Founded in 1974, the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) is a systemwide employee resource group that maintains and enhances communication within the university community on matters of interest to staff employees, particularly non-represented staff, in accordance with California laws and Regent policies. CUCSA is composed of 26 staff delegates — two from each of the ten academic campuses, the Office of the President, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources — and is led by a five-person Executive Board.

UCOP’s delegates represent the interests of our location’s staff at a systemwide level. They attend quarterly CUCSA meetings and also participate in workgroups with delegates throughout the system. Workgroup reports are presented to the UC Regents each year.

Giselle Jose

Giselle Jose, 2024-2025 UCOP CUCSA delegate

Giselle is a coordinator and training specialist for the Learning and Development team within UCOP Human Resources. She has more than seven years of experience in higher education across several different areas, including institutional advancement, student affairs and human resources.

Giselle has been involved with many staff organizations, including the UCLA Staff Assembly and its Career Development Task Force and the University of Southern California’s Asian and Pacific Islander Staff and Faculty Association. She is currently a member of the President’s Advisory Committee for the Status of Women at UCOP.

Giselle is a proud Bruin and Matador, earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA and her master’s degree in higher education leadership from California State University, Northridge.

For the 2024-25 academic year, Giselle is a member of the CUCSA Wellbeing Workgroup, which is focused on evaluating and enhaning staff well-being resources and support. The workgroup’s mission is to emphasize the university’s commitment to the holistic well-being of university staff. By conducting thorough research on best practices, the workgroup aims to provide actionable recommendations that enrich work performance outcomes and promote a robust workplace culture.

“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of CUCSA,” says Giselle. “It’s been an incredible experience to connect with colleagues across the UC system and amplify the voices of our UCOP community. Being able to advocate for UC staff and collaborate with inspiring peers has been both an honor and a deeply rewarding experience.”

CUCSA Well-Being Workgroup members (from left): Christine Davidson, UC ANR; Zoe Bolesta-Reynolds, workgroup chair, UC Davis; Negar Shekarabi, UC Irvine; Giselle Jose, UCOP. Not pictured, Jose Medina, UC Merced.

Mahjabeen Yucekul

Mahjabeen Yucekul, 2024-2025 UCOP CUCSA delegate

Mahjabeen is a senior software developer for the California Digital Library (CDL). She earned a bachelor’s degree in technology with a computer science focus from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee; a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Minnesota; and a master’s degree in medical engineering from the University of Washington.

Before joining UCOP, Mahjabeen held roles as a senior engineer at Genentech and as a software design engineer at Microsoft. In her current role at the CDL, Mahjabeen is responsible for the planning, development, administration, and operations of production systems and services focused on supporting the publishing, research, and learning activities of the UC academic community.

For the 2024-25 academic year, Mahjabeen is participating on the CUCSA Sustainable Workforce Workgroup, which is focused on identifying strategies to retain and attract talent, reduce administrative burnout and support flexible work arrangements. The workgroup’s mission is to ensure the university comprehends the effects of growth and regulatory changes on non-represented staff and to recommend strategies to support the university’s goal of becoming an employer of choice.

“I am thankful to UC for providing this wonderful opportunity to staff,” says Mahjabeen. “Connecting with UC colleagues at CUCSA, learning and contributing as a CUCSA delegate and advocating for OP colleagues is a blessing and I am very grateful.”

CUCSA Sustainable Workforce Workgroup members (from left): Lumpy Ervin, UC Santa Cruz; Shirley Salado, UC ANR; Kristen Ikeda Yoza, UC Santa Barbara; Mahjabeen Yucekul, UCOP; Melissa Romanus, workgroup chair, Berkeley Lab; and Amanda Gill, UC Berkeley.

You can learn more about CUCSA and its workgroups and delegates at the CUCSA website.

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