Welcome to the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering Undergraduate Student Services Team!
The Allen School’s Undergraduate Student Services Team (USST) is a dynamic group of professional staff members working hard to provide timely information and resources to our Allen School undergraduate and prospective students, faculty and staff. Our mission is to provide accurate, compassionate, guidance to students so they can make the most informed decision about their academic path. Please read on to get to know our staff a little better!
First, we are organized into three groups: Undergraduate Advising Team, Diversity & Access Team and Administrative Support Team. You may contact any of us via our general advising email: ugrad-adviser(at) cs (dot) washington (dot) edu
Undergraduate Student Services Team - USST
Crystal Eney
Title: Director of Student Services
Email: ceney(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Overall USST program manager, petitions, statistics, faculty liaison, backup on BSMS, external committees
Fun Facts: At various times in my past I’ve studied Hawaiian dancing, Krav Maga, sailing, improvisational theater and was an avid Husky Marching Band member back in my ‘college days’ (Clarinets Rock!). These days family life is a bit more mellow and I’m loving hiking, camping, biking, friends and family.
Expanded Bio - Crystal
Thank you for taking some time to get to know the USST staff here in the Allen School. I love working with this amazing group of people. In the last 4 years we’ve more than doubled the size of our student population and our staff. It’s an exciting time to be working here. I started in the Allen School as an entry level adviser in 2000. It’s been a wild ride but I absolutely love the passion, enthusiasm, dedication and empathy this school stands for in their daily work. Our students, staff and faculty inspire me every day. Although I was born in Hawaii, I moved to Washington when I was quite young so I’m about as native Washingtonian as you can get without being born here. I wanted to be a Husky from the time I could talk and loved my time here as a student. I earned a history & psychology double degree with a minor in music (but really, a minor in Marching Band as I was in the Husky Band for the 5 years of my double degree). When I graduated I decided I’d had so much fun as a student that I wanted to stick around to help the next generation of Huskies find their passion. I’m excited about all the changes here in the Allen School, namely our shift in admissions which allows us to work with students during their full college experience. I’m passionate about equity and access and look forward to helping our students and our team guide students to find their passion in this world to make it a better place for all of us. I hope to get to know many of you as you journey through the University of Washington and beyond.
Undergraduate Advising Team:
Our Allen School advisers help students plan and shape their undergraduate experience in the Allen School. In addition to assistance with tasks such as planning course schedules, troubleshooting registration issues, and planning for graduation, advisers engage in a broader dialogue with individual students to better clarify their academic and personal goals.
Jenifer Hiigli
Title: Lead Academic Adviser
Email: jenifer(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Advising team & Undergrad Student Services Team leadership, Allen School scholarships, Allen School exchange programs, and BS/MS program advising.
Fun Facts: Thanks to my very enthusiastic toddler, I can sing every word to every Frozen song. I’m a lifelong Husky - I was born at UW Medical Center!
Expanded Bio - Jenifer
I grew up about 45 minutes south of Seattle in Auburn, Washington, and studied psychology and education at UW as an undergraduate. While I was at UW, I participated in ASUW student government, the Pipeline Project, the Dream Project, and many other activities that helped me better understand who I was and what I loved to do. After a few years working in an elementary school, I went back to UW to earn my master’s degree in Educational Policy, and then joined the Allen School in 2012. These days, when I’m not reading a good book or heading out for a run, I spend most of my time with my husband Taylor, our son Owen, and our dog Harley. We go on lots of nature walks, watch entirely too much Disney+, and love to cook & bake together.
Maggie Morris
Title: Senior Academic Adviser
Email: maggiem(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Lead for BSMS programs, Academic research, non-major enrollment, working with Robinson Center students, adviser for Student Advisory Council, student awards/recognition, and Greek life.
Fun Facts: I serve as the corporation board president for UW’s Sigma Kappa sorority and volunteer on the Panhellenic Advisory Council for UW Panhellenic. I am also an amateur historian and love uncovering local history. For example, last year I uncovered the namesake of King County’s Lake Dorothy, which had been a mystery for many decades and is now recorded officially with the US Geological Survey.
Expanded Bio - Maggie
I am a first generation college student and fifth generation Washingtonian from Bothell, WA, where I live with my husband and two cats. I earned a BA in European Studies at UW and really enjoyed how the degree combined history, political science, international studies, foreign language, and study abroad. The most meaningful part of my time as an undergrad was involvement like At-Large Member for the UW Legislative Steering Committee, Orientation Leader, Panhellenic Vice President of Recruitment, and Sigma Kappa Sorority President. Then, I earned a JD from Seattle University School of Law and my favorite classes were criminal law, law and religion, law and gender, and open government law. While in law school, I was volunteering for my sorority both locally and nationally, and I realized that my passion was in higher education and helping students. This is now my sixth school year as an Allen School adviser and am so lucky to work with so many great students, faculty, and staff. In my free time I like exploring the Pacific Northwest, spending time with family and friends, and volunteering for the UW Greek Community and my sorority, Sigma Kappa.
Chelsea Navarro
Title: Senior Academic Adviser
Email: crmn(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Prospective transfer student adviser. Supports incoming transfer students and teaches CSE 390T: Transfer Seminar.
Fun Facts: I lived and worked in Austria for three and a half years and kann ein bisschen Deutsch sprechen. I was also a college radio DJ during undergrad and love getting music recommendations from students.
Expanded Bio - Chelsea
I’m a proud transfer student and received my bachelor’s degree in sociology from San Diego State University and master’s degree in education from UCLA. As an undergraduate student, I was involved in TRIO, EOP, Upward Bound, and Talent Search programs. Driven by my experiences as a first-generation college student from a low-income background, I decided to pursue a career in higher education to provide support to nontraditional college students. I joined the Allen School in August, 2019 and enjoy connecting with students to help them achieve their academic goals. I’m originally from sunny San Diego, California and I moved to Seattle, Washington in 2019. While I miss mi familia and the beaches, I’m happy to be surrounded by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and all of the coffee shops it has to offer. In my free time, I enjoy volunteering, watching cartoons, and exploring the outdoors with my poodle Laika.
Austin Browning
Title: Senior Academic Adviser
Email: austinbr(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: he/him
Key Areas of Expertise: Supervise Allen School Peer Adviser team. Manage CSE 301 Internship class. Facilitate undergrad CPT/OPT work authorization.
Fun Facts: I love traveling and have been to 10 countries across Asia, Europe, South America, and North America. I have a personal goal to visit all continents by age 40. I also love cooking and baking and am always excited to get new recipe recommendations!
Expanded Bio - Austin
I am originally from rural small town Idaho, but have learned that I am a city dweller at heart. After high school, I moved to Oregon where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Linfield University. While I enjoyed the STEM classes and research I was involved with, the most impactful experiences I had were outside of my coursework. Studying abroad in Hong Kong, competing with the Speech & Debate team, and my student-employee jobs as a TA, Peer Adviser, and Admission Ambassador were all experiences that helped me discover my love for teaching and empowering students, and that drastically changed my interests and career path. After college, I spent time teaching English abroad, worked as an AmeriCorps member, and as a Professional Recruiter, and eventually realized I loved my college experience so much that I never wanted to leave! What drives me is working with students to help them articulate future interests and goals, and connect that to a plan to help get you there! I am a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and know first-hand how important it is to provide safe and accessible spaces for all students to learn and grow. I am currently working towards my Master’s of Education in Adult & Higher Ed, and in my free time I love exploring the beautiful PNW, camping, playing board games, and binging shows on Netflix.
Hector Rodriguez
Title: Academic Adviser
Email: hexx(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: he/him
Key Areas of Expertise: TBD
Fun Facts: - I love playing guitar and other instruments and attending local shows and concerts!
I love to run and hike and am currently training to do a half marathon!
Expanded Bio - Hector
I was born in Texas and moved my whole life to multiple places including California and Oregon. I eventually settled in Austin, where I began studying political science and eventually changed majors to Business at Seattle University, where I graduated with a Bachelors in Arts. I began working at Seattle Central College after graduating and eventually made the move to University of Washington, where I have been for a couple of years and as of recently moved into an Academic Adviser role. In my free time, I enjoy creating websites and full stack applications, being a part of the local music community, and outdoor activities like running, fishing, and camping.
Rakeb Million
Title: Academic Adviser
Email: rmillion(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Advise BIPOC students and the Allen School OMAD-affiliated programs' students (i.e EOP, TRIO/SSS, CAMP, Champions)
Fun Facts: I usually get questions about my last name. It is actually my father's first name. My family is from Ethiopia and naming conventions don't typically include family names, instead you are given your father's first name so the only other person in my family with the same last name as me is my sister!
Expanded Bio - Rakeb
I am a proud first-generation college student and graduate of the University of Washington where I received my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I’ve loved being part of the UW community for over a decade as a student and staff member in various roles from working as a research assistant to advising graduate students and now undergraduate students! My passion is supporting students as they navigate their educational goals through a holistic advising lens. I immigrated from Ethiopia with my family over 20 years ago and have called Washington home ever since. Community is very important to me and I spend my free time with family and friends, playing and eating delicious food.
Undergraduate Diversity & Access Team:
The mission of the Diversity & Access team is to attract and educate the next generation of outstanding computer scientists who reflect the multidimensions of diversity in Washington State and the diverse needs, backgrounds, and experiences of technology users around the world. We do this by broadening participation in computing at the K-12 level, focusing our outreach and recruitment effort on students who are underrepresented in the computing field, and ensuring that students of all backgrounds feel that they belong and can thrive in the Allen School. We use the National Science Foundation definition of underrepresented in the computing field including students who are women, African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Native Pacific Islander, and students with disabilities.
Chloe Dolese Mandeville
Title: Assistant Director for Diversity & Access
Email: cdolese(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Diversity, equity, & inclusion efforts for the undergraduate program, Allen School admissions policies & practices and student affinity groups.
Fun Facts: I was on Team USA for jump rope in 2010. Additionally, I love to read! You can always find an education-related book and a fiction book in my bag!
Expanded Bio - Chloe
I was born and raised on Bainbridge Island, WA and am a proud “double dawg” receiving both my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and my master’s degree in Leadership in Higher Education from the UW. My academic experiences have led me to take a community-based approach to the work that I do. During my freshman year of college at the University of Michigan, I did not find a community on campus and ultimately transferred to UW. Intent on finding a community, I joined the UW Dream Project which supports high school students with college and postsecondary planning. My experience in Dream Project provided a welcoming space on campus and also sparked a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion work. When I graduated from UW, I worked in the Office of Admissions before joining the Allen School in 2016. More recently, I had the opportunity to attend graduate school in the UW College of Education. During that time, I relied heavily on my communities as I learned how to juggle being a full-time student while working full-time, started exploring my identity as a biracial Indonesian-White American, and began to develop my scholarly identity by studying how to improve access to computing in higher education. These experiences and my communities have helped shape my professional practice and are applied to how I approach my work with students and my team. I firmly believe that forming a community is an essential foundation for the work we do together! In my free time, you will find me rock climbing or hiking with my husband, spending time with my parents and siblings, or facetiming with my cousins in Indonesia and Australia!
Leslie Ikeda
Title: Senior Startup Program Manager
Email: ikedal(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Retention initiatives and programs such as the Startup Program and CSE 390B: Building Academic Skills Through Bottom-Up Computing, supervise Startup Student Leads team, and Adviser for GEN1
Fun Facts: I was on the Bravo TV show, Top Chef Seattle Restaurant Wars episode and I met my lifelong partner (who also happens to be an Allen School alum) during our first week of college at UW.
Expanded Bio - Leslie
I am a proud 206-Seattle local where the mountains, evergreen trees and rainy seasons have always been my home. I received my bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in American Ethnic Studies and my master's Degree in education at Seattle University. As a yonsei fourth generation Japanese American woman, granddaughter of Executive Order 9066 internees, first-generation college student, and women's youth basketball coach, I draw upon my personal and professional experiences in working with students. I joined the Allen School in October 2018 and have loved supporting students in pursuing their CS endeavors. I enjoy playing, watching and coaching basketball (BRING BACK THE SONICS), snuggling with my two cats (Kaelo and Miyu), and experiencing all of life's adventures with my partner, Garrett.
Jeremy Munroe
Title: Program Coordinator for Diversity & Access
Email: jmunroe(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: he/him
Key Areas of Expertise: K-12 Outreach/Events, Allen School Ambassador program, UW Youth Programs requirements and Adviser for Q++.
Fun Facts: I have a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Illustration
Expanded Bio - Jeremy
I was born and raised in Massachusetts, where I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a BFA in Visual Design, where I was also involved in our LGBTQ+ student org, the UMD Theatre Company, and It was during this time of self discovery and learning, that I was able to begin working as an Admissions Ambassador. I found myself really enjoying getting to interact with families, hearing their stories and helping them get excited about going to college. I worked as an ambassador for two years, and when I graduated I was no longer sure what it was I wanted to do, and the only job I had was a part time job at an Art Museum. On a hope and a whim, I moved across the country to Seattle! I took the first job I could find, at a retail chain, and began looking for jobs in local museums and schools and nonprofits. Ending up at UW and the Allen School as the new k-12 outreach assistant was something I could never have predicted. I’ve been grateful to grow and learn with the Allen School and see our small outreach program become a bigger, better part of the future as a part of our Diversity & Access team. In my free time I still create art, and am a big sci-fi/fantasy nerd.
Administrative Support Team:
Our Program Operations Specialist serves as the primary individual responsible for curriculum management and coordination of filling more than 300 teaching assistant (TA) positions per quarter. This position is also the point person for all new faculty hires to get them trained up on various tools and course teaching resources. Our Student Services Assistant/Gates Center Front Office Coordinator assists all members of the USST team with various administrative tasks and runs the front desk of Gates Hall when we are operating in person.
Pim Lustig
Title: Program Operations Specialist
Email: pl(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: he/him
Key Areas of Expertise: Administrative course logistics, curriculum and time schedule management and TA assignments.
Fun Facts: Born the exact same day as the pro wrestling great The Undertaker (and often mistaken for him too). I am also Dual citizen with a Dutch passport!
Expanded Bio - Pim
I was born in New Jersey, grew up in the Philadelphia area, and have lived in Seattle since before the turn of the century. My degree as a film major was excellent preparation for the variety of service industry jobs I would soon have (on multiple continents!) but also got me working in production and news programming at a community radio station in St. Louis for several years.
Working with computer audio and video production led to a greater interest in programming and web development and eventually (after a few years as a stay-at-home dad) landed me here at the Allen School where I have been ever since. I love working with our students and I am continually impressed and inspired by their talents and accomplishments. Outside of work, I enjoy following Dutch soccer, petting my cats, and sitting on the couch with my family.
Maude Lustig
Title: Front Desk Manager/Advising Assistant
Email: mlustig(at)cs.uw.edu
Pronouns: she/her
Key Areas of Expertise: Front Desk Manager of Gates and Academic Advising Assistant
Fun Facts: In college I had a summer internship at a theater where I wrote, directed, and performed an original one-woman show. I was also the editor of my school newspaper's Humor section!
Expanded Bio - Maude
I grew up in Seattle, and graduated from Whitman College with a degree in Film & Media Studies. I studied computer science throughout college and high school--I even worked as a counselor for UW's DawgBytes computer science camp! I am very excited to be back working at the UW, welcoming students to the Gates Center and assisting the advising team. Outside of work, I like to write, visit museums, and watch Love Island.
