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Executive Leadership
Cynthia Vizcaíno Villa
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
Cynthia Vizcaíno Villa, who served for nine years as Cal Poly’s senior vice president for Administration and Finance, leads the Student Affairs division as the interim vice president for Student Affairs (VPSA).
Villa began her appointment at Cal Poly in July 2015, overseeing a broad portfolio that includes budget and fiscal management, facilities management, construction and planning, procurement, risk management, human resources administration, public safety, internal audit and oversight of the Cal Poly Corporation (now Cal Poly Partners).
Villa previously served as the vice president for Business Affairs at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), a position she held since 2001. Prior to her appointment as vice president, Villa served UTEP as both associate and assistant vice president for finance and administration, comptroller, director of financial services and assistant director of budget and payroll. She earned a master’s of education – higher education administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, both at UTEP, and is a Certified Public Accountant for the State of Texas.
In addition to her duties, Villa has served on a number of governing boards including the San Luis Obispo County YMCA, San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Children’s Hospital, Texas Department of Information Resources (gubernatorial appointment), Texas Association of College and University Business Officers, and chair of the Cal Poly Corporation.
Jo Campbell
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Campus Life
Dr. Jo Campbell serves as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Campus Life. In her role, she has responsibility for and leadership of University Housing, which includes residential life and education, facilities maintenance, custodial, and housing administration; and the Leadership and Service department. As a division leader, Dr. Campbell also develops new residential facilities, such as the yakʔitʸutʸu Residential Community, which opened in fall 2018, and additional residential opportunities including a 10-year housing program to add 3,000-4,000 beds and renovate the existing red brick residence halls. Cal Poly currently houses approximately 40% of its student body and seeks to house up to 65% in the future.
Dr. Campbell brings over 35 years of higher education leadership, inclusive practices and administration to Cal Poly. She was formerly a director of residential life at the University of Toledo, Ohio and Senior Associate Director of Housing at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has served on dozens of committees and advisory boards to improve the campus climate related to academics, crisis and conduct, student enrollment, equity and inclusion, and drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Notably, she served on ACPA-College Student Educators International’s Executive Council as chair of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender awareness committee, and she chaired the committee on gay, lesbian and bisexual issues for the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International.
Dr. Campbell earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in student personnel services from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and a certificate of business administration with a strategic planning focus from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2015, she earned a doctorate in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University. Her doctoral research was on the behaviors, attitudes, skills and knowledge of senior student affairs professionals and their perceptions of leadership success. She lives in San Luis Obispo with her wife Ellen Broido.
Debi Hill
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Equity and Transition
Debi Hill joined Cal Poly in July 2015 as the Director for the Disability Resource Center and Testing Services. In that position, she was responsible for advocating and administering resources that provide equal access for all students, faculty, staff and campus guests. She worked with staff to promote inclusive design, provided guidance on reasonable accommodations, and continues to assess the effectiveness of the campus experience. In winter 2019, she was promoted to Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. In this capacity, Hill oversees the Disability Resource Center and Testing Services, Student Academic Services, Career Services and New Student and Transition Programs.
Hill obtained a bachelor’s degree in management and organizational development and a master’s degree in education with a specialization in School Psychology from Fresno Pacific University. She holds Administrative and Pupil Personnel Services credentials and has worked extensively in the educational setting. Most recently, she was the administrator for the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education in Alternative Education. In this position, she was responsible for managing more than 50 classified staff and faculty members and programs in the county’s Community School sites, Juvenile Court School, and Independent Study programs. Hill was also a psychologist for the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education for several years and responsible for supporting at-risk and special needs students attending K-12 public schools.
Joy Pedersen
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Dr. Joy Pedersen has worked at Cal Poly since 2003 and currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. In this role, she serves as the point of contact for student crisis intervention and is responsible for directly supporting the success and well-being of Cal Poly students. She is passionate about social justice and helping all students achieve their full potential.
Originally from the Central Coast, Dr. Pedersen returned to San Luis Obispo to work in the non-profit sector before transitioning to higher education. At Cal Poly, she has overseen the Center for Service in Action, Multicultural Center, and Center for Military-Connected Students. For the past five years, she has served as Associate Dean of Students for Student Success, Support, and Retention. In each of her roles, Dr. Pedersen has worked collaboratively with campus and community partners to create equity, access and opportunities for students.
In addition to her leadership experience in student affairs, Dr. Pedersen has held positions in academic affairs and in the community. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Cal Poly and Brandman University. She has served as a Board Member of United Way. And currently, she serves as a Board Member of Transition-Mental Health Association and SLO Chamber of Commerce Ambassador.
Throughout her tenure, Dr. Pedersen has been intimately involved in campus climate concerns and student safety. She is a founding member of the Asian Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association (APIFSA), the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT), and the Peace Ambassador program at Cal Poly. She also oversees the Students of Concern Team and the Basic Needs Task Force.
Dr. Pedersen earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Claremont McKenna College, master’s in higher education counseling and guidance from Cal Poly, and doctorate in educational leadership from UCSB. She lives in Morro Bay with her daughter, Jade, and two Great Pyrenees. Dr. Pedersen enjoys paddle boarding and spending time with her family. She enjoys hearing from students about their experiences at Cal Poly; students can meet with her virtually by appointment by emailing deanofstudents@calpoly.edu.
Jamie Patton
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion
Dr. Jamie Patton joined Cal Poly in July 2017 and serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion. He is responsible for developing, implementing and managing new programs and initiatives that advance diversity and inclusion at Cal Poly. As a divisionwide leader and diversity officer, he provides direction and consultation for services and policies to ensure inclusive practices across all Student Affairs departments. In addition, he helps provide campuswide support for diversity and inclusion efforts in partnership with the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity.
A native of north Philadelphia, Dr. Patton is a first-generation college graduate with more than 15 years of experience as a higher education administrator. Prior to Cal Poly, he served as the assistant dean of students for Ohio University, where he directed the Parent and Family Program, co-initiated programming to increase graduation and retention rates among African-American male students, and implemented social justice development workshops for Student Affairs staff. Dr. Patton found his passion for a career in Student Affairs at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, where he held student leadership roles as vice president of the Student Cooperative Council, president of the Black Student Union and founder of the Distinguished Gentlemen. He later served in several positions during a nine-year period at Northern Arizona University, including director of the Student Learning Centers and director of Inclusion and Multicultural Services.
Dr. Patton earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Lock Haven University, as well as his Master of Education and Doctor of Education degrees at Northern Arizona University. He resides with his wife Elisa and their two daughters in San Luis Obispo.
Tina Hadaway-Mellis
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Health and Wellbeing
Tina Hadaway-Mellis serves as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Health and Wellbeing. She joined Cal Poly in June of 2018 and is responsible for leading all aspects of student health and wellbeing, including medical services, counseling services, health education and campus wellbeing. Additionally, Hadaway-Mellis is responsible for developing funding and entrepreneurial partnerships with on- and off-campus entities, including private providers, to enhance health and wellbeing at Cal Poly.
Hadaway-Mellis has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, including more than a decade as a healthcare professional for a variety of hospitals, medical centers and surgery centers in northern California. In 2006, she transitioned into a health administration role for Sequoia Surgical Pavilion in Walnut Creek. Prior to her arrival at Cal Poly, she spent four years serving as the clinical services director for the UC Berkeley, where she was responsible for managing the department’s strategic development, fiscal performance, operational oversight and organizational planning, among other duties. In addition, Hadaway-Mellis has served as a surveyor for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care since 2009.
Hadaway-Mellis earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Saint Mary’s College. She also earned a Master of Business Administration, with an emphasis in health care administration, from the University of Phoenix. She also holds licenses and credentials as a registered nurse and surveyor for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare. In her spare time, Hadaway-Mellis enjoys hiking, photography, travel and spending time with her husband, Foti, and beagle, Beauregard.
Michelle Crawford
Executive Director, Associated Students, Inc.
Michelle Crawford began her employment with ASI as a student in 2002 and served as Interim Executive Director beginning in spring 2021. In May 2022, she was formally approved as ASI's Executive Director.
Throughout her career with ASI, Crawford has held numerous positions, including student manager, temporary assistant coordinator, coordinator, assistant director, associate director, and most recently director – University Union. In each of her roles, Michelle combined her passion for student development and commitment to being a strong steward of student fees with the responsibility to provide outstanding programs and services to Cal Poly students. She received the ASI Outstanding Service Award in 2009 and the Student Affairs Chandler Award in 2014.
In her role as executive director, Crawford is accountable for the financial, legal, and administrative management of ASI. In addition, she is responsible for the general management of all ASI resources, programs, and managed facilities, ensuring that ASI effectively supports and complements the educational mission of Cal Poly.
Crawford has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in recreation, parks, and tourism administration, both from Cal Poly.
Yukie Murphy
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Administration and Divisional Operations
Yukie Murphy joined Student Affairs in 2014 as the director of marketing and communications. In 2017, she advanced to Director of Educational Research and Communications before being promoted to her current position in 2020.
As the Assistant Vice President for Administration and Divisional Operations, Murphy plays a strategic role in leading the divisional administrative and support operations: assessment and research, budget and human resources, commencement, parent and family programs, and educational communications. She works closely with the many departments and programs within Student Affairs to help create new ways to advance the organization as a data-informed culture focused on supporting students through graduation and beyond.
Murphy brings over a decade of comprehensive experience in marketing, brand management, nonprofit management and community development programs. She has built multi-million dollar marketing departments for industry leading companies and has opened several new markets across the country. She has outstanding experience in building and managing teams, fostering collaborations, creating strategic initiatives and communications campaigns.
Murphy has a bachelor’s of science degree from Cal Poly and lives in San Luis Obispo with her husband, Chris. She is passionate about supporting Cal Poly students and is actively involved in several local community efforts.
Rick Salomon
Senior Director of Operations and Business Transformation
Rick Salomon joined Cal Poly in 2008 and has held numerous roles both on the academic side and in Student Affairs. He led the development of the Student Affairs Technology department as the Director of Student Affairs Technology before he was promoted to Director of Business Transformation and Process Improvement. In 2020, Salomon advanced to his current position as Senior Director of Operations and Business Transformation for the division of Student Affairs.
In his role as Senior Director of Operations and Business Transformation, Salomon serves a key responsibility as the division’s operations, fiscal and human resource leader. In addition, Salomon provides strategic leadership to a portfolio of transformational opportunities that champion student success. Salomon continues to utilize his expertise in strategy, business process, administration, and operations to enhance the student experience through effective collaborations and process improvement initiatives. In recognition for his work, Salomon was awarded the Division of Student Affairs’ Chandler Award for Outstanding Service to students and the profession in 2015.
Salomon brings more than two decades of experience to his position at Cal Poly. He has previously served as a leader in many sectors, including hospitals and healthcare organizations, software development firms, Fortune 500 corporations, financial and educational institutions. He has extensive experience managing product teams, infrastructure projects, and digital transformation initiatives with clients ranging from small business to U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Defense, FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
Salomon obtained his undergraduate and master’s degree from Cal Poly. He lives in San Luis Obispo and enjoys the central coast lifestyle, traveling, camping, and supporting community organizations.
