Advising

Stephanie Montaño is an experienced education leader with over 10 years of expertise in developing and executing leadership programs. She is a former TRiO student and McNair Scholar and has spent most of her life advocating for programs that serve the needs of low-income, first-generation students.

Previously, she worked at the Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program where she managed the Aspen Presidential Fellowship and their alumni network, which addresses access and equity in higher education through leadership development. There she led the Women of Color Affinity Group where she helped create a safe, inclusive community where womxn of color can thrive at Aspen.

She serves as a board member and as Treasurer for LatinaStrong, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Latina women, and on the board for the Tucson Bird Alliance, where I help support community-based conservation initiatives. Stephanie holds a Master’s degree in Education Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Education from the University of Arizona.

In her personal life, Stephanie competes in triathlons, participates in environmental conservation efforts throughout the Sonoran Desert, and spends time with her family and dog, Bailey. 

Ambur Wilkerson is a Tucson-based, California-raised educator and creative. She is a first-generation college graduate with a B.A. in English with a focus in creative writing from California State University, San Bernardino, and an M.A. in journalism from The University of Arizona. 

Her experience with working in higher education and coordinating began during undergrad when she worked as a program coordinator for CSUSB’S Queer and Transgender Resource Center. Before her time with Pima, she pursued her passion for mental health advocacy as a recovery coordinator for COPE Community Services. She’s also co-coordinated community-focused events such as Black Minds Matter with the Tucson Juneteenth Board and Open Mic at Hotel McCoy. 

She began her PCC journey as an adjunct writing instructor at West Campus in the fall of 2023. At the beginning of 2024, Wilkerson began advising PCC’s student-led news publication, The Pima Post. Her journey with TRiO began in the summer of 2024 as an Upward Bound instructor, and now as the coordinator of the TRiO SSS Classic program.

When she isn't coordinating, you can find her at a concert, collecting vinyls, writing, making music, or spending time with her dog, Maisy.