Santa's Helpers
Meet our 2025 Operation Santa team! We are very excited to continue this meaningful project by serving the San Diego community this holiday season.
Kalila Beak
About Kalila:
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Why Op Santa?
“The biggest reason that got me to Operation Santa is my passion of helping and giving back to the community. I am grateful and lucky enough to have such amazing people around me. I acknowledge that not everyone has this privilege and want to spread as much love as possible for the Holiday season this year.”
Favorite part about the holidays?
The best part is getting presents for the families. Alice puts so much thoughts into gifts, and just imagining how happy the recipients will be makes her happy. She believes that Operation Santa makes the holiday season better for a lot of people!
Emma Nguyen
About Emma:
Aurora is a third year at UCSD majoring in bioengineering. She joined Alpha Phi Omega in the spring of 2023 as part of the Beta Nu class. Outside of school she volunteers in a neurobiology lab on campus. She enjoys baking with her friends, making origami, and playing with her cat.
Why Op Santa?
"I was introduced to op santa after I became an active and saw how much it helped out families during the holidays. It was an inspiring experience and I am excited to have a bigger role in the process. I hope to bring more joy to the holiday season this year!"
Favorite part about the holidays?
Her favorite part of the holidays is seeing all of the lights and decorations that people put up. The holiday spirit really makes the city feel like a cozy community!
Carl Castaneda
About Carl:
Hillary is a third year at UCSD majoring in Data Science and minoring in Mathematics. She joined Alpha Phi Omega in Spring 2023 and really enjoys servicing the community. In the past, she has volunteered as a robotics and Python coding tutor for students with autism. In her free time she plays tennis, rows, runs to the beach, and is in the process of learning how to surf.
Why Op Santa?
"I’ve always enjoyed giving and believe that everyone deserves to experience the joy of the holidays. That’s why I wanted to support this cause and do my part to help ensure that joy is spread throughout the season. It’s important to me to be able to contribute to making the holidays special for as many people as possible."
Favorite part about the holidays?
Her favorite part of the holidays is spending time with loved ones and exchanging gifts. She has come to realize that it’s the thought, not the gift, that truly counts. Being able to give gifts and share in the excitement of receiving them is incredibly rewarding for her.