Meet Your Advisor

Meet Your Advisor

Kyleigh Easter

Kyleigh Easter

What I love most about being an advisor in the School of Social Work is helping students grow into confident professionals and discover what truly inspires them. Outside of work, I enjoy sewing, knitting, and spending time outdoors. One of my most memorable travel experiences was visiting the Great Wall of China. While I’m not very adventurous with food, trying a rose pastry or cake was a fun exception. My favorite food is a bagel breakfast sandwich—there’s never a bad time for a good bagel. A piece of advice that continues to resonate with me is: “Stress is a fact of life, but it should never become a way of life.”

Rachel Hoelke

Rachel Hoekle

What I love most about being an advisor at the School of Social Work is working with our incredible students. You are hardworking individuals with hearts of gold, and hearing about your goals and passions to make a positive impact on the community and the world is both encouraging and inspiring. I’m humbled to be part of your journey. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, especially my nieces and nephews, who are the joys of my life. One of my most memorable travel experiences has been visiting Italy, which I’ve had the privilege to do three times. The most unusual food I’ve tried is squid eggs, and surprisingly, they were delicious! My favorite foods are seafood and Tex-Mex. As for advice, I often turn to the Serenity Prayer for guidance.
George Jauss

George Jauss

What I love most about being an advisor at the School of Social Work is building relationships and finding common ground with students. It’s incredibly rewarding to share laughter with them while planning important steps in their journey. Outside of work, I enjoy songwriting, recording, and performing my music—it’s a creative outlet that brings me a lot of joy. One of my favorite travel memories is anytime I get to return home to San Diego for a visit; it always feels special. As for food adventures, the strangest thing I’ve ever tried is squid, but my favorite foods are definitely pizza and burritos. The best advice I’ve ever heard is simple yet profound: “Follow Jesus.”
Cleondria Marable

Cleondria Marable

What I enjoy most about being an advisor in the School of Social Work is building relationships with students and learning about their passions and career aspirations. Outside of work, I love spending time with friends and family, watching animal shows, making treats, and going on walks. A recent favorite travel memory was visiting Las Vegas to see Usher live—he puts on an incredible concert. The most unusual food I’ve ever tried is cow tongue, and I can confidently say I won’t be trying it again. While I enjoy many types of cuisine, Indian food is currently my favorite. One piece of advice that has stayed with me is: “I understand their behavior, but I can’t excuse it.”
Maria Torres

Maria Torres

What I love most about being an advisor at the School of Social Work is hearing about students’ hopes, dreams, and resilience as they navigate their academic paths. My hobbies include art and music appreciation, nature walks, and travel—especially to Puerto Rico and Yucatán, Merida. I’ve tried unique foods like caviar, alligator bites, and Kool-Aid pickles, but Mexican cuisine is my favorite. A guiding piece of advice I live by is: Choose Joy.
Matthew Williams

Matthew Williams

I love being an LMSW and having worked as a Trauma Counselor—it’s incredibly rewarding to now help others pursue similar paths in the field of social work. Outside of work, I’m an avid gamer, enjoying both computer and tabletop games as a way to explore different worlds and concepts of reality. For vacations, I especially love cruises; there’s something peaceful about watching the waves on sea days. One of my most impactful travel experiences was living in Frankfurt, Germany for two years. The most unusual food I’ve ever tried was squirrel gumbo, courtesy of some Louisiana-born neighbors. When it comes to favorites, I enjoy just about anything grilled—I love to grill. A piece of advice that continues to guide me is: “Set a higher standard for yourself than anyone else has. Then shoot for it.”