Melissa David
Cal State Fullerton

"My mother has always been my inspiration because she has shown me the world and taught me to make my own decisions. My mother never made it through college and I never had any help in homework as a child. I was encouraged to grow up quickly and learned many of life's lessons as a child. From the time I was fifteen I have had to work. My mother and I live paycheck to paycheck. Someone once said that if you love your job you will never work a day in your life. I hope to find that in my future."

Staff

Executive Director

Diana M. Wolf

415.400.8640
diana@meritusfund.org

Diana M. Wolf joined Meritus College Fund as Executive Director in 2004 with responsibilities for the overall management of the organization, development and donor relations, and student relations.

Ms. Wolf has been involved in youth development and education for the last 18 years. Prior to joining Meritus, she was the Program Officer for Education with Bank America Foundation focusing on pre-K through 12th grade education and youth programs. Ms. Wolf began her career in teaching and multi-cultural education. She has served on a number of school, community, professional, and advisory boards locally and nationally. She holds a B.A. (cum laude) from the University of San Francisco in Government and an M.A. from the Universitaet Salzburg, Austria, in Political Science, European History and Modern German Literature.

Ms. Wolf has lived abroad, traveled extensively, and is fluent in German. She is a native of San Francisco and loves to spend time with family and friends.

Student Relations Manager

Cedrick Andrews

415.400.8642
cedrick@meritusfund.org

Cedrick Andrews joined Meritus in 2010 as Student Relations Manager with primary responsibilities in managing the scholarship program, providing students with academic, financial aid, and personal development support and guidance, and conducting program development and evaluation.

Mr. Andrews has higher education experience in admissions, financial aid, student support services, policy, and assessment and evaluation. Prior to joining Meritus, he was a policy associate with the Institute for College Access & Success focusing on financial aid and student loan policy as well as assessment and evaluation services for the Ford Foundation’s Difficult Dialogues Initiative. As Director of Programs at Center for Student Opportunity, he led efforts promoting college opportunity for underserved students. Mr. Andrews holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University where he interned in the Undergraduate Admissions Office and also served as a Finance and Legislative Affairs intern in the Office of Governor Bob Riley (Alabama) during a campaign to improve public education.

Mr. Andrews is a native of Enterprise, Alabama (home of the Boll Weevil Monument), lives in Berkeley, and enjoys the Bay Area’s weather (including the fog), food, and culture.

Project Manager

Danielle Pizzi

415.400.8641
danielle@meritusfund.org

Danielle Pizzi joined Meritus in 2008 and currently serves as Project Manager with primary responsibilities in student coaching, tracking, and program support. She also manages the Nursing and Allied Healthcare Program.

Ms. Pizzi holds a B.A. in Psychology with an emphasis on Holistic Healthcare from San Francisco State University. In addition to a variety of other work experience, she previously served as a counselor, director's assistant, and support group facilitator with WOMAN, Inc.

Ms. Pizzi is a native San Franciscan, grew up in Ingleside and is an alumna of Horace Mann Middle School and Leadership High School. She currently lives in the Castro, and has a cat named Mouse.

Mentor Manager

Ana Moraga (Meritus alumnus 2001)

415.400.8643
ana@meritusfund.org

Ana Moraga is a former 2001 Meritus Scholar who joined the staff in 2010 as Mentor Program Manager. Her primary responsibilities are in program development and evaluation of the mentoring program, peer-to-peer relationship building, and career mentor connections.

Ms. Moraga immigrated to the United States from Guatemala City at the age of 13 and quickly became involved in San Francisco youth-based organizations and programs such as the International Indian Treaty Council’s Native Youth for Human Rights and Youth United for Community Action. In 2005 she graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish. She co-directed her university’s Alternative Breaks Program and studied abroad in Ahmedabad, India. Ms. Moraga comes to Meritus with experience in outreach and program development gained through her work as Co-Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit MuJER – Women for Justice, Education and Awareness. This organization builds spaces of empowerment for Central American women sex workers in Guatemala through policy reform and non-violence and vocational training.