Carissa (she/they) is a 2020 graduate of the University of Chicago with a degree in Political Science, Spanish, and Human Rights. She joined Multicultural Student Services as a Program Coordinator in July 2022.  Prior to joining UVA, Carissa worked in Admissions at a small liberal arts college in Virginia recruiting first generation and Latinx students. They love to cook, do all kinds of puzzles (crosswords, jigsaw, escape rooms, puzzle boxes, etc.), play board games, and cuddle their cats.

In their current role as Assistant Director, Carissa serves as the primary liaison to LGBTQ, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native/Indigenous students, providing resources and support to individual students as well as student organizations. She is also responsible for the programming and management of the Latinx Student Center and the LGBTQ Center.