The Center for Career and Professional Development
College Hall, First Floor
Phone: 562.907.4230
E-mail: careercenter@whittier.edu
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Germán Aguilar-Tinajero
Associate Director of Internships & Experiential Learning
(He/Him/His)
gaguila1@whittier.edu
562.907.4533
Germán is the Associate Director of Internships and Experiential Learning at Whittier College. In this role, he demystifies the job search and career process for students and develops new internship opportunities for our Poets. As a first generation, undocumented, Latinx scholar practitioner, Germán is committed to ensuring equitable outcomes for students in higher education. He was born in in Culiacán, Sinaloa Mexico and grew up in San Diego, CA. Germán holds an M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Social and Cultural Analysis of Education from CSULB and a B.A in American Literature and Culture and Chicana/o Studies from UCLA. In his spare time, Germán enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, going on runs, live music and reading.
Sandra Arana
Director
(She/Her/Hers/Ella)
sarana@whittier.edu
562.907.4294
Sandra has 18 years of experience working with college-age students from diverse backgrounds. She currently serves as the Director for the Center for Career and Professional Development. In this role, she has the privilege of leading an impactful and dynamic career team. Sandra holds a Bachelor of Arts – Child Development and Family Studies (2004) and a Master of Science in Counseling - School Counseling (2012) from California State University, Long Beach. As a first-generation, immigrant Latina, Sandra is invested in paving the way for more folks to understand the challenges of higher ed while helping navigate the world of work for emerging professionals authentically. She enjoys facilitating and leading events that support the enrichment and empowerment of students from underrepresented communities. She is driven to develop and strengthen relationships that bridge communication gaps among all students and partner stakeholders. When not meeting with students, developing programming, or visiting prospective employers, she enjoys learning and spending time with her teen and young adult soccer fanatic, musically inclined sons!
Deseray Rivas
Associate Director of Career Coaching, Professional Marketing and Branding
(She/Her/Hers/Ella)
drivas2@whittier.edu
562.907.4823
Deseray started her career 17 years ago in non-profit education as an after-school tutor to the sweetest 3rd-grade students, ever. It was also around that time that she realized the real inequities in education that are deeply rooted in systemic oppression, poverty, and structural racism from as early as pre-school all the way to post-graduate education. She has since dedicated the rest of her career to not only fighting these systems within the educational structures around us but in her workplace and personal life as well. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Career Coaching, Professional Marketing, and Branding. In her role she serves the Poet community as a career coach to the dynamic students and alumni of Whittier College, as well as developing and executing a robust student professional development program, ensuring students are job-ready upon graduation. In her spare time, Deseray enjoys spending time with her daughter, visiting Joshua Tree National Park, attending live music shows, and writing.
