Meet the Staff

Tim Topper, M. Ed.

Director

Tim (Cheyenne River Sioux) is the Director for the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. Before joining the ITRC team, Tim worked closely with Indigenous students, staff, and faculty at the University of California Los Angeles as the Student Affairs Officer for the Department of American Indian Studies. Tim earned his Bachelor’s degree from Fort Lewis College in Geology during 2015, his Master’s in Education from Texas Tech University in 2017, and is finishing his Doctorate of Education at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. His current research focuses on flipping the script on deficit-based, Indigenous research and aims to build upon the index of Native scholarship focusing on place-and-asset-based factors Indigenous students attribute to their success in California 4-year intuitions of higher education.

Phone: 858-246-2440

Email: ttopper@ucsd.edu

Corrine Hensley-Dellefield, M.A.

Assistant Director

Corrine (Catawba) is the Assistant Director for the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. Prior to joining our campus, she served as the Center Specialist for the STEM Tutoring Center at Cuyamaca Community College. During her time at Cuyamaca, she served as a staff advisor for the Native American Student Alliance and served on the Student Success and Equity Committee for the college. Corrine received her Master's Degree in Applied Anthropology from San Diego State University. Her research focused on Indigenous Southern Californian religious life and landscapes, cultural programming, and the decolonization of academic research. As a graduate student, she served as the coordinator for the Native peer mentoring program, Elymash Yuuchaap

Phone: 858-246-1021

Email: corrinehd@ucsd.edu

Michaela Allen Sanchez, M.A.

Facilities, Operations, & Student Programs Coordinator

Michaela (Lipan Apache & Mexican-American) is the Coordinator for the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. Michaela received her Master's Degree in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University, where she was the Graduate Intern for the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center and the Outreach Chair for the Indigenous Graduate Student Collective. She graduated with her B.A. in Communication and Sociology from UC Santa Barbara in 2021. At UC Santa Barbara, Michaela was the Peer Mentor for the American Indian and Indigenous Cultural Resource Center and the inaugural Two-Spirit Empowerment Peer at the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity. In addition to her work at UCSD, Michaela serves on the Directorate for the Indigenous Student Affairs Network of ACPA.

Phone: 858-246-1017

Email: mna001@ucsd.edu

Jared Helms

Graduate Student Assistant

Jared (Cherokee Nation) is the Graduate Student Assistant for the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. He recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from UC San Diego in 2024 and is going into his first year of graduate school for a Master of Public Health. He plans on pursuing a career in medicine and using his training in Public Health to address inequities in healthcare. In his free time, Jared enjoys playing music and being with friends and family.

Cole Neal

Student Assistant

Cole (Kumeyaay Iipaay) is a Student Assistant for the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. He is a current 4th year undergraduate senior of Mathematics - Probability and Statistics with potential Business Econ and Computer Science minors. He likes practically all nerdy things and is studying math with interest in researching many fields and sciences in the future. Prior to ITRC he was Vice-Chair of NAISA (Current Co-Chair) and studying Iipaay Aa at the Kumeyaay Community College for preservation and connection to his tribe.

Darby Reif

Student Assistant

Darby (Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone) is a Student Assistant at the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. She is a second-year undergraduate student studying Human Biology and starting a minor in Native American & Indigenous Studies. After completing her undergraduate studies, she plans to attend physician assistant school in pursuit of working in healthcare to give back to her community. She is also secretary of NAISA (Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance) and is looking forward to fostering community building and collaborative events with the center and her peers. Outside of academics and work, she enjoys exploring new coffee shops, baking, staying active, and spending time with friends or family. This year, one of her goals is to strengthen community support for herself and other Native students across campus.

Sofia Siddiqi

Student Assistant

Sofia (Seneca) is a Student Assistant for the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center. She is a current second-year student studying Public Health at John Muir College. She is a student in the Chancellor’s Associates Scholars Program (CASP). In addition to her academic pursuits, Sofia serves as Treasurer on the board of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA). She is deeply committed to addressing health disparities and promoting wellness in Indigenous communities. After completing her undergraduate studies, she plans to work in public health, focusing on improving access to healthcare and developing culturally relevant health initiatives for Native populations.

Stephanie Perezgil

Student Assistant

Stephanie (Lipan Apache) is a Student Assistant at the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center and is currently in her senior year, majoring in Sociology with an emphasis on Culture and Communication. Before transferring to UC San Diego, she studied at College of the Desert, where she earned degrees in both Sociology and Business. A proud member of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society, Stephanie is committed to academic excellence and actively supports her community in their educational endeavors. Her passion for inspiring and guiding others towards personal growth motivates her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Counseling after completing her undergraduate studies.