Meet the Financial Wellness Center Staff!
The Financial Wellness Center at UC Merced was founded in 2020, with the goal of helping students create and achieve financial wellness by creating a safe and inclusive environment for students to discuss and learn financial management.
Meet the Financial Wellness Coordinator
Charah Coleman
Founding Financial Wellness Coordinator
Charah Coleman, MBA, is the founding coordinator of UC Merced’s Financial Wellness Center. She is an award-winning behavioral finance expert and certified Educator of Applied Compassion. Born in Southern California, she has a passion to make the Greater Central Valley a better place to live. Charah has been recognized for her work in economic justice and financial empowerment within the Central Valley, having founded financial wellness centers on two public universities in California. Charah is also passionate about protecting the environment and its wildlife. She believes that we are on this earth to display compassion and better the communities around us. Her pastimes include volunteering, hiking, and exploring our beautiful state.
Meet the Bobcat Financial Coaches
Tatiana Howell
Bobcat Financial Coach
Meet Tatiana Howell, our Bobcat Financial Coach! Tatiana has a deeply rooted passion for helping others unlock their potential through mentorship and education. As a first-year sociology major here at UC Merced, Tatiana is committed to servicing her fellow peers as a bobcat financial wellness coach. Prior to attending UC Merced, Tatiana committed most of her time to student-led service organizations that mentored youth and strived to better the surrounding community. Though she was born in Fresno, Tatiana grew up in San Diego where she cultivated her passions for dance, film, music, advocacy, and service. Some of her favorite hobbies include dancing, creating films, watching good shows, and reading a good book. Her goal as a Bobcat Financial Coach here at UC Merced is to provide a safe space where students can feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and learn ways to better improve their knowledge as it pertains to finances.
Melissa Rodriguez
Bobcat Financial Coach
Meet Melissa Rodriguez, our Bobcat Financial Coach! Melissa is currently a third-year majoring in Management & Business, Economics at the University of California, Merced. Melissa is a first-generation student from Ventura County who strives to make an impact on her campus and community. She is passionate about community service and considers herself a servant leader. During high school, she volunteered with a social justice organization. Melissa is currently an officer for Alpha Phi Omega, a service-based fraternity, which has given her the opportunity to develop herself as a leader and the ability to serve the community of Merced. In joining the Financial Wellness Center team, Melissa will be given the opportunity to serve her fellow peers and provide guidance in terms of financial wellness.
Meet the Bobcat Content Creator
Yasmin Jama
BFC Content Creator
Meet Yasmin Jama, our Bobcat Financial Coach Content Creator! Yasmin is a first-year Computer Science and Engineering student from Orange County, California. Her passion for design and videography stemmed in high school, where she developed a video marketing business for young authors. She hopes to one day bring diversity into the field of Computer Science and digital media by mentoring and educating young girls in STEM. During her spare time, Yasmin enjoys reading and writing, which one day she hopes to publish a book!
