Leonardo Arriola, Ph.D., is the senior associate dean of Social Sciences. As a political scientist, Professor Arriola’s research focuses on the challenges associated with representation and governance in multiethnic societies, as well as inter-ethnic political cooperation, political violence in divided societies and strategies of human rights advocacy.
Christian M. Gordon M.Ed, has served as Assistant Dean for Development, leading Social Sciences' successful effort during the Light the Way campaign. Prior to UC Berkeley, Gordon served in development leadership positions at San Francisco State University, The University of Rochester Simon School of Business and Curry College. His career in higher education began at Boston University, where he earned a master's degree.
Alan Karras, Ph.D., serves as the Special Assistant to Social Sciences Dean Raka Ray. Professor Karras is also UC Berkeley’s Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Programs’ Associate Director. His research and teaching interests are in the eighteenth-century Atlantic world, and global interactions more broadly, especially as they relate to transnational crimes such as smuggling, fraud and corruption.
Kenny Ma, M.B.A, is the Director of Communications for Social Sciences. Ma began his career as a journalist at publications such as the Los Angeles Times and Orlando Sentinel, but has spent most of his career in higher education, working in communications at public and private institutions, including the University of Texas System and Portland State University. He leads Social Sciences communications in digital/web, editorial/media and social media.
Laura C. Nelson, Ph.D. is an associate dean of Social Sciences. Professor Nelson’s research focuses on the ways societal changes are drawn through gender. Trained as an anthropologist, most of her work has been focused on South Korea, where she has examined consumption and nationalism, health and breast cancer, and the cultural impacts of several waves of demographic transformation.
Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice
Khatharya Um, Ph.D., is an Associate dean of Social Sciences for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice. Professor Um’s teaching and research interests center around refugees and other forcibly displaced communities and their incorporation experiences, specializing in Southeast Asian studies, Southeast Asian diaspora studies and genocide studies.
Annie Viveier, B.S., is the Assistant Dean of Academic Personnel for Social Sciences. The academic personnel team is a resource for departmental staff, faculty, and chairs.