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Our Staff

  • Director

    Meredith Lierk, MDiv (she/her)

     

    Meredith comes to the Wellness Center with a deep, abiding commitment to the students of Santa Clara. Formed by Jesuit education, she has devoted her life to accompanying survivors while working to eradicate the violence that is pervasive in our communities.

    Believing in the radical act of love, a force that unites us all, Meredith is honored to be a witness to students as they claim their voice and agency. 

    Her career in justice work spans from hospice chaplaincy to working with the unhoused, supporting women as they reclaim their lives after a period of incarceration and guiding a statewide victim advocacy training academy. Her most recent work has been on Jesuit college campuses as a director of centers dedicated to survivor advocacy and violence prevention education. 

    When not at work, you can find her delighting in the beauty of California - playing in the redwoods, heading out to the coast, dancing to her favorite music, or snuggling up with her husband and dogs.

     

  • Assistant Director for Violence Prevention Programs

    Jerson Zarate, MPH (they/them)



    Jerson Zarate (they/them) hails from the city of Las Vegas. Growing up, Jerson has always had a passion for community-driven work participating in neighborhood beautifications projects and park cleanup projects around their community. While attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Jerson engaged in different areas of social justice and equity work that prioritized the needs of the UNLV and Las Vegas community. After earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Healthcare Administration, they pursued a Masters of Public Health degree from San José State University. From research to non-profit work, Jerson believes in the value of educating communities through intentional, inclusive, and creative programming.

  • Assistant Director for Recovery and Alcohol and Other Drug Programs

    Jason Munoz, MPH (he/him)

     

    Jason Muñoz is a Bay Area native from Cupertino, California. He got his undergraduate degree in communication studies from Loyola Marymount University, and his master’s degree in public health from the University of San Francisco. He loves to cook and share his food with friends and loved ones. When he has downtime, he loves to bask in the endless California sunshine and read a book or listen to a podcast.

  • Assistant Director for Student Survivor Advocacy and Campus Support

    Ashleigh Pezzoni, MPH (she/her)

     

    Ashleigh recently moved back to the Bay Area, after spending 9 years in Boston, where she received her Master's of Public Health from Boston University. During her time in Boston, she became a dedicated, empathetic and fierce advocate for all survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual trauma. Ashleigh also gained experience and expertise supporting survivors at the intersection of their trauma and substance use. She is profoundly grateful and honored to join the SCU community as the Student Survivor Advocate and Campus Support! It is a privilege to advocate for and empower students and survivors alike, and to be part of their healing journey. When she is not advocating for survivors, she can be found on hikes, or at the beach with her dog Linus.