25'-26' UMBRA Board

Hi everyone! My name is Josiah Lopez, and I’m honored to serve as President of UMBRA for the ‘25-’26 academic year. I’m a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering here at Cal Poly, and I’ve been part of UMBRA since I transferred from city college in Fall 2023. I began my journey on the Small Rocket Competition (SRC) team, which gave me a strong foundation in hands-on engineering and teamwork. From there, I had the opportunity to mentor new SRC members while contributing to the manufacturing team for Project Inferno. I was fortunate enough to be part of a small team that brought a partnership with the Department of Defense who are now sponsoring Project Lazarus along with Lockheed Martin. After a term as Secretary, I’m honored to now serve in this leadership role. Being a part of UMBRA has been one of the most impactful experiences of my college career- it’s helped me grow as an engineer, a teammate, and a leader, all while fueling my passion for aerospace and rocketry. UMBRA has become a home on campus to me and I’m excited to propel our organization to continue reaching new heights through technical innovation, student outreach, and collaboration across campus. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities UMBRA has given me, and I look forward to cultivating more of those moments for others this year.

Howdy! I’m Parsa Pakdel, going into my last year here at Cal Poly as a Mechanical Engineering student. I joined UMBRA three years ago and quickly found a place where I could grow and take on meaningful challenges. Over the past two years, I’ve served on the board — first as the Engineering Student Council Representative and now as Vice President Internal — where I’ve had the chance to help guide the direction of our organization. I was a participant of the first year of our SRC program and continued to spend the past year helping lead and mentor new members through it. Within our projects, I’ve been part of the fluids and engines team on Project Inferno and I am excited to advance our liquid propulsion efforts. Moving forward, I want to continue supporting new members as they learn and grow while making impactful decisions and contributions to grow UMBRA and provide a conducive learning environment.

Hi, I'm Daniel Paek, your Vice President External for this year! I'm in my fourth and final year of Aerospace Engineering, and I hope to help everyone learn about UMBRA and the engineering industry! I've been on numerous projects and on a variety of subteams, so let me help find the right one for you! I enjoy cooking, riding my bike, and long walks by the beach, as well as all of the other nerd stuff an engineer is expected to like. If you're looking for someone to help you out with anything, I'm your guy! And if not, I can point you to someone who is. Thanks for visiting!

Hi!! My name is Emma and I’m a 2nd year Aerospace Engineering major. As Secretary, I strive to not only help UMBRA flow as efficiently as possible but to make it a place where anyone can thrive and feel at home. During my first year, I had the pleasure of being a part of SRC as a participant and mentor where I greatly enhanced my knowledge of rocketry as well as my love for it. Aside from project specifics, I found so many incredible friendships and connections and definitely exceeded the fun limit for an engineering student. Before CPP, I was the Structures lead for a small team through the Department of Defense that began researching and manufacturing the rocket that is now Project Lazarus. Outside of school, I enjoy all things music, traveling, capturing memories through film, and simply just having a good time. I’m so excited for this next year and am honored to be able to contribute and inspire those around me.

Hi everyone! I'm Shridhi, a third year ARO major. I am UMBRA's treasurer this year as well as the recovery subteam lead for ExoBronco. I've been a part of UMBRA since I was a freshman and it's been a great experience! My favorite part is definitely going out to FAR for launches and praying the parachutes come out. My goal as treasurer this year is to efficiently manage the club budget and direct reimbursements. Outside of UMBRA you can find me tutoring at the LRC, eating, or napping.

Hi, I’m Emily Morales, a junior in Aerospace Engineering and this year’s Scheduler for UMBRA. I’ve been part of the club since freshman year and currently serve as Structures Lead on EXO BRONCO, with some of my favorite memories coming from rocket launches out in the desert. Beyond UMBRA, I also work on the Manufacturing team for the PIV, which has given me great hands-on experience and teamwork opportunities. Being part of this community has fueled my passion for rocketry, and I’m excited to support it in a leadership role this year.

Hello, I am Bruce Duong, UMBRA's '25-26 PR Manager. I am a third year aerospace engineering student and have been with the club since I started college. I was a structures engineer with the Casper Project and moved to ExoBronco where I am now the mechanisms team co-lead. I plan on expanding the club's online presence as well as developing a new line for products and merchandise. Outside of UMBRA, I dabble in video editing and content creation, cooking, and big band jazz.

Hello! My name is Justice and I’ll be entering my third year both in aerospace engineering and in UMBRA. The most exciting things I’ve done have been winning the club’s very own Small Rocket Competition and then mentoring the teams that competed after me. I look forward to growing the club and helping everyone interested in rocketry join in the amazing experiences this club has to offer. Rockets aside, I love almost all things nerdy and will happily rant about them if you let me. Meeting new people is my favorite part of the club so come up and say hi if I don’t beat you to it!

Hey everyone! I'm Mathew Maida and will be one of your underclassmen reps for this year. I am a second year aerospace major. I did Small Rocket Competition and am currently part of propulsion for Exo Bronco, outside of UMBRA I am part of the aerodynamics team for NGCP. Outside of school and projects I love music, hiking, cars, photography, and a whole lot more. I would love to get people to join UMBRA and have the same fun that I've had camping for SRC, FAR days, and hanging out with other members. Feel free to say hi if you see me around campus, I can talk about anything.

Hey! I’m Taylor Barada, a second-year aerospace major excited to serve as your underclassmen representative! My biggest wish for the year is for more underclassmen to be involved in UMBRA’s progress and activities. You all have an important voice that should be heard! I’m an active member of the Small Rocket Competition as a mentor and Exo Bronco as a member of the propulsion subteam. Previously, I had participated in SRC and worked with mechanisms for Exo, both which grew my love for the projects! The coolest thing about me outside of UMBRA is my work as a Diesel Mechanic (woahh so awesome), but I also have a lot of cats and cannot refuse an adventure!

​Hello! My name is Jessica Dhillon and it is my pleasure to be your Workshop Manager and SRC Project Manager this year. I am a third year ARO major and I am pursuing minors in both International Business as well as Operations Management. My involvement in UMBRA started in SRC and then I had the opportunity to help out a bit in both Exo Bronco and UMBRA Prop. This year, I'll be managing UMBRA's workshop events and SRC :) Aside from UMBRA, I really enjoy crocheting, cooking/baking, and camping. I am really excited to see what this year has in store. Definitely feel free to ask me any questions if you see me around!