Meet the Staff

Gisela P Vega

Gisela P Vega

Director, Student Affairs Program

(305) 284-3935 x1702
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Dr. Vega comes to UM with over 25 years of higher education experience.  She has presented at national and international conferences, countless workshops, and is passionate about diversity education, social justice, and addressing issues of access and choice in higher education. Providing students...
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Daymee De Las Mercedes Sanchez

Daymee De Las Mercedes Sanchez

Assistant Director, Programs - LGBTQ Student Center

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Ariana Glaser

Ariana Glaser

Student Assistant

Ariana (she/her) is a freshman from Long Island, New York pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Frost's Singer/Songwriter program with a double major in Journalism. Ariana is the author of several novels (her most recent published work was “She Remembers” with Foundations Books, which earned a #1 Ranking in its category on Amazon); she is currently searching for a publisher for her most recent work. Her original music is also available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. As a student assistant at the LGBTQ center, Ariana applies her creativity to her position as staff writer for the Pride Press newsletter.

Camilla Lopez

Camilla Lopez

Student Assistant

Camilla (she/her) is a sophomore from Miami majoring in History and Economics with a minor in Political Science. She was raised in Colombia and went to boarding school in New Hampshire, where she studied abroad in Germany. In high school, Camilla worked closely with the Office of Multicultural Affairs as a pre-orientation mentor in the Equitable Exeter Experience. She enjoys community service and has organized various food and clothing drives. On campus, she is a mentor in the Commuter Council and an education intern at the Lowe Art Museum. She understands the importance of diversity in education and is excited to promote a sense of belonging and community on campus through her work at the LGBTQ+ Center.

Samuel Rose

Samuel Rose

Student Assistant

Samuel Rose (he/him) is a freshman from South Florida majoring in Music Theory and Composition. As a composer, his music has been performed around the world, including performances in Vienna, Brussels, and at The Juilliard School in New York. As a pianist, he has given concerts at Mozart’s house in Austria, as well as many local venues around Florida. Samuel is excited to work as the office organizer at the LGBTQ Center this year.

Didi Charles

Didi Charles

Student Assistant

Didi (she/they) is originally from Palm Beach, Florida, is a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Giving a helping hand to their community is their life motto, with advocacy shining through in election volunteer work and coastal restoration. As a student assistant, Didi is excited to reach out and gain new learning experiences at the LGBTQ Center.

Janry Tang

Janry Tang

Student Assistant

Janry (she/her/hers) is from Fort Myers, Florida. She is studying Quantitative Economics, and plans to double major in Business Analytics. Janry loves volunteering and creating a sense of community. She is looking forward to uniting the student body by planning events with the LGBTQ+ center, and she's excited to get involved with the diverse community with her position as a student assistant.

Mia Vargas

Mia Vargas

Student Assistant

Mia Vargas (she/her) is a second‑year student in the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a co‑major in Spanish, and a minor in Latin American Studies. Trilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and shaped by her multicultural upbringing, she brings a distinctly global and community‑centered perspective to her work. With aspirations of becoming a diplomat, Mia is committed to advancing equity, strengthening cross‑cultural understanding, and driving meaningful change for minority communities. She currently serves as an intern for the Consulate of Peru and A Better Way PAC, where she contributes to public service, civic engagement, and policy‑focused initiatives. As a Large-Scale Event Planning student assistant at the LGBTQ+ Center, she applies community building to support inclusive programming and campus involvement.

Richard Smith

Richard Smith

Graduate Assistant

Richard recently graduated from UM as a Civil Engineering major and is now a graduate student at the College of Engineering for the Murphy Construction Management Program. During his undergrad he worked in Housing and Residential Life as a programming assistant, which allowed him to help with fun events like Pancakes with Pat, and more. Richard was also part of our university’s K-pop dance team LOCKED and performed during Kaos’s, spring showcase and DragOUT.
Richard loves the center and the amazing work they’ve done to create a safe and welcoming space onour campus for everyone.  He believes that through attending events like Miami Beach Pride, to just spending time in the office on the 2nd floor of the UC, the center can really feel like a home to anyone who needs it and he is excited to help others realize that too.

Jassalyn-Cade Ringler

Jassalyn-Cade Ringler

Practicum Student

Jassalyn-Cade Ringler (Jass/JC) is a doctoral student pursuing an EdD in Higher Education Leadership at the University of Miami, alongside holding a Master of Social Work. Her professional journey spans clinical support, mental health, and social work experience across Florida and Kentucky, equipping her with a profound understanding of holistic student development, advocacy, and trauma-informed care.
Rooted in a deep commitment to student success, inclusive community building, and a passion for student and student leader development, Jass brings an equity-minded, trauma-informed approach focused on creating safe, welcoming, and affirming campus spaces. She champions service-driven leadership, intersectional collaboration, and learning through practice to cultivate environments where all students, including LGBTQ+ and diverse campus populations, feel fully supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.  JC serves as a Practicum Student in the LGBTQ Student Center.

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