About Us
Our Team
The Science Learning Intitute is managed by two teams, our Staff Team and the SLI STEM Impact Team. Meet our teams members here.
Staff Team
Sophia Kim, SLI Director
Sophia joined Foothill College in April 2020. She is a transplant from Boston, where
she spent almost 15 years working in the nonprofit youth work space, directing programs
that primarily served Asian American youth from immigrant and low-income backgrounds,
building youth leadership and supporting youth to effect positive change in their
communities. Sophia also has a commitment to anti-oppression education and change
work through initiatives to develop anti-racism trainings, activist trainings for
young adults.
Sophia has a bachelor's degree from Williams College, where she double-majored in biology and history, and a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts Boston, with a focus on multicultural education at the secondary level.
Sophia spends her free time with her husband and young son, riding their bikes, camping in the forests and by the beach, hiking, and trying to be outdoors as much as possible. She loves cooking and baking for family and friends, and exploring new places with her family.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-kim-31805626/
Jovanah Arrington, MESA Program Coordinator
Jovanah joined Foothill College as the MESA Program Coordinator in September 2023.
Prior to this, she was the Athletics Academic Advisor at De Anza College. During this
time, she worked closely with student-athletes to support them in meeting their academic
and athletic goals. Prior to De Anza, Jovanah interned for UCLA Athletics where she
was an Academic Mentor for student-athletes from a variety of teams.
Jovanah has an Associate’s degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Merced College, and both a Bachelor’s in Education and Master’s in Sociology degree from Cal Poly Humboldt where she was a former Women’s Basketball student-athlete.
Paty Villegas, MESA Counselor
Patricia Villegas (Paty) server Foothill College students as a Counselor for the MESA
Program. She is also a MESA Counselor at Mission College and an Adjunct Lecturer at
Evergreen Valley College where she provides educational counseling and teaches courses
on career planning and study skills. Paty is highly passionate in working with youth
and young adults from underserved communities and guiding them with their academic
and career goals.Paty’s life mission is to equip and empower students to pivot their
mindset, find career fulfillment, and live a life with purpose and intention.
She says, “I recognize the struggle that students experience in identifying their gifts and talents and how to use their strengths in the workforce. I am determined to help them acknowledge their unique traits.” Paty holds advanced degrees from San Jose State University and the University of Southern California in Social Work.
Lillian Swedlow, Student Empowerment Specialist
Lily is an Aerospace Engineering major who found her footing at Foothill College during the pandemic, launching her journey with SLI in the Techcore Cohort. Since then, she’s taken on various roles to empower students and build community—serving as a Peer Mentor for the Techcore Summer Institute (2021), a member of the STEM Impact Team (2021–23), Program Coordinator for the PRE-STEM Summer Institute (2022), and now as the STEM Student Empowerment Specialist. Her passion for space and innovation extends beyond Foothill—she’s participated in two NASA programs, further fueling her drive to make an impact in aerospace.
When she’s not championing student success or spreading awareness about SLI, Lily enjoys playing video games, listening to audio books, and spending time with friends, family, her partner, and their dog.
Janelle Palomo, SLI Program Assistant
SLI STEM Impact Team 2025-26
Find out more information here. This leadership team is dedicated to change efforts to advance SLI's mission both on campus and in the local community.
Anysia Alvarez, Electrical Engineering (she/her)
Hi! My name is Anysia Alvarez and I am pursuing a major in Electrical Engineering at Foothill College. As a first generation college student, I’ve been grateful for the support of MESA and the Foothill community, which have allowed me to openly explore and grow within the STEM field. I’m exited by the challenge of solving problems and bringing creative ideas to life. Outside of school, I love diving into new hobbies, building hands on projects, and sharing my curiosity for STEM with friends and peers.
Emely Guzman, Biology (she/her)
Hi everyone! My name is Emely Guzman, and I'm a second-year at Foothill. I'm majoring in Biology in hopes of contributing to research one day! I've always had a passion for science, and I hope I can inspire and support other first-generation low-income students in pursuing an education in STEM. I've been an active member of MESA this past year, and I'm excited to keep engaging with MESA and SLI. In my free time, I like to be creative, whether that be painting, drawing, cooking, or sewing!
Carlos Hernandez, Mechanical Engineering (he/him)
Hello! I’m Carlos Hernandez, representing my hometown of Chicago as a first-generation Mexican-American college student. I embarked on my academic journey at Foothill College in 2023 with a passion for Mechanical Engineering. With the support of the PRE-STEM Summer Institute and MESA, I’ve been navigating the world of STEM with a goal to amplify representation and break barriers.
My curiosity led me to an internship with EMD Electronics, where I dived into the world of semiconductors. Beyond academics and work, you can find find me listening to music, catching concerts, and exploring new hobbies.
Juan Lara, Biochemistry (he/him)
My name is Juan Lara, and I was born and raised in the Bay Area, specifically in Silicon Valley. I am a second-year student at Foothill College, where I am working toward an associate’s degree in biochemistry that I will be receiving this summer! Foothill is also where I discovered my passion and love for chemistry! Outside of academics, I have a lively home with six pets–three cats and three dogs–and I come from a tight-knit Mexican family! I also love playing volleyball and baking when I’m feeling like I have some free time.
As a member of the SLI-IT, I hope I can help students who were once in my shoes make it to the other end of their academic journey.
Gabriel Melgarejo, Mechanical Engineering (he/him)
Hello everyone! My name is Gabriel Melgarejo, and I am thrilled to be joining the
SLI STEM Impact Team for the school year.
I am a first-generation Latino student majoring in mechanical engineering at Foothill
College, with a passion for robotics, innovation, and making STEM accessible to students
from all underrepresented groups.
Joining this team means a lot to me because I want to help create a more inclusive
and supportive STEM community. I am looking forward to contributing ideas, supporting
impactful initiatives, and learning from all of you along the way!
Paulina Cabral, Data Science & Mathematics (she/her)
Hi! My name is Paulina Cabral and I am pursuing a major in Data Science. I was one of the SLI summer interns in 2024 and part of the STEM Impact team in 2024-2025. I enjoyed the many friendships and connections I was able to form from both experiences. I also like reading and drawing in my free time, and I have a kick for math. As part of SLI impact team I hope to bring diversity and growth to STEM while simultaneously forming new friendships!
Click here to find out more about the 2021-22 inaugural STEM Impact Team. They laid an important foundation for the team's work, and SLI could not have done it with them!
Questions?
I'm Here to Help!
Sophia Kim, SLI Director
650.949.7455
Bldg 4400, Office 4408