About Us
Meet the USC Office of Admission staff who contribute to the blog!
Jennifer Donis Gonzalez, Senior Assistant Director (She/Her/Hers)
B.S. Global Health, USC
Territory:
North and South Carolina
Illinois Suburbs
California – East Los Angeles
Hola! My name is Jennifer Donis Gonzalez and I am going into my fifth year as a Senior Assistant Director in the Office of Undergraduate Admission at USC. I’m the proud daughter of Guatemalan immigrants and was born and raised in beautiful Los Angeles, although I consider Guatemala my second home! I’m a big sports fan and like a true Angelino, go for the Lakers (Clippers who?). I enjoy hanging out with friends and family, watching docuseries, seeing new places, and going to parks. I’m also a big coffee lover and I must say Guatemalan coffee is my absolute favorite, but that just might be my bias! I’m extremely excited to be able to share more about USC and our incredible students with you all! Fight On!
Alex Castro, Assistant Director (He/Him/His)
B.A. History, B.S. Human Biology, USC
M.Ed Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs, USC
Territory:
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska
Utah
Wyoming
California – San Marino, La Canada, Ventura and Santa Barbara County
Hello! I’m Alex Castro and I’m going into my third year as an admissions counselor at USC. I’m originally from Los Angeles. After college, I spent a couple years working as a college counselor at a local high school and then at the Office of Financial Aid at USC. I love being part of the blog team. My favorite blog is an interview I did with a student about the USC Marching band. I’m a big Clipper fan and love going around Los Angeles eating good food. In my spare time I like to play video games. Fight on!
Leslie Escobedo, Assistant Director (She/Her/Ella)
B.S. Public Health Science, UC Irvine
Territory:
California – Orange County & San Diego County
Hi hi! My name is Leslie Escobedo and I am one of the newest Assistant Directors in the Office of Admission at USC! Born in San Bernardino, I am a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and the first in my family to graduate from a four-year university. After college, I began working in college admissions for the last four years while focusing on advocacy and community empowerment. With that said, I am super excited to join the Admission Blog Squad to provide y’all more information about what USC has to offer! Some fun things about me are that I own a small business creating polymer clay earrings inspired by my Latinx roots, have danced folklorico for over 13 years, love riding my ATV in the desert, am an avid traveler, and most importantly, being a dog madre to my baby, Ludovico (Ludo).
Lucy Jordan, Assistant Director
B.A. Public Relations, University of Southern California
Hey everyone,
I’m Lucy, and I’m in my first year as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions here at USC. Originally from Whittier, CA, I came to USC for my undergraduate studies. As a student, I was actively involved in multiple campus organizations and worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, supporting the events team.
When I'm not on campus, I love exploring LA's beaches, hiking trails, and music scene, or trying out new spots to eat with friends. I'm excited to share my USC stories with you through this blog, offering insights into life at USC and beyond.
Fight On!
Tyler Swartout, International Admission Officer
B.A. Global Studies, UC Berkeley
Hey! My name is Tyler Swartout, and I'm entering my 5th year as an international admission officer at USC. Although originally from Sacramento (light the beam!), I've lived in six different countries, which sparked my interest in international education, affairs, and cuisines! When I'm not at the office, you can find me exploring a new restaurant, hiking, traveling to a new part of the world, or at home streaming on Twitch. Fight on!
Anne Aubert-Santelli, Associate Director (She/Her/Hers)
B.A. Art History and Italian, USC
Master of Liberal Studies, USC
Territory:
California – Central Coast
Bonjour! I’m Anne Aubert-Santelli and I’m kind of from all over the place. I grew up in Larchmont, New York and Paris, France, before settling in Orange County, California, for junior high and high school. Now I live in sunny Santa Monica and I’ve been working at USC in admission and advising for 15 years! On weekends, I love going for walks with my husband and our objectively adorable Maltese, checking out new restaurants around town, going to the farmer’s market, or finding the perfect K-drama to binge. I’m excited to share as much helpful information as I can and look forward to reading all the incredibly creative posts my fellow bloggers come up with! Ciao!
