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Allorah Pradenas
As Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff to the Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer at UC San Diego, Allorah works closely with faculty, administrators and colleagues across the University to advance the vision and values of UC San Diego as a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public university. She engages with key stakeholders on complex issues affecting the campus and serves a strategic advisor and collaborator, providing expertise and counsel on policies, programs, and operations for administrative units that report to the Office of the CFO.
In addition to her Chief of Staff role, Allorah oversees the Office of Operational Strategic Initiatives (OSI) at UC San Diego. In this role, Allorah provides guidance and oversight for campus-wide strategic initiatives and projects as well as provides leadership for continuous improvement/Lean Six Sigma programs, operational excellence, and organizational reviews and strategy. Since joining the University in 2015, she has led significant process and organizational assessment, redesign, and implementation efforts at UC San Diego and across the UC system. Prior to UC San Diego, Allorah served as a program manager and director of policy and implementation teams at several higher education institutions for over a decade.
Additionally, as a LEAD Fellow, Allorah serves as a campus champion for equity, diversity, and inclusion, by engaging in and leading crucial conversations around improving organizational learning and campus climate. Allorah supports the CFO organization and works closely with the CFO Committee for Inclusive Excellence in championing its diversity initiatives.
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Antonio Nava
Antonio "Tony" serves as a Senior Strategic Programs Manager.
He has trained over 2000 staff as the Program Manager for the Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification at UCSD. Additionally, he has trained 600 staff in process mapping as the administrator for Promapp. He was awarded the 2021 UC San Diego Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year.
Tony regularly facilitates cross-departmental and cross-institutional projects, Prosci Change Management, and LSS methodologies to support change initiatives, and delivers campus-wide efforts to support lean initiatives and business best practices.After the development of an introductory AI Module available for all UCSD staff, his current focus is on blending LSS and AI to ensure teams reach optimal benefits from each tool set.
Tony earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from UC San Diego and has completed Master's coursework in organizational management from Ashford University. Tony earned his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from UC San Diego Extension.
Tony spends his time outside of work as a Den Leader with Boy Scout Pack 7777, cycling, and often donates his ponytail to Locks of Love, a 501(c)(3) that supports a sense of self and normalcy in children suffering from hair loss. -
Darcy Frailey
Darcy is a Projects Director for Strategic Initiatives.
Darcy has worked with OSI for 3+ years, has served at Deloitte Consulting as a Senior Human Capital Consultant, and previously worked with American University in Washington DC leading student center facilities logistics and operations.
Darcy enjoys building positive people-focused experiences leveraging his years in higher education, information technology, team and program development, strategic planning and analysis, change management, and process improvement.
He holds a Bachelor in Business Administration and Master of Science in Organizational Development & Leadership from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and is certified in Prosci Change Management and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Outside of the office, Darcy enjoys stand-up paddling around San Diego and cheering for any and all Philadelphia sports teams. -
Kathryn Herrera
Kathryn is the Administrative and Fiscal Officer for Strategic Initiatives. She has been with OSI since 2018.
Prior to joining OSI, Kathryn worked as the Program Coordinator for the Institute on Social and Economic Research and Policy and Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University in New York City. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Dnipro, Ukraine from 2011 to 2013.
Kathryn received her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from UC San Diego and Master of Arts in Human Rights Study from Columbia University.
In her free time, Kathryn enjoys volunteering with animal rescues, Ukrainian aid groups, and watercolor painting. Some of her work will be displayed at the UC San Diego 2022 Visual Arts Group Virtual Art Sho -
Kristin Kielich
Kristin Kielich is a Practice Director for Strategic Initiatives.
Working 15+ years in higher education, Kristin has dedicated the last 10 years with OSI to advising executives and senior leaders on cross-campus, complex projects. In 2011 Kristin was awarded the UC San Diego Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year and in 2022 was selected to participate in the UC Women’s Initiative.
Kristin regularly facilitates discussions that draw out key challenges, and strategic solutions which result in data-driven decisions that advance quality, efficiency, and organizational goals. She regularly speaks on her processes and insights at national and international conferences on strategic planning, continuous improvement, and collaborative business solutions.
Kristin earned a Bachelor of Arts from California Polytechnic State University and an MBA from Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Project Manager Certified, and a ProSci Change Management Practioner.
Kristin is a native San Diegan who grew up playing at the beach while also raising pigs and chickens. She is a food and travel enthusiast having visited 30+ countries. -
Laura de la Peña
Laura’s role is Senior Manager for Strategic Initiatives.
As a prior management consultant, Laura brings 10+ years’ experience in developing and executing data-driven strategies that propel business objectives and foster sustainable growth. She is committed to effective leadership, seamless team collaboration, strategic partnerships, and continuous personal and professional development.
Laura has an MBA from the University of New South Wales and a BBA from the University of Arizona.
Outside of work, Laura competes in triathlons and officially became an Ironman in 2022. She is also a global citizen who has lived/worked in 10+ countries across 5 continents.
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Ricardo Santiago
Ricardo is a Strategic Initiatives Manager.
Ricardo has worked at UC San Diego for 3+ years, supporting and leading process improvement, strategic planning, and organizational review initiatives across campus and UC's Office of the President.
Ricardo's diverse background in financial services, law, and management consulting provides a unique, broad range of skills and experience that enable a nuanced analysis of complex problems and root causes through a variety of perspectives; collaborative and independent ideation; and succinct yet effective communication of findings and recommendations for any audience. Ricardo worked as an independent consultant for several years prior to joining UC San Diego.
Ricardo has his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brown University and his Juris Doctorate in Law from American University. He earned his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from UC San Diego Extension.
Ricardo's passions include studying the digital asset/Web 3 space, (intentionally) getting lost while traveling abroad, photography, and perhaps most importantly, pizza. -
Roël Tibosch
Roël is a Strategic Initiatives Manager.
He enjoys driving innovation in organizations, bridging the gap between technological solutions, user needs and organizational objectives.
Prior to joining OSI, Roël served as a Strategy & Operations Consultant at Deloitte, where he helped large enterprises to transform their organizations. He defined operational strategies, developed operating models and orchestrated organization-wide implementations.
Roël holds a Master of Science in Strategic Product Design from Delft University of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design Engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology.
Originally from the Netherlands, Roël relocated to San Diego in 2022. Beyond his professional endeavors, he finds joy in exploring natural parks through hikes or camping trips.
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Savannah Bradley
Savannah is a Senior Strategic Initiatives Analyst.
She joined OSI in 2021 and leverages her skills in project management, research & evaluation, and process improvement.
Savannah previously worked for UC San Diego Health and Oregon State University where she collaborated with diverse stakeholders in higher education, healthcare, and government on projects that advanced operational efficiency.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from San Diego State University and a Master of Public Health from Oregon State University and is a trained Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
As a San Diego native, Savannah remains invested in the public health of her community. As such, she volunteers her time and lends her expertise to community organizations and students that aim to improve the social determinants of health for San Diegans. She also enjoys reading historical fiction, hiking with her dog, and spending time with her nieces. -
Stephen Larkin
Stephen is the Managing Director of OSI. He joined the OSI office in 2018. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt as well as a certified ProSci Change Management practitioner.
Stephen is skilled at change management and an experienced group facilitator. His areas of expertise also include project management, process improvement, continuous improvement, stakeholder management, and relationship building.
Stephen previously served as a consultant in the legal business management and technology fields. His experience spans across multiple industries both in the United States and abroad including higher education, biotechnology, oil and gas, and telecommunications. He has led significant software implementations, strategic technology assessments, process improvement and change management efforts at various Fortune 300 companies. He worked extensively in the Middle East while consulting for one of the largest companies in the world by revenue.
Stephen is excited to be serving UC San Diego as he is a proud UC alum, graduating summa cum laude from UCLA with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in International Relations.
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Steven Savini
Steven is a Senior Strategic Initiatives Analyst.
Steven has worked at UC San Diego for 5+ years, starting his career in Business and Financial Services as a Client Experience Specialist and a Business Systems Analyst before joining OSI.
Steven has a strong background in project management and technology, with a passion for implementing technological solutions to improve processes and create efficiencies at the University. His communication and relationship building skills allow him to serve as an effective project manager, as well as maximize impact for the individuals and teams that he supports.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from UC San Diego and is currently pursuing his MBA at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management. He is a trained Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Outside of work and school, Steven enjoys walks with his dog, playing chess with his friends, and cycling in the San Diego sunshine.