Staff
Ricardo Elias Ortega, Ph.D.
Program Manager, Underrepresented Student Scholar Success and Engagement
Act Six, Diversity Monologues
Phone: 509-313-4105
Ricardo was born and raised in the small border town of Calexico, Ca. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Gender, Ethnicity and Multicultural Studies from Cal Poly Pomona and then completed his Doctoral work in Chicano/a Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Ricardo’s dissertation was centered around the lived experiences of Latino/a undocumented students in higher education. Ricardo worked at the Multicultural Center at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a year and then as Director for the Center for Equity and Inclusion at UW Tacoma prior to joining Gonzaga. Ricardo enjoys spending time with family, eating mass quantities of food and visiting places that are bigger on the inside.
Sasha Gibson, M.A.
Program Manager, Social Justice and Outreach
Intergroup Dialogue
Phone: 509-313-5835
Sasha is Appalachia born, Flint, MI raised and earned their bachelor’s in English Lit and Gender Studies from Pace University in NYC. Sasha completed graduate work in Adult and Higher Education at the University of South Dakota, interning with TRiO programs, Multicultural Student support, and other areas of student affairs including Housing and Residence Life. Sasha spent time working in Residence Life and teaching at Western Kentucky University supporting first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color in their work prior to joining the Gonzaga Community. Sasha is passionate about the issues that impact all peoples experiencing marginalization and is actively involved in their community as well as leading a home life full of books, baking, and cat adoration with their partner.
Deb Ellis
Program Manager, Programming & Budget
Phone: 509-313-6368
Deb has been with UMEC for the past seven years building relationships with students and the community. After graduating from Eastern Washington University with a BA in Business Administration—Organizational Development and graduate studies in Communication, Deb worked the field of Human Resources. Prior to coming to Gonzaga, Deb worked as an artist and instructor in metal smithing. Throughout her work and life experiences, Deb has been passionate about social justice issues. Her interests include books, hiking, food, travel and art—especially social justice art!
Christina Alexander
Act Six Graduate Assistant
Phone: 509-313-4037
Hi, my name is Christina Alexander. I am the graduate intern for Act Six and a student pursuing a Master’s of Science in Taxation. Graduated from the Pullman campus of Washington State University last Winter with a degree in accounting. Apart from being a full-time tax grad student and social justice advocate, I am an absolute outdoor enthusiast. So during my free time you’ll catch me hiking, backpacking, reading, or planning the next adventure. I really love meeting new people, so feel free to stop by and chat with me in UMEC
Morgan Owen
LEADS Graduate Assistant
Phone: 509-313-2466
Morgan Owen is a current graduate student at Gonzaga enrolled in the Organizational Leadership program with a concentration in Global Leadership. She completed her undergraduate degree at Drake University in Secondary Education with endorsements in Social Sciences and Spanish. Morgan has enjoyed her time teaching in classrooms from the diverse schools of Des Moines, Iowa, to as far as South Korea and the Dominican Republic. In the future, she hopes to combine her educational, professional, and travel experiences to create more peaceful communities rooted in basic human understandings and multiculturalism. A corn fed Iowa native, Morgan has also lived in six different countries and other parts of the United States. In addition to social change and travel, she is also passionate about battling climate change, spreading kindness, and the way that food brings people together
Contact Us
Unity Multicultural Education Center
702 E Desmet,
Hemmingson Center, Suite 317
Spokane, WA 99258
Phone: (509) 313-5836
Email: umec@gonzaga.edu
www.gonzaga.edu/umec