Meet Our
Exec Board
Ashley Carranza-Lopez
President
Salu!! My name is Ashley Carranza-Lopez, a Senior studying Accounting & Chemistry. I was born and raised in Northern Virginia, but my family is from El Salvador. Outside of LASU and spending time with the Lasumilia, you can catch me at the gym or crocheting at home. I love staying active & always trying to find new things to do. This past summer I have been interning at PwC in the Tax Sector and getting hands-on experience within the scope of Public Accounting. I truly cannot wait to see what this upcoming year will bring! Here’s to new things, new faces, new traditions, and most importantly, a bigger family!
Contact Info: avcarranzalope@wm.edu
Adriana Ayala Quiñones
Vice President
Wepa! My name is Adriana Ayala Quiñones and I’m a senior majoring in Government with a History minor. I was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico and yes, I still live there when I’m not in the Burg! Aside from LASU, I work as a research assistant for Dr. Varra under DATLaS, interviewing Hispanics in VA and transcribing our conversations. This past summer, I worked at the Vanderbilt Summer Academy as residential staff, working in community building and helping foster an enjoyable summer program experience for students outside of class. I hope to work in the educational sector in the future, specifically in bilingual education. I’m a foodie and a lover of all things arts and media, so in my free time you can find me trying a new cafe, playing a video game or watching a movie with friends.
Contact Info: aiayala@wm.edu
William Lazo
Treasurer
Hey Everyone! My name is William Lazo, but I go by Lazo. I am a senior in the business school majoring in finance and concentrating in accounting. I’m from VA but my parents are from El Salvador. This summer I visited Santa Tecla, El Salvador where I tried new food and visited some pretty cool beaches. I also took an online course and worked my way to my Securities Industries Essential (SIE) license in order to pursue a career in finance. I enjoy playing soccer, watching Suits, and listening to informational podcasts such as The Journal. I am excited to meet everyone this year and hope LASU continues to grow!
Contact Info: walazo@wm.edu
Jake Ponte
Secretary
Hey, guys! My name is Jake Ponte, and I am a sophomore majoring in Government with a minor in Data Science. I am from New Providence, New Jersey, and my family is from Brazil and Portugal. Beyond LASU, I am a director in the International Relations Club, a member of William & Mary’s chapter of Kappa Delta Rho, and a buddy in Best Buddies here on campus! In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, listening to music, and catching up on old movies. I am so excited to forward Latin American culture on campus this school year with this wonderful exec team!
Contact info: jfponte@wm.edu
Emiko O'Cadiz
Historian
Hi all! My name is Emiko O’Cadiz and I am a Senior majoring in Sociology and minoring in Data Science. I was born and raised in the Northern Virginia area, and my family is from both Mexico and Japan. This summer I spent time in Charlotte, North Carolina doing research on fatal police encounters. Apart from my heavy involvement in LASU, you can catch me going on runs around campus, playing basketball, eating at Oishii, or just hanging out with friends. Feel free to say hi if you see me! I can’t wait to meet you all soon!
Contact Info: ecocadiz@wm.edu
Ronaldo Lopez-Mendez
Social Chair
Hello everyone! My name is Ronaldo Lopez-Mendez and I am a Junior majoring in Data Science. I am from the Eastern Shore of Virginia (ESVA) and my family is from Guatemala. Besides LASU, I tutor ELL students at James Blair High School and am part of the Club Soccer team. This summer I spent most of my time working and hanging out with my family. I love meeting new people and fostering friendships so please feel free to reach out!
Contact Info: rlopezmendez@wm.edu
Kayla Aviles
Marketing Chair
Hellooo! My name is Kayla Aviles, a sophomore who is majoring in Data Science. I was raised in Richmond, Virginia, and my whole family is from El Salvador. Outside of LASU, I am involved in research with AIDDATA. In my down time, you can find me probably trying new places to eat, going on random walks, watching tv shows with friends, or aimlessly making playlists on Spotify. I am so excited for this year and can’t wait to meet everyone!
Contact Info: kraviles@wm.edu
Keilly Hernandez Tun
Service Chair
Hi guys! My name is Keilly Hernandez Tun and I’m a sophomore studying government. I was born in Mixco, Guatemala and I was raised in Leesburg, Virginia. I love spending time with people and talking their ears off. I like working out, going to concerts, and trying to get involved in any side projects. Outside of LASU I help volunteer at my local church and at food pantries in my hometown. I’m excited to meet everyone and expand our family!
Contact Info: kchernandeztun@wm.edu
Cristian Charette-Lopez
Sports Chair
Hey guys! My name is Cristian Charette-Lopez and I am a junior majoring in Computer Science. I was born and raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico before moving to Fairfax, Virginia before high school. Outside of LASU, I have previously worked with geoLab as a machine learning researcher and spent the summer working for DisinfoLab as a software engineering intern. In my free time, I love spending time with friends, playing video games, and playing IM Sports with the Lasumilia. I am so excited to welcome all the new members to our LASU family and to have a great year with all of you!
Contact Info: cacharettelope@wm.edu
Maria Areyan
DEI Chair
Hola mi gente! My name is Maria Areyan and I’m a senior studying international relations. I was born and partly raised in Venezuela, but has been living in Alexandria, VA for the last seven years. Aside from LASU, I’m a peer advisor for transfer students here at W&M and a research assistant for Dr. Gillooly as part of the Global Research Institute (GRI). You can also find me taking yoga and barre classes at the Rec Center, biking, trying new recipes, strolling around Marshall’s and occasionally scrolling through TikTok (sometimes a bit much hehe). Can’t wait to meet your lovely caritas this new year and welcome you to the LASUmilia <3
Contact Info: mareyanhernand@wm.edu