The NTSAF staff is housed in Student Union, Suite 202. The staff consists of the Director, the Assistant Director, the Governing Board Chair, a Program Coordinator, and two Outreach Coordinators. The student staff of the NTSAF supports the objectives of the Board, provides assistance to the Topping Scholars, coordinates NTSAF programs, and assist in the daily functions of the Fund.
Christina L. Yokoyama, Director
Christina is an alumna of the University of Southern California, having earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy and Management as well as a Master of Education degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs. She has served as the Director of the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund since February 2007. As the Director of the Fund, Christina manages the annual solicitation and selection of scholars, distributes scholarship funds, oversees all activities and programs of the Board, and serves as an advisor for Topping Scholars. Christina’s USC experience began as a multi-cultural freshman, firstgeneration college student in August 1998. She joined the university staff in May 2002 as a financial aid counselor. Because of her clear passion for high financial need, first-generation college students like herself, Christina was invited to serve as the Financial Aid Representative on the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund Governing Board from 2002-2005. In the summer of 2005, Christina joined the Doctor of Education Program Office as a program advisor to doctoral students in the USC Rossier School of Education. Only a year and a half later came this incredible opportunity to rejoin the Topping Family.
Felipe Martinez, Assistant Director
As the Assistant Director, Felipe’s primary responsibilities include outreach to different high school and community colleges, coordination of the NTSAF Exceptional Funding Program, and facilitation of various programs for the Fund. Felipe was born in Mexico City and came to the United States in 1991. After living in East Los Angeles and graduating from Garfield High School, he attended the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a Sociology degree in 2003. He first arrived to USC as a graduate student in the Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs Program. Prior to his involvement with the Fund, he has served as Graduate Advisor for Program Board, co-advisor of the Multicultural Greek Council and currently serves as program coordinator for the Redefining Engagement in Active Leadership (REAL) Project. Felipe describes working for the Topping Family as the perfect job because it allows him to work directly in both access to higher education and the retention of students at the university level, two issues he is passionate about. Outside of his work responsibilities, Felipe enjoys dancing, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Janee Duncan, Program Coordinator
Janee is a junior at the USC Marshall School of Business. She is majoring in Business Administration in hopes of becoming a sports marketer. She comes to USC from a boarding school in Claremont, CA where she was president of the Black Student Union and was heavily involved in the Prison Library Project--a program that promotes literacy among inmates. While in high school she participated in the Levanthal Accounting Program and the Marshall Summer Business Leadership Program where she created an original business, wrote a business plan, and presented her ideas to loan bankers. Janee is currently a teen producer on a teen television show with the non profit organization, Neighborhood in Development. The show is named CO2 and it deals with teen topics such as sex, violence, drugs, and immigration. The show has been a great success and premiered on Time Warner Cable in 2008. Janee is very excited about another year with Norman Topping and can’t wait to see what wonderful experiences the Norman Topping Family will bring this year.
Monica Rodriguez, Governing Board Chair
Monica was appointed Governing Board Chair in Spring of 2009 and will serve the Topping Family for the 2009-2010 academic year. She first joined the Fund in the Fall of 2008, as a student representative on the Governing Board, where she spent a year getting to know the scholars, the staff and the process. Monica is a junior studying interpersonal and organizational communication within the Annenberg School for Communication and organizational leadership and management at the Marshall School of Business. Monica has spent her life eagerly seeking organizations that help youth to excel, both personally and academically. As such, she has become a part of USC affiliated organizations, and those rooted in greater Los Angeles, that actively assist struggling students. As a native of Michigan, Monica has an acute awareness of the hardships that accompany the pursuit of higher education and is grateful for the opportunity to dedicate her efforts to the Topping Family.
Adam Flores, Program Coordinator
Adam is the only freshman in the NTSAF staff and will be majoring in Political Science and hopes to enter law school upon graduation. As an incoming freshman he is most looking forward to taking advantage of the vast array of Organizations and opportunities available for students at USC. During the summer of his junior year he traveled to Cholula, Mexico and discussed various aspects about illegal immigration with those individuals faced with the life changing decision of immigrating into a new country. By the end of this trip he felt the desire to reach out and assist those voiceless individuals living in our world; specifically, the 15 million undocumented immigrants from Latin America living in the United States. His passion has lead him to Washington D.C. where he has meet with Senator and Congressional aides to discuss comprehensive immigration reform from a legislative standpoint. Apart from his passion for social justice. Adam enjoys dancing salsa, playing beach soccer, meeting new people, and spending time with his immediate and extended families. He couldn’t be more thrilled to meet all the Topping Scholars and begin his education at USC!
Tony Martinez, Program Coordinator
Tony hails from Wildomar, CA where he attended Elsinore High School. During high school he served as the CEO of his Virtual Enterprise class, a class that competed in the business realm including the creation of business plans. Tony is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering and plans on working in the nanotechnology aspect. Tony is currently the Academic Chair of Hermanos Unidos, a student organization that supports academic success, community support and social interaction for Latinos. He is also a competitive member of the USC Men’s Track and Field team. Tony is ecstatic to join the Topping Family and help coordinate a number of great events this year.
Erica S. Silva, Outreach Coordinator
Erica is a sophomore majoring in Political Science and Policy, Planning and Development. She is excited to join the Topping Family and is looking forward to meeting and working with each of the Scholars. As the outreach coordinator, Erica is responsible for contacting local high schools in the University Park Campus (UPC) and Health Science Campus (HSC) areas. Through college readiness seminars and other events, she will be working with high school students to give them the tools they need to attend college. After working with a class of 3rd graders through USC’s Joint Educational Project (JEP), she witnessed the educational divides that exist in the school districts and would like to enter a professional career that can improve the current system. After serving as Fluor Tower’s Building Government Chair her freshman year, Erica will be on the executive board for the Latino Student Assembly and plans to become involved with Chicanos for Progressive Education for the upcoming school year. She is excited to start her second year at USC and is blessed to be apart of this great university.
Brittany M. Allen, Recruitment Coordinator
Brittany is a sophomore in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and although she has yet to declare a major, she is pursuing a minor in Spanish. She is currently exploring the Communications and Journalism programs in Annenberg, as well as completing coursework through the Psychology department. Her co-curricular involvement includes serving as secretary for African Americans in Health, being a member of Sisters in Spirit, working with Colleges Against Cancer, writing on the staff of USC’s first women’s publication Helen and playing club volleyball. Brittany was recently hired as the Recruitment Coordinator and she is enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to the greater Los Angeles area.
