2024-25 DASG Senate
On this page you'll find a list of DASG Senate members and their responsibilities photos and bios. - At right is the current DASG organizational chart. (You can click the image to open a printable PDF.)
- Click the tabs below to see photos and profiles of each DASG Senate member.
- Click the red bars lower on the page to see photos and profiles of DASG advisers.
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Executive Officers
Luca Paliska | President
- Pronouns: he/him/his
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Mountain View, CA
- Hobbies: Name any water activity and I've either done it or really want to! I also enjoy playing piano in my free time and building coding projects.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: To transfer to a four-year university and experience new things along the way.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG because I want to actively participate in my community to better student life. I feel that °®¶¹´«Ã½'s student government is the perfect avenue for making the impactful changes students want. I'm committed to representing the overall student body's needs throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Joining was also a great way to make friends!
- Contact: dasgpresident@deanza.edu
Wadi Lin Lei | Chair of Administration
- Pronouns: she/her
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Mandalay, Myanmar
- Hobbies: Photography, Baking, I also love to drink coffee.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I hope to gain the full college experience before I transfer to a university. Learning is a huge privilege for me and I aspire to learn anything and everything.
- Why I Joined DASG: The DASG represents °®¶¹´«Ã½ College to past, current, and future students. I want to be part of such a community where helping students learn and discover exciting opportunities are our primary goal.
- Contact: dasgadministration@fhda.edu
Aditya Sharma | Chair of Finance
- Pronouns: he/him/his
- Major: Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
- Hometown: Gurugram
- Hobbies: Playing the guitar and singing :)
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I wish to transfer to a four-year university from °®¶¹´«Ã½ and grow as a person :)
- Why I Joined DASG: I like being part of the decision making committees when it comes to things I am
passionate about. I wish to be able to act as a bridge between DASG and the student
body and make the °®¶¹´«Ã½ senate more accessible and well known.
TL;DR - Joined DASG because why not :) - Contact: dasgfinance@deanza.edu
Katia Bravo | Chair of Student Rights & Equity
- Pronouns: she/her
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA
- Hobbies:
- Reading up on the latest developments in the tech world
- Experimenting with new cooking and baking recipes
- Outdoor activities like hiking and biking
- Playing ultimate frisbee
- Meditation and exploring philosophy
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½:
- Become an active member of the CIS community
- Learn about a variety of cultures by attending cultural community events
- Successfully transfer from the Honors Program
- Spread the joy of robotics and programming!
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG to use my skills involved with interacting with a wide variety of people in order to foster a more equitable environment at °®¶¹´«Ã½. Joining various communities at °®¶¹´«Ã½ has allowed me to have a sense of community and interact with people of amazing backgrounds. I hope to provide my fellow students with the resources and voice in order to make the most from their time here at °®¶¹´«Ã½!
- Contact: dasgsre@deanza.edu
Veronica Hon | Chair of Marketing
- Pronouns: she/her/hers
- Major: Business Administration
- Hometown: Indonesia
- Hobbies: Sports, eating, singing, sleeping
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: To meet lifelong friends, create memories, and form connections while learning and growing both personally, and academically.
- Why I Joined DASG: I am passionate about student leadership and want to be a part of the committee that shapes the school. I hope to find my second family at DASG and form bonds that will hopefully last a lifetime. I aspire to learn and grow from my peers here, especially since I know DASG members to be fun, intelligent, and insightful people! I also hope to bring a positive and fresh perspective to the team and contribute my ideas and experiences within the creative aspect, including marketing, outreachd and leadership.
- Contact: dasgmarketing@deanza.edu
Shiqi Wang | Chair of Events
- Pronouns: she/her/hers
- Major: Business Administration
- Hometown: China
- Hobbies: I enjoy traveling, exploring new restaurants and dessert shops, playing golf and playing murder mystery games. :)
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I'm striving to learn and grow both personally and academically, make lasting friendships, create cherished memories, and contribute to the community to cultivate a more inclusive environment.
- Why I Joined DASG: I see a lot of positive possibilities on this campus. Being able to work and grow together with a group of people to make this community better and filled with more possibilities ∞. Wouldn't that be wonderful？:)
- Contact: dasgevents@fhda.edu
Michi Ozaki | Chair of Environmental Sustainability
- Pronouns: he/him/his
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Japan
- Hobbies: Baseball, piano, pickleball
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I see community college as a place where you can build strong connections with diverse people from all over the world. Taking advantage of this opportunity, my goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½ are to learn communication skills in a non-native language, achieve my academic goals, and grow as a person overall.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG to contribute to °®¶¹´«Ã½ College as a representative of students and promote people's awareness of environmental sustainability. I get to think about what we can do as a big community to engage in making a sustainable environment. Also, I want to enhance my leadership skills and problem-solving skills through student government activity. I want to be a part of the community where people who have the same desire which is to make °®¶¹´«Ã½ a better place gather.
- Contact: dasges@deanza.edu
Jin Huang | Chair of Inter Club Council (ICC)
- Pronouns: she/her/hers
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Shanghai, China
- Hobbies: computer game, basketball, reading
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Learning passionately, bonding over shared dreams, and leaving a lasting mark on our campus.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG with a heartfelt commitment to enrich our college's community and to refine my abilities through impactful leadership and dedicated service.
- Contact: iccchairperson@deanza.edu
Iris Li | Student Trustee
- Pronouns: she/her/hers
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: San Jose
- Hobbies: Watching and playing soccer, building legos, and napping
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: To make friends, learn new things, and contribute to the °®¶¹´«Ã½ community.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG with the goal of making positive changes and better representing student voices at °®¶¹´«Ã½. I want to contribute to our growth, and DASG provides an excellent platform to do so.
- Contact: dastudenttrustee@deanza.edu
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Internal Officers
Rami Abukhater: Flea Market Liason
Pronouns: he/him- Major: Computer Science and Computer Engineering
- Hometown: Cupertino, California
- Hobbies: I like to make games, play sports basketball, spend time with friends, and read.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I hope to gain useful experience that I can apply to my future endeavors, while also pursuing my degree.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG to give back to the leadership that gave me a great experience at De Anza. As the flea market coordinator I am going to ensure that the flea market stays as a pinnacle of our college and community.
- Contact: dasgfleamarket@fhda.edu
Dariga Burkhanova | Environmental Sustainability Coordinator
Pronouns: she/her/hers - Major: Biology
- Hometown: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Hobbies: I enjoy hiking, exploring new places, and going for long drives!
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Make long-lasting connections and give back to the community!
- Why I Joined DASG: To raise awareness about environmental sustainability, and work towards having a greener future at °®¶¹´«Ã½
- Contact: burkhanovadariga@fhda.edu
Ryan Chu: Student Rights Officer
Pronouns: he/him/his- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Hong Kong
- Hobbies: Coding, singing, playing Just Dance
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Learn everything there is to learn, connect with different wonderful people at De Anza (and in the Bay Area), and transfer to a four-year institution to continue pursuing my interests.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined the DASG because I want to help improve the very campus I study in. I love the °®¶¹´«Ã½ community, and I want to help build it up further!
- Contact: churyan@student.deanza.edu
Lauren Hartono: Events Coordinator
Pronouns: she/ her/ hers- Major: Business
- Hometown: Indonesia
- Hobbies: I like to Bullet journal, go for jogs, and play the piano
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I aim to organize events that celebrate and embrace diversity and create inclusive environments where students from all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging beyond just being at school. I aim to create opportunities for students who may struggle to make friends due to °®¶¹´«Ã½'s quarter system, enabling them to create meaningful friendships despite the challenges of our academic schedule.
- Why I Joined DASG: Coming to °®¶¹´«Ã½, I've noticed its diverse student body, mainly comprised of international students. This mix of cultures has inspired me to contribute to fostering unity and a sense of community on campus. This challenge excites me as I see it as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping to bridge different nationalities and bring us all together as one cohesive community.
- Contact: hartonolauren@fhda.edu
Budget Analyst: Vacant
- Pronouns:
- Major:
- Hometown:
- Hobbies:
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½:
- Why I Joined DASG:
- Contact:
Javin Ku: Social Media Officer
Pronouns: he/him/his- Major: Business Administration
- Hometown: Saratoga, California
- Hobbies: Bouldering, cooking, watching Tottenham and the SF Giants!
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: To make lasting connections and build the repertoire to transfer to a four-year university of my choice.
- Why I Joined DASG: The desire to foster a proper community for myself and others around me led me to join the DASG. I strive to connect students with one another through media and communicative methods to make sure all students understand what is going on in their campus. Although community college is not an eternal home, I wish to make it the most comfortable and lively as I possibly can for all those at °®¶¹´«Ã½.
- Contact: kujavin@student.deanza.edu
Aura Ozturk | Elections Commissioner
- Pronouns: she/her/hers
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Turkey
- Hobbies: I like listening to music, swimming, and nature.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: I want to improve myself as a person and transfer to a four-year university.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined the student government with a desire to make a difference in my school community. As an advocate for positive change, I believe that being part of DASG would provide me with the platform to voice my ideas and implement them effectively.
- Contact: DASGElections@fhda.edu
Joshua Madrid: Equity and Diversity Officer
Pronouns: he/him- Major: Psychology
- Hometown: Hayward, California
- Hobbies: Working out, hiking, reading
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: To promote community among °®¶¹´«Ã½ college students and build a student life on our campus. College is not just about learning within classrooms, but also outside of the classroom through interactions with others.
- Why I Joined DASG: I want to be a voice at the table for underrepresented students! Sometimes underrepresented students don't know who to raise their concerns to or don't feel heard. I want students to count on me to be an ear and empower their voices.
- Contact: madridpelayojoshua@fhda.edu
Jin Min: Events Coordinator
Pronouns: he/him- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Daegu, South Korea
- Hobbies: Ultimate Frisbee, working out
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Having various experiences and transferred to a top UC as a CS major
- Why I Joined DASG: To bring positive effect to °®¶¹´«Ã½ College so that students have a better experience in our college
- Contact: minjingi@student.deanza.edu
Legislative Affairs Liaison: Vacant
- Pronouns:
- Major:
- Hometown:
- Hobbies:
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½:
- Why I Joined DASG:
- Contact:
Van Nguyen: Budget Analyst
Pronouns: He/him/his- Major: Business Administration
- Hometown: Vietnam
- Hobbies: Reading, cooking, photography, playing guitar, and camping
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: My goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½ are to learn academic skills to prepare me for studying in a four-year university; develop personal, soft skills to help surrounding people and make valuable impacts for the community; and equip me with foundational knowledge for my future career and goals.
- Why I Joined DASG: I recognized the constructive and critical environment in DASG; therefore, I want to become a part of it to develop my critical thinking. Besides, I want to join DASG to create more connection and communication between DASG and student community so that we can make long-lasting and impactful values.
- Contact: nguyenlocvan@fhda.edu
Victor Pham: Social Media Officer
Pronouns: he/him/his- Major: Biology
- Hometown: Campbell, California
- Hobbies: I enjoy hiking, playing video games, weightlifting, swimming, and fragrance collecting.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: My goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½ are to meet new people, become more involved with the community, and foster a better community college experience for everyone!
- Why I Joined DASG: Because °®¶¹´«Ã½ is a commuter college, I feel it's more important than ever to be connected as a community and one of the things that I love about °®¶¹´«Ã½ is the diversity on campus. I joined DASG because I want to be a part of that environment and being in DASG allows me to better represent and advocate for this community that I love and enjoy being involved in.
- Contact: phamvictor@fhda.edu
Fatima Zehra Shaikh: Public Relations Officer
Pronouns: she/her/hers- Major: Business
- Hometown: India
- Hobbies: mandala art, embroidery
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: My goal at °®¶¹´«Ã½ is to create meaningful connections before I transfer to a four-year university and encourage students to be a part of extracurricular activities.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG to help students gain more awareness about the events and resources available to them. I hope to improve the communication between students and DASG. I will ensure it's not just the students reaching out to DASG but DASG reaching out to the students as well!
- Contact: dasgpublicrelations@fhda.edu
Anish Shamarao: Flea Market Liaison
Pronouns: he/him- Major: Economics
- Hometown: Cupertino, California
- Hobbies: Biking, reading, jazz music, basketball, and binging dog videos :)
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: My general goals are to build my professional skills, connect with others from De Anza, and help the community.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG to be able to contribute to the well-being of the student body and to develop my interpersonal and leadership skills.
- Contact: dasgfleamarket@fhda.edu
Yan Ming Teng: Budget Analyst
Pronouns: he/him/his- Major: Economics
- Hometown: Sunnyvale, California
- Hobbies: Reading and video games
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Transfer to a four-year college
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG because it would allow me to use my knowledge as an economics major to benefit the community.
- Contact: tengyanming@student.deanza.edu
Hoa Van: Public Relations Officer
Pronouns: He/him- Major: Business Administration
- Hometown: Sacramento, California
- Hobbies: gym, golf, pickleball, and gaming
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Transfer
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASB to build my leadership skills and connect more with my community and peers.
- Contact: dasgpublicrelations@fhda.edu
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Program Liaisons
Mahder Aklilu | Umoja Liaison for DASG
- Pronouns: They/ Them
- Major: Earth Sciences
- Hometown: San Jose
- Hobbies: Writing poetry and being outdoors!
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: Transfer to a 4 year university!
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined to be a resource to my community and advocate for student needs:)
- Contact: aklilumahder@fhda.edu
Yinwa Yung | PPS Liaison for DASG
- Pronouns: He/ him
- Major: Political Science
- Hometown: Hong Kong
- Hobbies: I like to be outdoors, hike, cycle, and play tennis. I also like to play drums and I'm learning how to play the bass and guitar. Movies and gaming are my go-to weekend activities.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: My dream is to live "The American Dream", as luck would have it, °®¶¹´«Ã½ is the place to be.
- Why I Joined DASG: I am passionate about advocacy and representation in governance, and I believe in change. It is my mission to support °®¶¹´«Ã½'s student leadership by serving the interests of °®¶¹´«Ã½ students. Community College is a stepping stone for career development, and students should have the chance to fully experience the best college life °®¶¹´«Ã½ can offer.
- Contact: yungyinwa@fhda.edu
Matsuko Estrada Nakamatsu | HEFAS Liaison for DASG
- Pronouns: She/ Her/ Ella
- Major: English and Humanities
- Hometown: Japan
- Hobbies: Painting, drawing, dancing, reading manga, reading poetry, writing my own poetry (and currently working on my first poetry book!)
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: My goal is to transfer to a private university or a UC and continue pursuing higher education opportunities.
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG because I believe in the power of representation and the importance of elevating voices that often go unheard. As a mixed woman of Okinawan, Peruvian, and Japanese heritage, I want to ensure that our diverse communities are seen and valued. I am passionate about advocating for undocumented and low-income students, ensuring that everyone has a voice and a seat at the table.
- Contact: estradanakamatsmatsuko@student.deanza.edu
Talia Washington | VIDA Liaison for DASG
- Pronouns: she/her/hers
- Major: Political Science
- Hometown: Saint Helens, Oregon
- Hobbies: I like astrology charting, Fashion styling , boxing and DJing.
- Goals at °®¶¹´«Ã½: After graduating from °®¶¹´«Ã½, I hope to transfer to a four-year university in california, then attend law school!
- Why I Joined DASG: I joined DASG to actively represent my program and peers. My objective is to advocate for positive change on campus. I hope this experience will allow me to develop leadership skills, collaborate with diverse groups, and work on initiatives that will improve the °®¶¹´«Ã½ student experience. As a political science student with aspirations in law and public service, this experience has helped me build a strong foundation in governance, advocacy, and teamwork.
- Contact: washingtontalia@fhda.edu
DASG Advisors
Maritza Arreola
Interim Faculty Director of College Life
- Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
- Education: M.Ed. Student Affairs from UCLA; BA Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies from Mills College, transferred from Foothill College
- Hometown: Mountain View, CA
- Hobbies: Baking, playing Pokemon Go, getting excited over everyone's dogs, and trying new food spots
- Why I joined °®¶¹´«Ã½'s Office of College Life: I've had the chance to work in some great college spaces, but I'm excited for this role in strengthening student involvement and development opportunities for community college students. I know from experience that college is really what we make it. Regardless of what one's goals and aimed pathway look like, I know any student can have a meaningful experience here at °®¶¹´«Ã½ by getting involved.
- Groups and Committees Advising: Senate, Administration, Finance, Executive Advisory
- Contact: arreolamaritza@deanza.edu
Dayna Swanson
Interim Student Activities Coordinator
- Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
- Education: BA Hotel & Restaurant Management from Cal Poly Pomona
- Hometown: San Jose, CA
- Hobbies: My passion is traveling with friends and family, hiking, laying on a sunny beach with a book, eating popcorn at the movies, scuba diving and wine tasting. I can't pass up family time around the table talking, eating, and playing cards. I hope to conquer my fear to sky dive and parasail - maybe one day soon.
- Why I joined °®¶¹´«Ã½'s Office of College Life: To surround myself with the enthusiasm of college students - so eager to learn, and to share their knowledge and ideas with me and for me to have the opportunity to share my work experience in the event industry with them, makes for a perfect day. The Office of College Life is made up of professional staff members and students all contributing to the education and sucess of all students, and to my personal and professional growth as well. As the Flea Market Coordinator and with the help of my student assistants, I have the opportunity of developing the market that helps financially support the students with the resources to participate in clubs, school government, and conferences developing leadership and skill sets that will move them to the next stage in their lives.
- Groups and Committees Advising: Inter Club Council (ICC), Marketing, Events
- Contact: swansondayna@deanza.edu
Dennis Shannakian
Operations Specialist and Student Activities Coordinator
- Pronouns: He/Him/His
- Education: AA Liberal Arts with a Business and Computer Information Systems Emphasis from De Anza College
- Hometown: San Jose, CA
- Hobbies: reading, watching TV shows and movies, listening to music, playing computer/video games, trying new foods and restaurants, and spending time with family and friends
- Why I joined °®¶¹´«Ã½'s Office of College Life: To help the students of De Anza College.
- Groups and Committees Advising: Senate, Administration, Finance, Environmental Sustainability
- Contact: shannakiandennis@deanza.edu
Maliah Kenoly
Administrative Assistant
- Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
- Education: °®¶¹´«Ã½ College - San Jose State University (transfer student) - Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology
- Hometown: San Jose, CA
- Hobbies: Pilates, Calisthenics, Cooking, Reading, Spending time with friends, Visiting new coffee shops, practicing new languages
- Why I joined °®¶¹´«Ã½'s Office of College Life: Working at the Office of College life allows me to explore new viewpoints every day and learn new ways of communicating with faculty and staff of various walks of life, cultures and abilities. I believe that being open to listening to different worldviews– even if they fall outside of your own values is crucial in continuing to grow as a person and gain new perspective.
- Committees Advising: Student Rights and Equity
- Contact: dasgsecretary@deanza.edu