Our Members
Zenaida Chapman
President | Mezzo | Human Biology and Society | 2026
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Hometown: Moraga, CA
Audition song: Diamonds – Rihanna
Interests: Thrifting! Trying new food places! Traveling! Spending time with friends of course. Going to the beach. Trying fun flavored lattes. And watching gossip girl.
Fun fact: Her name is pronounced Zen-eye-duh. It’s a tough one haha.
Favorite Awaken memory: Dinner at Chilis before the Acasola after party
Jarod Houston
Business Manager | Bass | Computer Science | 2026
Pronouns: He/him/his
Hometown: Los Altos, CA
Audition song: Halo – Beyoncé
Interests: Karate, piano, thrifting, ultimate frisbee, baseball, hiking, pizza, steak
Fun fact: He’s been bitten by a stingray!
Favorite Awaken memory: When we did PowerPoint night on retreat in Pismo Beach, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard
Malaika Kumar
Music Co-Director | Soprano | Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology with Musicology minor | 2027
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Audition song: Passionfruit – Drake
Interests: Singing/songwriting, working out, spending time with friends, hiking, and hanging with her dog Google!
Fun fact: All her fingers are double jointed!
Favorite Awaken memory: Jumping in the freezing cold Pismo Beach waves on retreat!
Sam Jones
Music Co-Director | Alto | Theatre with an emphasis in acting and Arts Education minor | 2026
Pronouns: They/she
Hometown: Studio City, CA
Audition song: She Used to Be Mine – Sara Bareilles
Interests: Acting, singing, piano, writing, directing, arts education, basketball, vintage/antique things, petting dogs/cats, doing a little jig with friends
Fun fact: My past coworkers were the Minions.
Favorite Awaken memory: Probably my car getting a flat in the middle of nowhere on the way back from Berkeley with Awaken. Buttonwillow forever <3
Andrew Plaza
Social Co-Chair | Tenor | Public Health | 2026
Pronouns: He/him/his
Hometown: Gilroy, CA
Audition song: Easy on me – Adele
Interests: Traveling (best place he’s been to = Milan), hanging out with friends, coffee, training dogs, and singing of course!
Fun fact: He is an RA on the Hill!
Favorite Awaken memory: Playing Glee themed Trivia at Barney’s and winning the best team name award
Natalia Menedez
Social Co-Chair | Mezzo | Psychology | 2026
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Hometown: Dixon, CA
Audition song: Suddenly Seymour from “Little Shop of Horrors”
Interests: Singing, baking, working with kids, thrifting, farmers markets, skateboarding, concerts, formula 1, hanging out with friends and family!
Fun fact: She has been to more concerts than she can count
Favorite Awaken memory: Going on retreat and eating way too many pancakes
Gavin Meichelbock
Financial Chair | VP | American Literature and Culture with Film and TV minor | 2026
Pronouns: He/him/his
Hometown: Calabasas, CA
Audition song: Cherry Wine – Grentperez
Interests: Watching movies, eating (food I make or going out to eat), reading in cool locations.
Fun fact: He is a two time published author
Favorite Awaken memory: Hanging out with Jarod in this beach cave we found on spring retreat 2024
Ansam Qureshi
Soprano | Biochemistry | 2028
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Hometown: Monterey, CA
Audition song: Rise Up – Andra Day
Interests: Singing, traveling, watching the sunset, going on beach walks, baking, and spending time with friends and family!
Fun fact: She saw the whole national Spanish football team at a parade during a trip to Spain!
Favorite Awaken memory: Our retreat at the Bay was so much fun, from the car ride to performing to exploring SF
Chuong Nguyen
Bass | Masters in Education | 2026
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Hometown: Elk Grove, CA
Audition song: A Lovely Night from “La La Land”
Interests: Video games, singing, the outdoors
Fun fact: He is newly lactose intolerant
Favorite Awaken memory: 2025 Berkeley Retreat, him and Sam spent the night on the floor of his friends apartment (yes, its a long story)!
Colin Alsop
Baritone | Theater | 2028
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Audition song: Lullaby of Birdland – Ella Fitzgerald
Interests: Directing, music, reading, art
Fun fact: He has a twin!
Favorite thing about Awaken: Performing at Spring Sing in 2025
Edi Zhang
Tenor | Applied Math with Data Science Engineering minor | 2027
Pronouns: He/him/his
Hometown: San Ramon, CA
Audition song: Proud Of Your Boy from “Aladdin”
Interests: Swimming, cooking
Fun fact: He ran a barbershop out of his dorm communal bathroom
Favorite Awaken memory: Competing in Spring Sing and performing in front of celebrities such as Abby Lee Miller and Kevin Chamberlain (Bertram from “Jessie”)
Riley Bateman
Mezzo | Business Economics | 2027
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA
Audition song: Talk It Up – Sammy Rae and The Friends
Interests: Singing, writing/arranging music, crocheting, Spanish, calligraphy, sketching/painting (traditional & digital), violin, ballet, modeling, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Haikyu, sloths (called “Un perezoso” or “lazy one” in Spanish—which I think is funny), vegetables and chocolate (I haven’t tried them together though) to which I attribute my height (5′ 10″).
Fun fact: She has double jointed elbows.
Favorite Awaken memory: I love being a music geek with them all. In and out of rehearsal, we make magic in either circumstance. Whether it is perfecting a crescendo or blend, randomly breaking out into song, sharing song ideas, or giving and receiving hugs (just because), there’s a certain spark that makes me smile and feel happy when I see another member of Awaken.
Jack Lawrence
Baritone | Theater with a route in Costuming | 2027
Pronouns: He/him/his
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Audition song: Your Man – Josh Turner
Interests: Sewing, singing, cooking/baking, plants, interior design, carpentry, fashion design, drawing, tap dancing, musicals
Fun fact: He designed, built and ran a haunted house in his front yard for 7 years
Favorite Awaken memory: Winning the Riff Off in 2025 that Awaken hosted for Fire Relief
Jiya Kumar
Mezzo | Music Industry | 2028