Employee of the Month - June 2021
Anna Nazarian-Peters, Associate Director
Student Life and Development
Awarded Friday, June 4th, 2021 via Zoom Virtual celebration. Anna was joined by President Jane Close Conoley, Dean of Students Piya Bose, Student Life and Development (SLD) Director Trace Camacho, SLD Assistant Director Matt Cabrera, and numerous SLD and campus colleagues.
Anna Nazarian-Peters is the Associate Director of Student Life and Development in the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) and has been with the University for more than 20 years. Her colleagues describe her as a hard-working, trustworthy individual who advocates for social justice and inclusion and sets a high standard for supporting students.
“Anna has long been a voice for creating a more socially just campus and has supported historically underrepresented groups throughout her tenure on campus through the advising of student organizations, providing guidance and support to our cultural graduation celebrations, and coordinating support for our Native American student population,” said Dr. Trace Camacho, Director of Student Life and Development.
Dr. Piya Bose, Dean of Students, said, “Anna’s passion and expertise in social justice and inclusion matters has led the Division of Student Affairs to call on her in multiple manners of creating educational opportunities for students and professional staff.”
Anna assisted with coordinating a Social Justice Book Club and an Anti-Racist certificate program for Student Affairs. “Her work in the fall focused on Anti-Blackness and during the spring she is covering different marginalized communities: The Native American Experience, The LatinX Experience, The Asian American Experience, and the Pacific Islander Experience. Each training is 2 hours in length and requires coordination with the co-lead along with another faculty member who serves as an expert on the topic,” noted Dr. Jeff Klaus, Associate Vice President, Student Engagement.
Anna also serves on the DSA Equity Task Force which helps departments perform a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Audit. In addition to her work on campus, she teaches a college level ethnic studies course to high school students through the University’s ethnic studies partnership with LBUSD.
Anna’s genuine care and compassion for others shines through her work with students. She has formed strong relationships with students and created collaborative relationships across campus to support them. Dr. Matt Cabrera, Assistant Director of Student Life and Development, stated, “Anyone who has had the opportunity to work with her has seen her love for our students and their development.”
Dr. Bose added, “In addition to all of these accomplishments, Anna is a proud alumnus who brings excitement and energy to all the spaces she's in! Anna is a fantastic colleague - she is appropriately hysterical and a joy to work with!”