Meet the Staff

Lina R. Mendez, Ph.D. is a professional in higher education with a strong background in promoting engagement, dialogue and community building. With 20 years of experience in educational leadership roles, Lina has successfully designed and implemented training programs for healthcare professionals to enhance communication and collaboration.

Prior to joining the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Lina served as the Director of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). During her tenure at UC Davis, Lina spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at fostering a culture of belonging, education, and outreach at both the UC Davis campus and the UC Davis Health System.

Now at UCSF, Lina continues to bring her expertise to the forefront, leading efforts to further strengthen engagement and dialogue. With a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, Lina remains dedicated to developing programs that drive positive change and promote a culture of empathy and understanding. She looks forward to meeting our UCSF community in the near future and hopes to develop strong partnerships.

Jody A. Leo (she/her/hers) is an Oakland, California native with Filipinx roots and a BA in American Studies with an emphasis in Public Health and Education from UC Berkeley. She brings over a decade of experience leading programs, partnerships, and initiatives across nonprofit and healthcare settings, with a focus on health / education equity, community engagement, and systems improvement.

Her work spans youth leadership development, school reform, reproductive health justice, and advancing patient services in medically underserved communities. At UCSF, Jody has led projects to strengthen California’s workforce in disaster response, public health, and advanced practice nursing, while also spearheading campus-wide cultural programming that fosters awareness, inclusion, and belonging.

As Assistant Director of UCSF’s Multicultural Resource Center, Jody is committed to uplifting the communities UCSF aims to serve and advancing equitable, community-centered approaches that supports the university's commitment to opportunity ;and excellence in research, health promotion, and clinical services.