Meet our Staff

Amy Salinas Westmoreland

she/her
Director of Multicultural Student Services

As Western’s inaugural Director of Multicultural Student Services, Westmoreland manages the Ethnic Student Center, Black Student Coalition, and Blue Resource Center. She is charged with the development of a Latine Identity Center, Asian American & Pacific Islander Identity Center, Undocumented Student Services, and Social Justice Resource Center. Born and raised in Racine, WI, Amy has lived throughout the country (WI, PA, CA, WA), and now calls Bellingham home. Amy has been a leader in higher education for twelve years with her previous positions including Assistant Director of Social Justice Programs at University of Wisconsin-Madison and Director of Assessment for the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Penn State. The foundation of Amy’s work is creating accessible, equitable, and inclusive spaces that celebrate and amplify the voices of BIPOC, QTPOC, and other marginalized communities. Amy earned her B.A. in English and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration at Penn State. She serves on the Directorate Board for the ACPA Commission for Assessment and Evaluation and is a member of the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association Council. Amy identifies as Black and Mexican and first generation. 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, painting, or doting on Samuel Salinas Westmoreland (the cat).

simone-calais staley

She & Her
Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Services

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.

Rodrigo Gonzalez-Juarez

he/him/él
Latine Student Retention Specialist

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.

Nia Gipson

she/her/hers
Coordinator of the Black Student Coalition

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.

Chelsea Joefield

she/her/hers
ESC Club Advisor & Program Manager

Chelsea is from Trinidad & Tobago and loves exploring different aspects of her culture and heritage through food and music. She enjoys reading, cooking, baking, and is passionate about health disparities and maternal health. Chelsea is always open to conversation and working to find resources for our students to better prepare and support them throughout their time at Western.