Staff

Onrei was raised in San Diego, CA and recently graduated cum laude from Georgetown University in 2021. Onrei double-majored in art and sociology with a minor in film and media studies. As an alumnus of GSP himself, he was an active participant in the community. He served as a peer mentor, a member of the GSP Student Board, and as a teaching assistant for the course, “Mastering the Hidden Curriculum.” Outside of GSP, Onrei worked as a student employee for the Center for Multicultural Equity & Access and the Office of Residential Living. His undergrad experience was largely shaped by the positive experience he had with staff across the Division of Student Affairs, igniting his passion for higher education and helping students reach their fullest potential. He is excited about being able to return to the Hilltop as a member of the GSP team! As the Program Coordinator for Operations and Engagement, Onrei is responsible for overseeing the planning, organization, and execution of GSP events as well as providing operational support for the office.

Alexis Green (S ’23) serves as Assistant Director for Advising and Mentorship Programs. She grew up in Culpeper, VA, and graduated from George Mason University where she majored in Integrative Studies with a concentration in Childhood Studies. She later obtained her master’s in Higher Education Administration from Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies (SCS). From SCS, she has also received certificates in both Project Management and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

As Assistant Director, she oversees student advising and first-year specific programming, including peer and alumni mentorship programs, while also managing program development and implementation. Valuing the importance of mental health and relationship building, she is committed to supporting students’ overall wellbeing and fostering their long-term engagement with various layers of GSP mentorship support.

Maria Catalina “Cata” Pajarito Caicedo was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. She graduated from Georgetown University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 2023 with a master’s degree in Learning, Design, and Technology. During her tenure, Cata served as a graduate assistant at the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP), where she found an interest in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through the development of data-informed strategies and the application of instructional design principles. Her experiences at the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS), the Red House, and most recently as a Learning and Evaluation Specialist for the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), provided invaluable opportunities to hone her analytical skills and serve diverse communities both at Georgetown and in the greater Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Now back at Georgetown University, Cata has taken on the role of Assistant Director for Student Grant Funding and Support at GSP. In this capacity, she manages GSP’s grants program, conducts data analysis for program development purposes, and provides student advising services. She is enthusiastic about contributing her skills to support the admirable GSP community, where her passion for education, data-driven development, and diversity converge.

Brenda Flores serves as the Associate Director. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and graduated in 2017 from Georgetown University with degrees in Classics (with a concentration in Latin) and Psychology. A first-gen grad herself, Brenda returned to Georgetown to support the growth of the program and its mission to create a more equitable college experience for all students. Her primary responsibility is the oversight of the program operations which includes the management of GSP’s wide array of community-building events, program communications, year-specific initiatives, and the development and use of data systems.

Albert Ramirez was born and raised in Houston, TX and graduated from Saint Louis University with degrees in economics and environmental studies. His primary responsibilities include overseeing office operations, managing the budget, and supporting overall program development. He also manages the GSP Necessity and Professional Development Funds. Before joining the GSP team, Albert held roles in leadership development, policy research, and program management focused on various social justice issues at the Congressional Hunger Center, the Center for Community Change, and other non-profit organizations in Washington D.C., Boston, and Seattle. He is passionate about working to build equity and pathways to leadership with the GSP community and is grateful for the opportunity to help students access the resources they need in order to do the things that they want to do.

Melissa “Missy” Foy, originally from Chicago, is an alumna of Georgetown University. After a few years post-college in the private sector, she returned to the Hilltop where she worked in Undergraduate Admissions, as an admissions officer for the Midwest. During that time, she had the chance to meet the first cohort of 50 students receiving a new loan relief scholarship called GSP. The earliest students in the program, most of whom were first generation college goers, had great ideas about what this new program could offer. With encouragement and practical support (space! funding! printers!) from the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Charles Deacon, Missy worked with those early students to build out the program we now know as the Georgetown Scholars Program, which includes multi-layered mentorship, over $800,000 in annual microgrants awarded directly to students, a robust endowment, events, and more.

During Missy’s time as Director, GSP has grown to make our earliest students’ dreams possible and now serves 650 current students and over 1,500 graduates. None of this could’ve been done without champions such as our founders and alumni board, our student leaders, her fellow teammates, and some divine intervention! In her spare time, Missy serves on a board for the Don Bosco Cristo Rey high school, is an amateur sleuth, enjoys meeting dogs on the street, tries to be healthy, and spends time with her favorite people.

Abby followed her brother, Scott Spiegel (C’73, L’76) to Georgetown University and graduated with a BA in Government and English in 1983 which lead to her 15 year career as a Literary Agent at Creative Artists Agency. She found her true passion as a founding Board Member and the Executive Director of Determined To Succeed, a Los Angeles based college access and success program for First Generation students. Her commitment to ensure the success of First Generation students before, during and after college has led her to Chair the GSP Southern California Regional Network as well as mentoring many GSP students.

Abby’s proudest achievement is her thirty-year marriage to Patrick, B’81 and their three children – Kellogg, B’16, Cooper, B’21 and Riley, C’24!