Meet Our Team
Poppy Fitch, Ed.D., Director, DSPS She | Her | Hers
pfitch001@sdccd.edu
A believer in the transformative power of education to change lives and communities, Poppy is a strengths focused, equity minded educator, counselor and leader. In her role as director for Disability Support Programs and Services, Poppy oversees the districtwide DSPS functions and is a champion for access and equity for students with disabilities. A community college graduate, Poppy embraces a philosophy to lift while climbing, and intentionally selected advanced study programs with social justice at the center of their missions. Poppy earned a master's in education with a specialization in multicultural counseling, and a doctorate in post-secondary/community college educational leadership, both from San Diego State University. Poppy’s research on the success factors for foster youth who have persisted to college degree completion taught her about the power of constructing systems for student success.
Maureen Flores, A.S., Administrative Technician
mflores001@sdccd.edu
The quote, “the purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others,” by Albert Schweitzer resonates with Maureen. Her focus is to provide support to staff, students and parents to help them navigate to the appropriate resources. Maureen seeks to lift up others so that they can provide the knowledge and support that the students need and deserve. Maureen promotes “equity for all” and is a member of the district’s Committee for Community, Inclusion and Diversity. Prior to SDCCD, Maureen’s career focused on customer service-oriented positions such as HR manager, office manager and executive assistant. She earned her A.S. degree in business information technology from Miramar College while working full time for SDCCD. Maureen adores nature and incorporates it in her artwork.
Lucy Plascencia APCC, M.S., Mental Health Counselor
Lucy is an encouraging force to those in her life and a change agent in mental health and higher education. As a counselor, Lucy is passionate about empowering students to achieve success, use their voices and create positive change in their lives. Lucy’s core values of advocacy, equity, compassion and creating community guide her approach in working with marginalized folks. Lucy serves as the mental health counselor at the district DSPS office and lead coordinator for the HeartInMind project. In her roles, Lucy is dedicated to creating a safe space for students where their intersecting identities are valued and uplifted. Lucy holds a master’s of science in multicultural community counseling and social justice education from San Diego State University. When she isn't working, Lucy enjoys bike riding by the beach, resisting racial injustice, tending to her many houseplants, and spending time with her loved ones.
WorkAbility III
Jamila DeCarli, M.S., WorkAbility III Coordinator
jdecarli@sdccd.edu
Jamila has committed her professional life to lifting up individuals with disabilities in the areas of education and employment. She is driven by her passion to serve those from marginalized groups and communities and making sure they have a voice and opportunities to succeed. Presently, she is the coordinator of the WorkAbility III Program, which provides uniquely customized employment services to SDCCD college students with disabilities. Jamila also serves as the chair for the district’s Committee for Community, Inclusion and Diversity (DCCID). She is an alumni of SDSU’s rehabilitation counseling program.
Stephanie Baldueza, M.A., Vocational Specialist
Stephanie fosters motivation and resiliency in students. In her position as a WorkAbility III vocational specialist, Stephanie has helped numerous students with disabilities achieve their employment goals and lead more independent and meaningful lives. She holds a Master of Arts in postsecondary educational leadership with a specialization in student affairs from SDSU. When not at work, Stephanie likes to spend time with her family throughout beautiful San Diego.
Shawn Fiala, M.S., CRC, Vocational Specialist
Shawn is a dedicated counselor and educator that strives to serve, support, and believe in the students he works with and for. As a vocational specialist with the WorkAbility III program at SDCCD, Shawn supports students in all aspects of their job search and collaborates with them toward competitive and integrated employment. Shawn is a double alumnus of San Diego State University and holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling with a specialization in cognitive disabilities. Shawn’s ultimate goal and hope as a vocational counselor is to see students reach their maximum potential through post-secondary education and employment.
Rusty Krumm, M.S., Vocational Specialist
Rusty did not let a C5-C6 spinal cord injury at the age of 12 define who he is or who he could become. As a person new to using a wheelchair, Rusty became a voice for change. Rusty advocated for change in the public school system, disputed community accessibility issues, and successfully challenged Department of Rehabilitation’s “most difficult to serve” policy. These early experiences are the foundation that motivates Rusty to advocate for the injustice and inequities within the disability community. Rusty received his B.A. in business administration and graduated with a M.S. in rehabilitation counseling from SDSU. Rusty has been a vocational specialist with the WorkAbility III program at SDCCD since 2003.
College 2 Career
Natacia Cordle, M.S., College 2 Career Coordinator
ncordle@sdccd.edu
Natacia is most inspired when helping students explore opportunities and realize their goals. Throughout her career, she’s been privileged to work with a diversity of students with disabilities such as disabled veterans, deaf and hard of hearing, intellectual disability and autism spectrum. As the College 2 Career coordinator with SDCCD, Natacia has strengthened and streamlined program offerings which has produced high quality services and facilitated competitive integrated employment for historically underemployed students with developmental disabilities. Prior to earning her master’s in rehabilitation counseling, Natacia received her bachelor’s in communicative disorders with an emphasis in audiology. Natacia is a proud native San Diegan, from two culturally diverse families, who loves to travel.
Andrea Davila, B.A., Educational Technician
A passionate social change agent that has worked in the field of developmental disabilities since 2011, Andrea has dedicated her studies to understand and enhance her knowledge in psychology, counseling and social change. Andrea believes that by collaborating with social services and the disability community, a plan can be developed to enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities which can also support the achievement of their educational and personal goals. Andrea plans to complete her masters in rehabilitation counseling and get more involved in the community to become a counselor. Her goal is to gain more experience, create resources, and then connect all tools to open her own business where she can help and continue to support the community of developmental disabilities.
Tali Eichenbaum, M.S., Educational Coach
Tali serves students as an educational coach for the College 2 Career program. Dedicated to her student’s success, Tali is patient and persistent in helping her students reach their full potential. Having graduated with her master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation counseling last year, she has a background of over 10 years working for various populations including individuals with different disabilities and the elderly. Tali’s parents, who come from diverse backgrounds, met and married in Israel where Tali was born, before moving to St. Joseph, Michigan, when Tali was still a small child. Tali lived in Michigan for most of her life including the Detroit metro area before moving to San Diego in 2013. In her spare time, Tali enjoys spending time with family, reading, volunteering for various projects such as fundraising for the San Diego Humane Society, and salsa dancing.
Jeff Logan, M.A., Vocational Specialist
Jeff is a counselor and educator who provides services to students with disabilities to help them achieve their academic and employment goals. As a DSPS vocational specialist, Jeff strives to break down barriers and build relationships in the San Diego community in order to develop opportunities for the College 2 Career students he serves. Born and raised in the “Nutmeg State,” Jeff earned a B.A. in psychology and a M.A. in education – school psychology at the University of Connecticut. After settling for sunnier skies in “America’s Finest City,” Jeff attended San Diego State University and earned a M.A. in education with a concentration in counseling.
Rachel Martinez, M.S., CRC, Vocational Specialist
Through her intentional work with students, Rachel demonstrates her passion for supporting students with disabilities and helping create opportunities that will allow them to reach their employment goals. Rachel works as a vocational specialist for the SDCCD College 2 Career program serving students with intellectual disabilities and autism. She is committed to making positive impacts in the local and regional workforce by increasing diversity and inclusion through the employment of individuals with disabilities. Rachel Martinez is a native of San Diego and alumni of San Diego State University where she received a B.S. in psychology and an M.S. in rehabilitation counseling.
David Straub, M.A., Educational Coach
David believes that achievement happens in small steps with deep breaths, deliberate organization, sustained diligence and the pursuit of challenging, but achievable goals. David has worked as an educational coach for SDCCD since July 2020. David helps students succeed academically by assisting with organization, providing tutoring as needed, and encouragement of greater student independence whenever possible. David earned his BA in history from the University of Chicago and his master’s in eastern philosophy from St. John's College. David is continuing his pursuit of education and is currently taking research methods and physiological psychology courses before applying to graduate school.
Interpreting Services
Daniel Nakaji, Ed.D., Interpreting Services Supervisor
dnakaji@sdccd.edu
Daniel is the driving force to improve access to learning for the deaf community at SDCCD. In his supervisory role as interpreting services supervisor, Daniel supervises the districtwide coordination of interpreting and speech-to-text services for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Prior to SDCCD, Daniel worked in biotechnology and intellectual property law after achieving his master’s in biology at UCLA. He earned his Ed.D. in postsecondary educational leadership from SDSU. Daniel’s passion for promoting access and education in the deaf community has head to collaborations with the National Center on Deafness, National Deaf Center, Deaf Community Services of San Diego, and UCSD Moores Cancer Center.
Jesse Jones III, M.S., Interpreting Services Lead Technician
An advocate in ensuring access to education for all the deaf, deaf-blind, deaf-disabled, hard of hearing, and late deafened students, Jesse, who is also deaf and a former student at Miramar College, strives to allow the students to have as much access to their studies as their peers. As an interpreting services lead technician, Jesse is responsible to schedule interpreting and captioning services for all students enrolled districtwide at San Diego Community College District. Jesse earned his B.A. in psychology from Gallaudet University and his M.S. in rehabilitation counseling from San Diego State University. Jesse enjoys taking dancing classes, learning how to cook a variety of dishes, traveling to Mexico, and visiting his family and friends.
District Disability Support Programs and Services
3375 Camino del Rio South, Room 275 | San Diego, CA 92108
619-388-6983 (voice) | 619-388-6534 (fax) | 619-550-3389 (videophone)
sdccddsps@sdccd.edu