Meet your CFYA Advisors

CFYA - Advisors Hero

  • Austin

    Austin Sandoval-Sweeney

    CFYA Coordinator (he/him/his)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry, Undeclared

    Education: M.A. Student Affairs Administration, Michigan State University; B.A. Communication and Minor in Philosophy, Miami University (OH)

    Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

    Favorite Place on Campus: Gregory Gym

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Fresa’s

    Favorite TV Series: Friday Night Lights, Loki

    Favorite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

  • Rutkowski

    Aaron Rutkowski

    Academic Advisor (he/him/his)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry

    Education: B.A Criminal Justice and Minor in Education, University of Mississippi; M.A. Higher Education Administration, University of Mississippi

    Hometown: Strayhorn, MS

    Favorite Place on Campus: DKR Texas Memorial Stadium

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Salty Sow

    Favorite TV Series: The Office, Ted Lasso

    Favorite Book: The Series of Ice and Fire

  • Chris Connelly - Headshot

    Chris Connelly

    Academic Advisor, Biology Scholars Program

    Advises: Biology Scholars Program (BSP), Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Public Health, Undeclared

    Education: B.A. Journalism/Communications, University of Connecticut; M.Ed. Educational Psychology, UT Austin

    Hometown: Connecticut

    Favorite Place on Campus: Turtle Pond

    Favorite TV Series: Six Feet Under, Roseanne, South Park

    Favorite Book: A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

  • Lewis

    Claire Lewis

    Academic Advisor (she/her/hers)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry

    Education: B.A. in Psychology from Texas State University

    Hometown: New Braunfels, TX

    Favorite Place on Campus: Littlefield Home

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Bouldin Creek Cafe

    Favorite TV Series: Parks and Recreation

    Favorite Book: Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

  • Laliwala

    Faria Laliwala

    Academic Advisor (she/her/hers)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry, Human Development and Family Sciences, Nutrition

    Education: B.S. Kinesiology, The University of Texas at San Antonio

    Hometown: Chicago, IL/Houston, TX

    Favorite Place on Campus: South Lawn

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Arpeggio Grill

    Favorite TV Series: Law & Order: SVU, Grey’s Anatomy, Stranger Things

    Favorite Book: Verity by Colleen Hoover

  • Jaime Villareal

    Jamie Villarreal

    Academic Advisor (she/her/hers)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Undeclared Pre-Pharmacy

    Education: B.A. Psychology and Sociology, The University of Texas at Austin

    Hometown: Santa Rosa, TX

    Favorite Place on Campus: Patton Hall (RLP) Dies Student Center

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Wok on Fire

    Favorite TV Series: Friends, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural

    Favorite Book: The Hunger Games Series, Divergent Series, Fault in our Stars

  • Randy

    Randy Lopez

    Academic Advisor (they/them/theirs)

    Education: B.S. Psychology at Texas A&M University, M.Sc. Health Psychology at The University of Central Lancashire, and M.Sc. Counselling Studies and MSc Education (Research) at The University of Edinburgh

    Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX

    Favorite Place on Campus: The magical Turtle Pond!

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Snooze, Kerbey Lane, Toss Pizza, Homeslice

    Favorite TV Series: Wandavision, Schitt’s Creek, Ms. Marvel

    Favorite Book: Alice in Wonderland, Hood Feminism, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Hunger Games

  • Strohmeyer

    Sam Strohmeyer

    Academic Advisor (she/her/hers)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry

    Education: B.A Anthropology, The Univeristy of Texas at Austin

    Hometown: Small(ish) town, Iowa

    Favorite Place on Campus: Any of the Libraries

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Aster's Ethiopian, K-Bop

    Favorite TV Series: The Great, Futurama, What We Do in the Shadows

    Favorite Book: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

  • Kammerzell

    Trevor Kammerzell

    Academic Advisor (he/him/his)

    Advises: Biology, Biochemistry, Math, Physics, Astronomy

    Education: B.S. Hydrology and Atmospheric Science; Applied Mathematics University of Arizona

    Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

    Favorite Place on Campus: Tower Plaza

    Favorite Austin Restaurant: Spicy Boys, Homeslice

    Favorite TV Series: Wandavision, Teen Titans, Chopped

    Favorite Book: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins