Peer Liaisons

La Casa is one of the campus spaces that has Peer Liaisons (PLs), upper-level students at Yale College who help connect first-years to the wealth of support and programming based in our center, as well as in collaboration with other offices. Each PL program is structured a little differently, but all are designed to help first-years feel supported and integrated into the Yale College community. You can learn more about Yale College’s Peer Liaisons program by clicking here.

Be on the lookout for updated bios and photos of our growing 2023-2024 team!

Mayerling Colin (Silliman ‘24)

Co-Head Peer Liaison

Pronouns: she/ella

¡Hola Amigxs! My name is Mayerling Colin (she/ella) and I am a senior in Timothy Dwight majoring in History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health on the pre-med track. When I am not at Yale, I call San Diego home. My family comes from a small town on the outskirts of Mexico City called Atlacomulco, where I lived for the first four years of my life. On campus, I spend my time volunteering with HAVEN Free Clinic as a Spanish-English medical interpreter, engaging in social activism and social justice movements through MEChA, and guiding first-generation, low-income high school seniors through the college application process as an Advising Fellow for Matriculate. I also form a part of the Science, Technology, and Research Scholars (STARS) community tailored for underrepresented groups in STEM. In my free time, I love to dance cumbia with friends and family, stroll through museums, bake tres leches cakes, and sip on coconut lattes. I am so excited to meet you all! Please feel free to reach out if you want to chat about anything and everything!

Jesus Ramos (Davenport ‘25)

Co-Head Peer Liaison

Pronouns: he/him/his

¡Hola amigues! (Hi friends) My name is Jesús Ramos (he/him/él) and I am a junior in Davenport College majoring in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration on the pre-law track. Oxnard, California is the dear place I call home and I proudly identify as Mexican-American. On campus, I am involved as an advising fellow for Matriculate, an organization that works with first-generation and/or low-income students like myself. I am also working as a Davenport Head College Office Aide and actively involved in Mecha. Academics aside, I love to socialize, binge-watch tv shows, and I am a big coffee fan (Koffee so far is the best but it is a bit of a walk). A quick fun fact about me is that I have 2 dogs and 2 cats at home, I am a huge animal lover!!! I am super excited to meet each and every one of you :D Please feel free to reach out if you want to have a quick chat about anything!

Lily Peréz (Branford ‘24)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

My name is Lily Pérez and I’m a junior in Branford from Washington, DC. I’m a Theater and Performance Studies major (which means I frequently field questions about why I took Directed Studies my first year). I spend most of my time performing in and producing theater on campus, a lifestyle sustained by Yale Hospitality Magic Bars and GCal culture. Outside of Yale, I love planning road-trips, playing softball, and puzzles!

Daisy Sanchez (Trumbull ‘24)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hi, friends! My name is Daisy (she/ella) and I’m a junior in Trumbull College, majoring in History of Science, Medicine, & Public Health. I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, but my family comes from Guanajuato, Mexico so I’m incredibly proud to consider it my second home. Outside of classes I’m involved with MEChA, MedSci, and Girls on the Run, serving as a student instructor and student coach for the last two, respectively. I’m also a behavioral health volunteer at the HAVEN Free Clinic and am involved in research studying the effects of early life stress in mice. One last thing: I’ll also be an Academic Strategies Peer Mentor this year! In my free time, I love spending time with my furry friends (Lucy, Chopis, and Coco—yes, I’m a dog person), reading tarot cards, and watching telenovelas. At Yale, you can find me looking for new study spots with tons of natural light, almost passing out as I go up Science Hill, or hanging out with friends on Cross Campus. I can’t wait to meet all of you and am so excited to see what this year holds!

Sita Kottilil (Davenport ‘25)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Sita Kottilil (she/her) is a sophomore in Davenport College studying Political Science and on the Pre-Med track! She comes from Bethesda, Maryland (very close to DC, but not quite!) and has Venezuelan descent. Outside of classes, she loves her job working as a College Aide at the amazing Davenport College office, advocating for Yale Students for Sensible Drug Policy, competing with the Yale Ethics Bowl team, and working backstage on as many theater productions on campus as she can! In her free time, she enjoys trying new foods, critiquing movies and TV shows, and listening to new music. She is so excited to be a PL this year, and please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Rebecca Sosa-Coba (Pauli Murray ‘25)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hello everyone! My name is Rebecca (she/her) and I am thrilled to return as a PL for La Casa. I was born in New York and raised in New Jersey, with strong ties to Quito, Ecuador, where my family is from. I am a Junior in Pauli Murray, majoring in Cognitive Science. This summer I embarked on a remarkable research opportunity in Puerto Rico, diving deep into the realm of cognition in Cayo Santiago’s macaques. In my free time I love listening to music, watching horror movies, and painting. You can also find me baking desserts and cooking traditional Ecuadorian dishes. I’m here to talk about anything and am always down to grab a meal or drink some boba! Can’t wait to connect with all of you soon! :)

Jonathan Balderas (Grace Hopper ‘25)

Pronouns: they/them

Hi y’all! My name is Jonathan and I am a chicano third-year in Grace Hopper from Wichita, Kansas. I am studying Ethnicity, Race, & Migration and History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health, focusing on Latine histories in regards to food. I love to politically organize with Mecha de Yale, play violin in Mariachi de Yale, hang out with DeCo, and plan events as a staffer at Yale’s Women’s Center. I can be spotted wandering around New Haven’s parks, listening to Mexican indie music, and writing poetry. I am looking forward to being in community with y’all!

Stephanía Chávez Cisneros (Davenport ‘25)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hola! My name is Stephanía Chávez Cisneros, and I am a junior in Davenport College majoring in Ethnicity, Race, & Migration and pursuing the Education Studies certificate. I am from Richmond, Virginia, so the South/East Coast will always have my heart (shout out to Cook-out). My family is from El Salvador, so I am always down to eat or discuss (or both) pupusas. Aside from Salvadoran cuisine, I am also a Starbucks and boba lover. In my free time, I love to do hair (haircuts, highlights, dye jobs, you name it!) I look forward to meeting you all soon! 

Eliana Cortéz (Benjamin Franklin ‘25)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

¡Hola! My name is Eliana (she/her), and I’m a junior in Franklin majoring in Global Affairs. I feel very proud and lucky to have grown up in Queens, NY (Elmhurst specifically!). Like many Queens Latines, I am Colombian! My parents immigrated from Colombia (Cartagena in the house!), and most of my family still lives there. Outside of classes, I can be found working at Dixwell Q House and Yale Law School, and performing with La Orquesta Tertulia and in theater productions. I love acrylic paint, clothes, platano maduro, when people introduce me to their favorite songs, AND having the opportunity to be a PL this year! So excited to meet you all!

Lizbeth Lozano (Pauli Murray ‘25)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Hi, friends! My name is Lizbeth (she/her) and I’m a junior in Pauli Murray College, majoring in Statistics & Data Science with Education Studies. I was born and raised in Smyrna, TN, but my family is from Guanajuato, Mexico.  During the semester, I volunteer in New Haven Public Schools, serve on student government, dance with Ballet Folklórico, and am an active member of Mecha de Yale. Outside of that, I love to hike, scrapbook, and play board games (my favorite game at the moment is Poetry for Neanderthals). I am super excited to meet all of you! Please feel free to reach out and say hi!

Seung Min Baik Kang (Branford ‘26) 

Pronouns: he/him/his

Hi everyone! My name is Seung Min and I’m a rising sophomore in Branford College hoping to double major in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration and Economics. I am an international student born and raised in Guatemala although both my parents are South Korean.  On campus, I sing with the Yale Glee Club (Yale’s principal undergraduate chorus), play piano at the School of Music, am a board member of Korean American Students at Yale, and serve as a Spanish interpreter for asylum seekers at the non-profit NYJFON. I am an avid runner and love exploring different restaurants and coffee shops in New Haven. I’m super excited to be a PL this year. Feel free to reach out if you have any shared interests or questions!

Karla Perdomo Nuñez (Ezra Stiles ‘26)

Pronouns: she/her

Hola todos! My name is Karla (she/ella) and I am a sophomore in Ezra Stiles, intending to major in Global Affairs. I was born in the Dominican Republic, moved away when I was 4, lived in Florida, and then in New Jersey, where I have lived since. Besides academics, I am the co-president of DSA, a YULAA and YIRA member, a YMUN chair, and an interpreter for the Legal Services Clinic at YLS. I also volunteer translating services for the New Haven Legal Aid Association. In my free time, I love hanging out with my friends, knitting, and recently have taken up crocheting, as well as watching some of my favorite movies like the Fast and Furious series. My favorite season at Yale is definitely the spring, when everyone brings out their blanket and cross-campus becomes a social space, (Yalies thrive in the sun!) I am so excited to meet all of you and be a resource for you all this year!! 

Daena Rodriguez Rueda (Benjamin Franklin ‘24)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

¡Hola! My name is Daena (She/Her/Ella) and I am a senior majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology along with a certificate in Education Studies. I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, but my parents are from Durango, Mexico. Outside of being a PL, I am an undergraduate research assistant under the STARS II program in a genetics laboratory. I am also involved with Matriculate as a high school advising fellow and with Girls on the Run as a coach for a local elementary school. At La Casa, I love dancing with Ballet Folklorico and catching all the cenas a las seis. When I’m not in class or lab, I am usually FaceTiming my younger sisters back home, going on runs to East Rock, heading to Fair Haven for Mexican food, or getting ice cream from Arethusa’s (coconut with dark-chocolate chunks is my fav). I am thrilled to be working at La Casa this year and am looking forward to meeting you all! Please reach out with any and all questions (about Yale, being Latine in STEM, finding new study spots..) ¡Les mando muchos abrazos!

Jessica Sánchez (Davenport ‘25)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

¡Hola amores! I’m Jessica Sánchez (she/her), a junior in Davenport majoring in Urban Studies. I’m originally from Dallas, TX, and my parents are both from México (shout out Monterrey and Sombrerete!) On campus, I’m a design editor for The New Journal and a co-coordinator for First-Years in Support of New Haven. I also love film, rock climbing, road trips, and boba! I’m beyond excited to be a PL this year; please do reach out – I am always here for y’all <3

Stephanie Montealegre (Saybrook ‘26)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

¡Hola amigxs! My name is Stephanie Montealegre (she/her) and I am a sophomore in Saybrook College. I’ll be be majoring in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology, potentially on the pre-med track. I live in Southern California and I am proudly Colombian-Peruvian. This past summer I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina focusing on Spanish and public health. On campus, I will be a social media manager for Ballet Folclórico Mexicano de Yale and VP of speakers for SUBE. I am also going to be participating in the Women’s Health Research Fellowship focusing on Latinx mental health resources. Outside of academics, I spend a lot of time finding new music recommendations (salsa, cumbia, merengue, reggaeton), trying to find more places to eat Peruvian food, and making new travel plans. Feel free to reach out and chat about anything! Looking forward to meeting everyone! 

Ava Boston (Saybrook ‘26)

Pronouns: she/her/hers

¡Hola todxs! My name is Ava (she/her/ella) and I am a sophomore in Saybrook College prospectively majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track. I moved around a lot growing up and I’ve lived in Virginia for the past few years. My family is originally from Cali, Colombia and I’m very proud to be Colombian-American! Outside of classes, I volunteer as an EMT for YEMS and Echo Hose Ambulance Corps as well as volunteering in patient services at the HAVEN Free Clinic and Connecticut Hospice. On campus, I’m the co-director of STEM and Health Equity Advocates and I love doing research in the lab on telomere biology. In my free time I love running around New Haven, painting at the CEID, and reading at the beach! I’m so excited to be a PL this year and I can’t wait to meet you all so please feel free to reach out!