The YRC Organizing Board is comprised of volunteer nominees elected for a 2-year term of service, per our bylaws. Sara Nuila-Chae became the President for 2025, welcoming new Co-Vice President, Joy Hagen. Our Notetaker/Facilitator is Kali Yamboliev, and our Treasurer/Facilitator is Clara Weygandt.
We are always looking for people who would like to help carry the traditions forward, and volunteer to help organize these fun, re-energizing future conferences. If you’d like to volunteer in the future, show up next year and/or reach out to youngrhetconf@gmail.com.
You can learn more about the positions, elections, and volunteer opportunities on the Elections & Volunteering page.
| Name | Role | Bio |
|---|---|---|
Sara Nuila-Chae | President | Sara Nuila-Chae has an M.A. in Composition program, building upon her recently completed M.A. in Literature at SFSU. She received her B.A. in English with a minor in Writing from UC Merced. Since 2022, she has taught at various colleges across the Bay Area including SFSU, Skyline College, Canada College, USF, and most recently, for the UCSC Writing Program. Because of her passion for Literature, she is interested in the ways in which literary analysis can be brought into the Composition classroom. Her research interests include contemporary Mixed-Race Literature and American Autobiography. Contact Sara at snuilach@ucsc.edu |
Joy Hagen  | Vice President | Dr. Joy Hagen has a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from UCSC. She has taught widely, including in UC Santa Cruz’ Divisions of Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical and Biological Sciences, Baskin School of Engineering, and at Rachel Carson College. With expertise in ecology, agroecology, plant-insect interactions, and political economy, she specializes in science communication and the intersection of science and society. Dr. Hagen’s teaching has focused on writing in the physical and biological sciences, STEM diversity and representation, American Indian intellectual history, activism, storytelling, and the science of learning. At the center of Dr. Hagen’s teaching is the goal of making complex concepts accessible to diverse audiences. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Hagen spends time rematriating California’s landscapes by removing invasive species and planting native plants, walking her chiweenies, making ribbon skirts, or staying up late to see drag shows. Contact Joy at joyhagen@ucsc.edu |
Kali Yamboliev  | Note-taker | Dr. Kali Yamboliev earned her Ph.D. in Medieval Italian History from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2019 and is now in her sixth year as a Lecturer in the Writing Program at the same university. She teaches courses in magazine journalism, science communication, business writing, and academic research and writing, among others. She is co-editor of Starting Lines, the UCSB Writing Program publication of student writing, and the faculty advisor overseeing the “Humans of UCSB” social media pages spotlighting the stories of UCSB students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Additionally, she is dedicated to conversations about DEI practices in the classroom and is currently a member of a year-long working group titled “The Wellbeing Project,” considering strategies to increase wellbeing across various student populations navigating the university environment. Beyond her teaching and service in the UCSB Writing Program, Dr. Yamboliev maintains her research interests in Right-wing rhetoric in Italy both historically and today. Her work draws on her experiences living in Rome, Italy over several years, including as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she volunteered with a non-profit providing medical care to irregular migrants from Africa and the Middle East and became sharply attuned to the anti-immigrant, nationalist rhetoric of the Italian Right. Contact Kali at kyamboliev@ucsb.edu |
Clara Weygandt | Facilitator; Treasurer | Clara Weygandt is a teacher, writer, naturalist & caregiver. She has a BA in Environmental Studies with a focus in Natural History from the University of California Santa Cruz, and a MS in Environmental & Nature writing from the University of Montana, Missoula. She has worked with peregrine falcons, surveyed for spotted owls, & endangered plants, done vegetation mapping for the USFS Fire Sciences lab, & worked as a botanical ranger in Lassen Volcanic National Park. She cared for her parents through dementia & cancer, & has taught critical thinking and writing at UCSC’s Rachel Carson College for 12 years. She presented at YRC in 2018 & 2021 with her friend & colleague Tiffany Wong. Contact Clara at claraweygandt@gmail.com |