Meet our Staff

Amy Salinas Westmoreland

she/her
Director of Multicultural Student Services
Amy.Westmoreland@wwu.edu

Amy is the inaugural Director of Multicultural Student Services at Western Washington University. In her current role, Amy leads the Office of Multicultural Student Services, which oversees the Ethnic Student Center, the Blue Resource Center, the Black Student Coalition, and La Plaza, the university’s newly established Latine Student Center. Amy has worked to create a vibrant and supportive environment for students from diverse backgrounds and marginalized communities.

She holds a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from Pennsylvania State University, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Throughout her career, Amy has demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with over a decade of experience in higher education. Before joining Western, she served as the Director of Assessment for the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Penn State, where she contributed to the university’s diversity mission and helped develop the university’s first diversity, equity, and inclusion climate survey. She also worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the Assistant Director of Social Justice Programs, where she facilitated workshops and large-scale events to foster a more inclusive campus community.

Amy has successfully built strong partnerships with various community and academic organizations to promote social justice and inclusivity. She is a committed advocate for creating spaces where all students can thrive, and she frequently leads training and workshops on topics such as power, privilege, and oppression.

Amy identifies as Black and Mexican and first generation. Born and raised in Racine, WI, Amy has lived throughout the country (WI, PA, CA, WA), and now calls Bellingham home. She loves spending time with friends and family and traveling both domestically and internationally. On her downtime, you can find Amy at a local bookstore, enjoying a good meal with loved ones, relaxing near the water or painting.

simone-calais staley

She & Her
Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Services
simone-calais.staley@wwu.edu
Ethnic Student Center

Warm greetings WWU community! I am so excited to return to the Western community.

My name is simone-calais staley and I use She & Her pronouns. I am an alumna of Western and studied Recreation Management & Leadership program (Lifetime Member of Phase 5). I also studied Environmental Education (Huxley Spring Block) and completed a minor with Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a focus on Queer Indigenous Theories. During my time here from 2008-2012, I was involved in many campus programs including Residence Life and the Ethnic Student Center (ESC). I was active student with the Native American Student Union (NASU) and the development of the Pride Affinity housing program. As a staff member I approach my work through critical theories and identity development models. My passions include indigenizing education, consensus-based community development, advocacy & civic engagement, and leadership development through autonomy and sovereignty.

My family is from outside of Lewiston, Idaho and I am a proud mixed-race nimiipuu (Nez-Perce) woman. I have previously worked at WWU, University of Washington, Seattle University, and the University of Alaska Anchorage. I honor the land and peoples each place I have lived and worked. I practice being a global citizen and I acknowledge my responsibility as a tenant of earth. I am grateful to our custodians here and I raise my hands in gratitude to the Nooksack and the Lummi. I have many hopes for our growing campus community, and I am committed to the legacy and future of Multicultural Student Services and the Ethnic Student Center.

Please come by the Multicultural Center in the union to visit me! I would be happy to support you, get involved in events on campus, or contribute to cross-campus projects. You might see me walking through campus or the sx̣ʷiʔám̕ (Sehome Arboretum). I am here to support the amazing work within the Multicultural Student Services including the Ethnic Student Center, Blue Resource Center, Black Student Coalition and the development of the Latin(e) Center.

Nia Gipson

she/her/hers
Coordinator of the Black Student Coalition
Nia.Gipson@wwu.edu

Nia was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned her B.S. in Agricultural and Consumer Economics. Nia went on to earn her M.S. in Educational Leadership with a concentration in College Student Development at Oklahoma State University. In her spare time, Nia likes to cook, dance, paint, pretend she’s on Wildin’ Out, and go on nature walks. Serving as the inaugural Coordinator of the BSC is immensely important to Nia. She is honored and excited to be able to lay the foundation and help create community and systems of support for our Black Identifying Students. Nothing matters to Nia more than making students feel like they belong, so she hopes to create an environment that is more than just a place to learn, but a place that feels like home.

Quacyya Munoz Cuaresma

she/her/hers
Undocumented Student Retention Specialist
Quacyya.Cuaresma@wwu.edu
Blue Resource Center

Quacyya is the inaugural Undocumented Student Retention Specialist at the Blue Resource Center.

She was born and raised on Dena’ina Athabascan land, known as Anchorage, Alaska. She began her journey in higher education at the University of Alaska Anchorage where she worked at Multicultural Student Services and earned a B.S. Health Sciences in health education and a Master of Public Health. Prior to working in student affairs, she supported systemic and domestic violence prevention in her community. She has a strong foundation and passion for the intersection of community wellness and social justice. 

Outside of work and academics, Quacyya’s rejuvenating practices include writing poetry, being outside, and building community. Feel free to connect with Quacyya at the Blue Resource Center located in Viking Union 720 or email her at cuaresq@wwu.edu.

Rodrigo Gonzalez-Juarez

he/him/él
Latine Student Retention Specialist
Rodrigo.Gonzalez-Juarez@wwu.edu
La Plaza - Latine Student Center

Hello! My name is Rodrigo Gonzalez-Juarez and I use he & him pronouns. I received my bachelor’s degree from Sacramento State University and my master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, both in Social Work. Before moving to Washington, I was an Academic Counselor and Peer Mentor Program Coordinator for the TRIO Student Support Services program at Oregon State University-Cascades in Bend, Oregon where I supported students who were first-generation, low income, and/or had a disability.

I am excited and grateful to serve as the inaugural Latine Student Retention Specialist at WWU! I look forward to supporting Latine students through building bridges between students and resources, creating Latine community and spaces, and forming relationships. I am passionate about supporting Latine students in obtaining upward social mobility through higher education.

I was born and raised in Auburn, a small town in Northern California. My mom is from Patzcuaro, Michoacan and my dad is from Colorines, Estado de Mexico. Spanish was my first language and I love practicing with others. In my spare time, I enjoy running, going on long walks, watching the Mexico National Soccer Team, and spending time with my wife and our two cats Chivo (brown tabby) and Aidan (orange and white).

Please come by my office in the Multicultural Center and say hi! I am always open to helping find resources, answering questions, or chatting about life.