Meet Our Ambassadors
The Willamette Ambassadors lead campus tours and staff our office — you may meet some of them when you visit campus!
Alanna Kelly '21
English and Cinema Studies; Highland Falls, NY
Fun Fact: I found out about Willamette through an Instagram ad.
Amelia Maass '22
Anthropology; Seattle, WA
Fun Fact: I can lick my elbows!
Bethany Abbate '22
Civic Communication and Media; Beaverton, OR
Fun Fact: I visited over 30 colleges in high school.
Brian Ixtlahuac '21
Spanish & International Studies; Los Angeles, CA
Transfer student
Fun Fact: I helped raise $129,000 for five local charities in my community.
Caitlin Forbes '20
English & Psychology; Castro Valley, CA
Fun Fact: I've been bitten by a Willamette duck once during my time at WU...and no I did not get any superpowers.
Cameron Taggesell '21
Physics; Sonoma, CA
Fun fact: I have a rational fear of chickens.
Celeste Gutentag '22
Art History; Grand Junction, CO
Fun Fact: I can flip my tongue upside down.
CG Steelman '22
Environmental Science; Walla Walla, WA
Fun Fact: I spent my summer in Kodiak, AK.
Claire Mathews-Lingen '21
Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics; St. Paul, MN
Fun fact: I had pet rats: Buzzle, Funny, Charcoal, and Sweetiepie.
Daniel Fang '21
Biochemistry & Economics; Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Fun fact: I once sprinted up the stairs to the top of a 482 foot tall building in jeans.
Eden Wenokur '20
Civic Communication and Media & Spanish; Seattle, WA
Fun Fact: I once got my phone stolen and then fought the guy trying to steal it. Bad idea but I got it back!
Forrest Deters '20
Mathematics; Dallas, OR
Fun fact: I recorded an EP in Smash Mouth's studio.
Jack Hanscom '22
Civic Communication and Media; Kent, WA
Fun fact: I've traveled across three different countries in 24 hours.
Kawika Kalama '21
Civic Communication and Media; Fairbanks, AK
Fun fact: I befriended a moose and would feed it pumpkins. Yes. In Alaska.
Kali Woodward '23
Public Health and Business; Gig Harbor, WA
Fun Fact: I can play three instruments!
Maddy Kaplan '22
Psychology; Palo Alto, CA
Fun Fact: I worked at the third ever Jamba Juice establishment!
Maddy Jones '22
Biology & Psychology; Fredericksburg, VA
Fun Fact: I played Field Hockey for five years.
McKenna Musket '21
Civic Communication and Media; Brentwood, CA
Fun Fact: I have been an intern for two NBA teams.
Monica Gustaveson '21
Psychology and Spanish; Seattle, WA
Fun Fact: As a kid, I wrote a whole 4-part book about Shamu the whale escaping Seaworld.
Oakley Phoenix '23
English and Philosophy; Benicia, CA
Fun Fact: I learned how to hold a pencil wrong as a kid, and I still haven't figured out how to fix it.
Olga Melendez Valdes '20
Music & Politics; Salem, OR
Fun Fact: I just recently visited family in Cuba for the first time.
Phoebe Marcus-Porter '20
Physics; Fort Collins, CO
Fun Fact: My dad and stepdad have the same name.
Rachel Urner '22
Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics; Port Townsend, WA
Fun Fact: I once dove out of a moving airplane into 34 degree water by choice.
Risa Shutz '21
Exercise and Health Science; Redmond, WA
Fun Fact: I’ve been pooped on by a bird 8 times in my life.
Rose Linville '20
Environmental Science; Driggs, ID
Fun fact: I once had to get stitches for an injury caused by only a broom and rug.
Ross Wheeler '21
Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics; Vashon, WA
Fun Fact: I grew up on an island and took a ferry to school.
Sam Johnston '21
Math & Economics; Westerville, OH
Fun Fact: After four years of taking Spanish I still can't roll my r's.
Saša Binder '20
Biology & Chinese; Anchorage, AK
Fun Fact: I have 3 cats.
Tara Hickman '21
Physics; Yuma, CO
Fun Fact: I've only burned myself once and it was on a waffle iron on one of my knuckles.
Vanessa Sanders '22
Public Health; Portland, OR
Fun fact: I puked in the Vatican. My family now likes to joke that I was possessed.
