Meet Our Staff

Gladys Koscak is serving as Interim Director for Health & Wellness. Gladys was born in Mexico and grew up in Ventura County. She received her B.A. in Psychology from UCSB and her M.S. in Clinical Psychology from CLU. Her interests in the field of mental health and wellbeing include health equity & accessability, suicide prevention, multicultural psychology, and culturally-informed and inclusive psychoeducation. Prior to joining the Health & Wellness team, Gladys spent over a decade working at UCSB’s Counseling & Psychological Services, most recently as the Assistant Director of Mental Health Outreach & Programs. Gladys continues to serve as the Program Supervisor for the CAPS Mental Health Peer Program.

Joanna Hill is originally from “the” Valley (San Fernando). She started as a student in The Department of Health & Wellness in 1996. She was a Relationships Peer, summer theater actor and instructional assistant before she earned her BA in Sociology in 1997. She has worked for the UCSB Arts Library, UCSB Alumni Association, and with autistic men at the Devereux Foundation. Joanna’s staff career in Health & Wellness began in 2001 as advisor for the Sexual Health Peers and the Relationships Peers. Over the years, she has trained students, staff, and faculty on all areas of Health & Wellness, her favorites being body image and meditation. Joanna currently oversees Health & Wellness Internships, the Advocate Program, and the eating disorder prevention/body image program. Joanna enjoys exploring Santa Barbara with her family, their 2 cats and sweet dog, Maisy.

Michael Kenji Takahara was raised in Monterey Park and received his B.A. in Psychology from UCSB in 1993. He worked at UCSB Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Services as an assistant resident director before joining Health & Wellness in 1996. Michael is passionate about Health & Wellness because “it allows me to give back to the community that made me who I am. I love helping students develop meaning in their lives, building their skills, strengthen their positive relationships, achieve their goals, and increase their positive emotions.” He thinks it is funny that he stars in a weekly web series, Mondays with Maka. In addition to enjoying his family, Michael volunteers his time with Catholic Engaged Encounter, enjoys comic book geek culture, plays guitar, and enjoys the ocean and clouds everyday.

Emily Teter grew up in Carpinteria, California and received her Bachelors from UCLA, studying both Anthropology and Film. She worked with various student organizations as an undergrad including The Watts Tutorial Program, where she was a tutor and student mentor. One of her favorite experiences in college was studying abroad in Rome, Italy.  She has completed two Mindfulness Meditation teacher training programs, one with The Center for Koru Mindfulness and one developed specifically for the Department of Health & Wellness. Emily is passionate about helping students discover their own innate ability to be mindful and aware while cultivating tools towards self-compassion and resiliency. 

Mallory Russell is a Health Educator with the Department of Health and Wellness. She teaches cooking series and workshops that focus on food, nutrition, and basic skills. With a background in landscape architecture, she always found herself drawn to food and has worked in a variety of culinary worlds: educational farms, commercial kitchens, school gardens, catering, health clinics, and teaching pop-up cooking and nutrition classes. These experiences drove home the power of food to shape our environment, our identity, our communities, and our health. 

Megan Rosenthal is a Culinary Health Educator with the Department of Health and Wellness. She teaches pop-up workshops and classes focused on food, nutrition and basic skills. Her culinary background as a personal chef, organic farmer and health educator in Santa Barbara County inspires her facilitation of student and community education in cooking, basic skills, nutrition, and food systems. She has certificates in Herbalism & Nutrition, Permaculture Design and Yoga Teacher Training. In her free time she enjoys being in the ocean, playing music, and adventuring outdoors.

Major: Communication & Environmental Studies

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

I aspired to become a Health and Wellness intern because I sought to join a community that prioritizes health equity, fostering both physical and mental support among its members. My goal is to extend the reach of this community, making events and resources readily accessible to students, faculty, and staff. 

Major: Global Studies

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

I chose to be a Health and Wellness intern for the amazing community and outreach opportunities we engage in. I also love how each intern can bring their own creative gene to the table to build the projects that make H&W what it is!

Major: Environmental Studies

Minor: Architecture & Urban History

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

Health & Wellness has provided such a positive and welcoming environment for me to learn & grow personally and professionally. I love the work that FNBS does to help students thrive in college & for the rest of their lives!

Major: Biology

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

I believe that food, dining, and community are all intertwined – some of my happiest memories are associated with cooking or sharing food with my loved ones. My hope is that by joining the Health and Wellness team I can assist in increasing food accessibility and health equity, allowing me to share these experiences and useful skills with my peers!

Major: Biopsychology

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

The team at Health & Wellness does a great job promoting and educating holistic approaches to healthcare. I’m a Health & Wellness Intern because I want to help get good food and lifelong skills into the hands of all our students. My role in increasing accessible food is a small part of building a healthy community.

Major: Earth science - Environment and Climate 

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

I am very passionate about nutrition, health, and food! Health and wellness encompass my passions into their own mission and having a space to grow with them is a perfect fit for me. I’m excited to learn the ropes of the position in order to better serve my community and understand students’ needs.

Major: Political Science & Communication

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

It is imperative that each student at UCSB is aware of the resources available on campus. As the Lead Marketing & Communication Intern, I aim to increase this awareness and ensure a higher quality of life for every student who participates in our programs.

Major: Computer Science

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

I wanted to be a Health and Wellness intern to help promote events that ultimately improve the wellbeing of the student body and the people around me. I also wanted to find a supportive environment to develop my professional skills and gain meaningful relationships. 

Major: Sociology

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

I chose to intern with Health and Wellness to make a positive impact on our campus by promoting the valuable services and events we offer, while gaining experience that will help shape my future marketing career.

Major: Economics & Accounting

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

As a grader for the Human Sexualtiy class (SOC 152A), I acquired knowledge on a broad range of topics regarding sexuality to be an information source for my close circle of friends. Living in a society where sexuality is stigmatized, I aim to be able to be a representative and safe space for my peers. Through H&W, I am excited to reach a larger network to ensure everyone has access to reliable information about their sexuality.

Major: Biopsychology

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

I’m happy to be a member of Health & Wellness because I am passionate about the topic of sleep and want to educate and excite our students about sleep health. Sleep is often overlooked as an aspect of health and wellbeing, yet it is something that every human being experiences – I believe that everyone could benefit from a better night’s sleep, and I hope to support students who may be struggling with sleep health and spread awareness about the importance of sleep!

Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

Health and Wellness doesn’t just fill a gap in health equity on campus through its educational programming. It is also a safe space that provides in ways–big and small– for every student, whether it be a snack for the road or connecting students with basic needs. Seeing this, I was inspired to learn how to contribute to H&W’s mission and be a resource to the UCSB community as a H&W intern!

Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

Health & Wellness provides many special programming and events to make international students feel valued and welcome and get involved in the UCSB community. My role for international students is to ensure they have access to the right resources and support fellow students in navigating the challenges of adapting to a new environment.

Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

With the rise of social media usage, there is an unrealistic beauty standard that people believe they have to fit under to feel “beautiful.” Naturally, we begin to compare our bodies and fall into dangerous routines.  Hence, as a Health and Wellness intern, I want to support others in their journeys of finding self-love and confidence through the Body Project.

Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences and Sociology

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

I wanted to be an H&W intern because I am deeply passionate about mental health, health equity, and ensuring that my peers have access to the resources they need to thrive. Being involved with Health and Wellness aligns with my commitment to community service and fostering a supportive, connected environment here at UCSB. 

Major: CCS Writing and Literature

Why did you want to become and H&W intern?

 I have worked with Health & Wellness since 2022 and was motivated to do so by a passion for helping others which was strengthened by personal experiences with poor body image and disordered eating. Since then, I have broadened my scope at Health & Wellness to not just address disordered eating and poor body image amongst men but also poor sexual education and general negativity - I focus EDBI, Sexual Health, Positive Psychology, and am happy to support my peers through those focuses. 

Major: Data Science and Economics

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

I am eager to join Health & Wellness because I strongly believe in promoting a healthy work-life balance and fully supporting the mission of the department. I am passionate about giving back to my community and look forward to contributing to the well-being of my fellow students through this role. 

Major: Computer Science

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

I’m excited to join Health & Wellness to be a part of its impactful work in fostering a healthy and inclusive campus community. I am also interested in using research and data analytics to expand accessibility of the department's programs so they can reach and benefit as many students as possible.

Major: Computer Science

Why did you want to be a H&W intern?

I wanted to join the Health and Wellness department because I wanted to help promote healthy lifestyles and support a balance between academics and wellbeing. I'm excited to apply computer science tools to empower our community in their pursuit of wellbeing and personal growth.