About Us

Christopher J. R. Aston
Interim Co-Director
New Student Programs and Transition Ceremonies
(818) 677-2393 | 

Christopher Aston is responsible for university programs that bookend student life at CSUN, including New Student Orientation (NSO) for freshman, transfer, and international student populations, and the university’s Commencement and Honors Convocation ceremonies as well as other annual welcoming events. Mr. Aston manages and supervises the NSO leadership programs, which include a team of more than 150 leaders and mentors charged with supporting the continuous process of integrating new students into the academic, cultural and social context at CSUN. His guidance and leadership extend past the Office of Student Involvement and Development as an adjunct professor through undergraduate studies, instructing courses for University 100, the Freshman Seminar at CSUN. Additionally, Mr. Aston has taught courses in the Department of Communication Studies, where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Gabrielle Danis
Program Director, CSUN Peer Mentorship Program and Transfer Student Orientations
(818) 677-2393 | 

Gabrielle Danis is responsible for the coordination and event planning for the CSUN Mentorship Program. Ms. Danis has worked for the university professionally since 2016. She attended California State University, Northridge (CSUN) for her undergraduate degree and worked in the Office of Student Involvement and Development as a student assistant. Ms. Danis received her Master's in Education, with an emphasis in Postsecondary Administration, from the University of Southern California in 2018. She has experience in developing programs for 200+ students, staff, and faculty due to her work with New Student Orientation. She is well-versed in all it means to be a CSUN Matador. Her professional philosophy is "to be a resource for all students I serve, both as a mentor and advocate, and assist them in their right to a quality education."

Nada Alnachef
Program Coordinator, Student Involvement & Development
nada.alnachef@csun.edu

Theresa Hadden
Office Manager
theresa.hadden@csun.edu

Connecting and collaborating with our campus colleagues allow NSO to be fresh, current, intentional, and utilizable for our new matadors!

Comprised of campus-wide professional staff and administrators the Orientation Advisory Committee (OAC) assists with the overall goal of the university’s New Student Orientation (NSO) program: “…to support the continuous process of integrating new students into the academic, cultural, and social context of CSUN.” This is accomplished by members meeting monthly to discuss and dialog on matters concerning new students which directly influence NSO and other transitional ceremony related programs (i.e. Freshman Convocation, President’s Picnic, etc..).  The Office of Student Involvement & Development (OSID) oversees the University’s effort for all orientation related programs.