Meet The Team

Dr. Jason Watkins

Director, Basic Needs

Dr. Jason Watkins has the pleasure of serving as the Director of Basic Needs and a lecturer in the Department of Psychology. He earned is B.A. in Psychology, M.S. in Counseling, and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. Dr. Watkins is passionate about student success and is committed to ensuring that all students feel a sense of belonging and purpose in their time at CSUB.

Email: jwatkins4@csub.edu

Joel Kirksey (he/him/his)

Edible Garden Coordinator / Farm Supervisor

Joel manages the crop production and education programming at the Edible Garden. He is passionate about sustainable agriculture and finding ways to increase healthy food access for the students, faculty, and staff at CSUB as well as the larger Bakersfield community.  He is the Advisor for the ‘Coalition of Chicken Enthusiasts’ student club on campus.

Joel received his M.S. in Crop and Soil Science from the University of Georgia, where he also received a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems. He received his B.A. in Biological Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Email: jkirksey@csub.edu

Angel Garza (he, him, his)

Edible Garden Student Assistant

I have always loved giving back to the community and basic needs has given me the opportunity to continue giving back. Helping give back means a lot since I grew up in an underserved community with little to no resources and want to shine light on the department and educate others about the resources we offer.

Fun Fact: I used to be a frequent garden volunteer, and now got hired on as a Garden Assistant.

Melissa Jorge (She/Her/Hers) 

Edible Garden Student Assistant

I started as a volunteer and loved seeing how much people benefited from all the produce, food, and hygiene we provide for the CSUB community. Started working at the edible garden I enjoy helping people learn about planting and harvesting produce. 

Fun Fact: I love baking it’s one of my favorite past times to try new recipes and give them out to friends and family! I am also a news staff writer for The Runner!

Sarah Valera

Food Pantry Graduate Student Leader

Sarah assists with managing the Food Pantry and the Edible Garden. As an undergraduate, Sarah worked as a Garden Associate through the College Corps program while pursuing her Bachelors in Business Administration. After graduating, she came back as a Graduate Student Leader and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Business Administration.

Fun Fact: Sarah volunteers at the VITA site at CSUB as a Quality Reviewer. She enjoys being active in student organizations and is the president for the SHRM chapter and the Discovery Club. Her passion is to help people in need no matter the situation.

Avelina Olmedo

Food Pantry Student Assistant

Lina Olmedo is currently a sophomore majoring in Computer Science. She has always enjoyed helping people and was taught from a very young age the values of gratitude and helping others in need. She is passionate about giving back to the community, as well as advocating for food security and the importance of nutrition. She was raised in Long Beach, CA and recently moved to Bakersfield with her family. 

Fun fact: I started volunteering at the CSUB Edible Garden as a way to destress, but soon learned how rewarding it was to contribute to food security within our community. Now, I am very grateful I get to continue this by being apart of the CSUB Basic Needs Program.