As the Program Manager for EDI Student Engagement and Initiatives, Ms. Llerena-Tobin assists in the development, implementation, and analysis of campus programs and projects related to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Anyssa’s research interests include the effects of diversity-related initiatives on student success metrics and the intersections of race, gender, and campus sexual assault. Ms. Llerena-Tobin received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Loyola Marymount University in 2015, and Master of Arts in Psychology from California Baptist University in 2017.

Mr. Perkins joined UCLA in the Fall of 2019 as Special Assistant to Vice Chancellor Kang and member of the BruinX Team. Before joining UCLA, Johnathan served within the Office of the General Counsel at Harvard University. During the first several years of his legal practice, he worked as an associate in the higher education division of a premier, Philadelphia-based law firm. In addition to these positions, Johnathan has also regularly served as a consultant, writer, and speaker on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Johnathan received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and his B.A magna cum laude from Temple University.

Dr. Straight is the Director of Research Strategy and Analytics in the Research & Bruin Engagement Office. Carli began her career at UCLA as a Principal Statistician in the Academic Personnel Office. In this capacity, Carli played a significant role in the UCOP-mandated faculty salary equity study and evaluation of the Negotiated Salary Trial Program. In 2016, she joined BruinX as a data scientist. Having joined the team shortly after the office was established, Carli has been a key player in the conception and implementation of major office initiatives and projects, including the BruinX Dashboards, Faculty Hiring Process Assessment, BruinXperience app, Academic Affirmative Action Plan, Diversity Scorecard, and Faculty Hiring Portfolios. Carli has worked in the field of institutional research for over 10 years. She holds a B.A. in psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz and an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from Claremont Graduate University.

J. Nicolas (“Nico”) Anwandter joined UCLA’s Civil Rights Office as a Health Investigator in 2022 with an extensive employee relations and civil rights background.  As a California-licensed attorney with over six years of litigation experience, Mr. Anwandter represented both employees and employers in a wide variety of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, accommodation, and assault claims.  More recently, he served as an HR consultant to dozens of employers, developing policies and providing essential guidance to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment and labor laws.  In these roles, he also conducted, coordinated, assisted, and carefully reviewed the quality of workplace investigations.  Mr. Anwandter graduated from the University of California, Irvine School of Law, where he interned with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and defended prisoner rights before the Ninth Circuit.  While earning his bachelor’s degree in public policy analysis at Pomona College, he volunteered with the Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, developing more efficient methods to bring legal services to the greater community.

Ms. Attar joined UCLA’s Civil Rights Office in 2022. Ms. Attar is a California-licensed attorney with experience in healthcare law. She earned her Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law.

Ana Contreras joined UCLA’s Civil Rights Office in 2024. As a former litigator, Ms. Contreras represented and advised employers and public education entities on employment law matters ranging from discrimination suits, wage and hour complaints, and internal non-compliance investigations. She also maintained an active pro-bono practice, through which she helped several families file for and obtain asylum. Ms. Contreras earned her Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law, where she specialized in Critical Race Studies. She is also a graduate of Williams College, where she majored in Political Science, with a concentration in Borders, Exile, and Diaspora Studies.

Maria Carmen Hinayon joined the UCLA Civil Rights Office in 2024 with years of experience as a neutral and legal professional. As a legal professional, Ms. Hinayon represented and advised individuals, students, employees, employers, and public education and healthcare entities on civil rights, education, and employment law matters. As a neutral, she investigated and resolved numerous education and workplace complaints alleging sexual violence, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. In her prior investigative roles at UCSF and UC Davis, Ms. Hinayon started to develop a growing interest and expertise on cases within the context of clinical care and education. Naturally, she is very excited to embark on this new role as Health Investigator at UCLA.

Outside of work, Ms. Hinayon volunteers her time and expertise to various efforts and organizations that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. She served a 3-year term, by appointment of the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, to the Women in Criminal Justice Task Force, which conducted a nationwide inquiry and provided recommendations to address the concerning trend of women lawyers leaving the criminal justice profession. She served a 5-year term, by appointment of the City Council, to the inaugural West Hollywood Transgender Advisory Board, which advises the City Council on issues, programs, and policies impacting the trans and nonbinary community. She also served at the inaugural Community Advisory Board of the UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health.

A graduate of UCLA School of Law, Ms. Hinayon joyfully comes home to UCLA and looks forward to serving the Bruin community.

Yonit Kovnator joined UCLA in 2022, bringing over a decade of knowledge as an attorney with intersectional expertise on education and disability.  Prior to her role as ADA/Section 504 Compliance Officer, Ms. Kovnator dedicated her legal skills to helping serve California’s public schools and county offices of education, counseling clients at both the school site and administrative levels.  She regularly advised her clients on numerous topics including issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as related state and federal law.  Ms. Kovnator earned her JD, with distinction, from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and her BA from the University of California, San Diego.

Ms. Lavinthal is an expert in statistical analysis, labor/employment issues, affirmative action, compliance, equity, and diversity. Ms. Lavinthal studied econometrics, political science, social movements, political organizations, government, and quantitative research methods. She has a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree from Columbia University. Ms. Lavinthal joined UCLA in 2000 and has worked on issues related to affirmative action, equity, organizational climate, and disparate impact. Between 2010 and 2013, she served on the Board of the Greater Los Angeles Industry Liaison Group (LAILG).

Prior to joining UCLA as a Health Investigator in 2023, Ms. Schuck’s legal practice focused on civil rights in employment and educational settings, including litigating and advising clients as to issues arising under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.  Ms. Schuck has also served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, handling civil rights cases filed by inmates.  Prior to obtaining her Juris Doctorate in 2010, Ms. Schuck was a law clerk in the Orange County District Attorney’s Sexual Assault Unit and completed an externship under the Honorable David O. Carter, in the United States District Court, Central District of California.

Ms. Toscano graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History. Prior to joining the team, she was a National Finance Assistant for the Biden-Harris Campaign. During her time at UCLA, she interned at the California Department of Education and was an Elementary Education Director for Amigos de UCLA, a student-run service organization. She is delighted to return to UCLA and support EDI’s mission!

Linda Cardenas graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, earned her Juris Doctorate at UC Berkeley, and has supplemented those degrees with a Senior Human Resources Management certification (SPHR).  Ms. Cardenas has practiced employment law in the private sector and has worked closely with, and within, human resource departments. Her work has included conducting investigations, responding to complaints and conducting training at all levels of public and private organizations. In 2023 she (re-) joined her alma mater, UCLA, as an investigator in the Discrimination Prevention Office. Ms. Cardenas is an active member of the State Bar of California.

Ms. Mayer earned her Bachelor of Arts in History, summa cum laude, from UCLA, and JD/MBA from NYU.  While attending law school, Ms. Mayer was an active member of the Black Allied Law Students Association (BALSA) and the Review of Law and Social Change. Genevieve represented undocumented workers in wage claims to obtain back wages at Bet Tzedek Legal Services.  At Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, Ms. Mayer collaborated with the Fair Housing team where she provided legal and factual analyses of proposed strategies and approaches used in addressing endemic patterns of racial/religious discrimination in public housing in local neighborhoods. Genevieve began her career at UCLA in the Technology Development Group where she was a Patent Prosecution and Compliance Analyst. At TDG, Ms. Mayer provided analytical and administrative support to the Chief IP Officer, attorneys, and inventors. She coordinated actions relating to the patent process internally and externally with UCLA inventors, campus departments, outside patent counsel, sponsors, business partners, and the UC Office of the President. Ms. Mayer joined the EDI team in 2021. Ms. Mayer is the Administrative Specialist in the DPO office. In her current role, Genevieve provides support to the Director for the Discrimination Prevention Office (DPO) and to DPO staff.  Ms. Mayer manages the day-to-day operations for DPO and the DPO Director’s calendar, while maintaining highly sensitive, confidential information. Ms. Mayer is fluent in Spanish. She is delighted to continue at UCLA and support EDI’s mission!

Ms. Corona is the Title IX Office’s Special Assistant. Ms. Corona graduated from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) where she majored in Sociology and double minored in English and Business Management. Upon graduation, Ms. Corona interned with the Legal Aid Society of Orange County’s Fund Development department, and shortly thereafter, attended and graduated from Notre Dame Law School, receiving her JD. Upon graduation, Ms. Corona had a fellowship with the California Charter School Association, researching education law matters and the growing demographic of charter schools and their role in education. Ms. Corona has worked with different nonprofits throughout Southern California, always aspiring to find a way to make a difference and contribute to those in need. In her last role as the Program Assistant with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Ms. Corona managed data, conducted client intakes, ran the intern program, assisted with office management, and served as the first contact for families looking for immigration assistance.

Mr. DePalma joined the Title IX Office in 2017 as a Special Assistant. Prior to joining the Title IX Office, Mr. DePalma spent seventeen years as an employment law specialist at a variety of firms, including the firms of Seyfarth Shaw LLP and Ogletree Deakins LLP. As an employment litigator, he conducted investigations into discrimination and harassment matters, trained supervisors and other personnel about anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws and policies, developed anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and practices, and mediated and resolved discrimination and harassment disputes, in addition to other matters. Mr. DePalma earned bachelor’s degrees in English and Political Science from Bradley University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Ms. Himeles joined the Title IX Office in 2020. Prior to joining the Title IX Office, she worked as a neutral Investigator at Public Interest Investigations, Inc. conducting third-party Title IX and workplace investigations. She is also an Association of Workplace Investigators Certificate Holder (SWI-CH). An attorney licensed to practice in California, Himeles has represented employees in workplace claims of sexual harassment and discrimination, including cases based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and retaliation. Her legal practice also involved the area of consumer protection. Previously, she served as a fellow for the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center’s Legal Clinic, working with clients of the Anti-Violence Project. While attending Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Himeles spent two years working to exonerate those wrongfully convicted as part of Loyola’s Project for the Innocent. She earned her bachelor’s degree from University of California, San Diego, and her law degree from Loyola.