Ariana Criste is the Grant Manager for the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito, where she assists the organization in fundraising and public relations for its seven Clubhouses and seven specialty programs. Originally from the Sacramento area, she graduated with Honors from UC San Diego with a BA in Political Science and a Minor in International Migration Studies in 2016. While at UCSD, she was involved in the A.S. Office of Local Affairs and wrote for a student-led international affairs journal. As a member of the AmeriCorps JusticeCorps program, Ariana assisted self-represented litigants at the court-based, Family Law Facilitator’s Office in South County.

This experience prompted her to complete UCSD Extension’s Paralegal Program and she worked as a Legal Assistant for a year. In 2017, she reaffirmed her commitment to a career in service and entered into the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement. She is proud to be a part of an organization that turns no child away and that is shaping the next generation of citizens, dreamers, and doers. Ariana is passionate about educational equity, women and children’s issues, food justice, and sustainability. In her free time, she volunteers with the League of Women Voters San Diego and listens to current events podcasts. She is a self-avowed pop-culture lover who enjoys trying new things (currently- improv comedy) and exploring San Diego’s food and beer scene.