ food sustainability and find ways to make healthy eating accessible to college students as well as the greater community. As the programs coordinator I was in charge of PICA’s advertising and organization, and reaching out to other orgs to collaborate and educating others about what we do! In my free time I enjoy running, trying new foods, and bullet journaling!
Ailee Arias
Garden Coordinator
Hey y’all :-) My name is Ailee, pronounced like "Smiley Ailee". I use she/they pronouns, and am a 4th year studying Plant Sciences and Environmental Studies. I am one of the co-garden coordinators for the PICA team, managing the garden spaces in the village. I am also an organizer for ESLP (Education for Sustainable Living Program), where we (the students) put on a spring class about sustainability every year. In my spare time I enjoy biking, watching weird movies, and hanging out with my friends!
Ally Perez
Garden Coordinator
Hi there! :~) My name is Ally and I use she/they pronouns. I am a third year Biology major and I am interested in studying herbalism, midwifery, and ecology. At PICA, I work alongside my co-garden coordinator to maintain the garden spaces! I wanted to join this community because I am quite passionate about gardening, social justice, sustainability, and how they all intersect with each other. In my free time I enjoy doing yoga, pole dancing, painting, swimming in the ocean, hiking with my dog, and of course, gardening!
PICA Leadership Team Alumni
Brian Banh
Garden Coordinator (2018-2020)
I am a 4th year Environmental Studies major and East Asian Studies minor affiliated with Cowell College. As a co-garden coordinator I help maintain the PICA garden spaces and teach students and volunteers about various agroecological practices. My goal for the PICA program is to bring the campus community to this space to kindle a love for gardening, as it has done for me. Aside from gardening, I enjoy swimming, hiking, drawing, and hanging with friends!
Asmi Shah
Programs Coordinator
Hello! I’m Asmi—a second year business management economics major and technology information management minor affiliated with College Nine. I use she/her/hers pronouns. I have loved my experience at UCSC till date. The rigor and engagement found at UCSC has truly been an enriching experience for me. I intend to continue this amazing leading-and-learning process as the PICA Programs Coordinator. The ability to connect and foster relationships with people who are just as passionate and motivated as me is extraordinary. Building our networks and capitalizing on it to harness the future is what I’m really looking forward to
