Brianna Martinez fills new role at PLNU as associate director of first-year experience

A new position has been added to the Student Engagement Office at Point Loma Nazarene University. Brianna Martinez, who graduated from Fresno Pacific University, joined the staff last month in a new position: associate director of first-year experience.

She earned a bachelor’s in psychology and philosophy and a master’s in strategic and organizational leadership.

Her job is to run Alpha Groups, which are student-led small groups that meet on Monday nights to help first-years during their transition to PLNU. She is taking over for Kathy Lee, as she transitions into the director of student experience. 

She will also help with the Transfers Activities Group and plan different events for Welcome Week, a week at the beginning of the school year with various events to welcome students to campus.

Lee sent an email announcement to the current Alpha and Family Group leaders on Feb. 2 about Martinez’s onboarding. She said she would continue to lead Alpha Groups this spring semester, with Martinez taking over in the fall. 

Martinez worked with first-generation students at her previous job at FPU, as well as in an interim position for diversity, equality and inclusion. Lee said that Martinez’s background made her an exceptional choice for the job. 

“I think someone that comes from another Christian university can just resonate and understand that perspective and work in student affairs,” Lee said.

Martinez was introduced to this year’s Alpha leaders during one of their biweekly meetings on Feb. 23. The leaders played “hot seat” with Martinez during the meeting.

Trevor Sabins, a second-year health science major and Alpha leader, said that this change of leadership is familiar to Alpha. Lee took over Connor Mathisen’s previous role at the end of the 2025 spring semester after he transitioned into PLNU’s director of student engagement. Sabins is also applying to be a Family Group leader.

“I’m excited,” Sabins said. “I saw how the family group leaders [last year] were able to work through change themselves from [Mathisen] to [Lee], and how they embraced it and were able to formulate such great relationships with [Lee]. So I’m excited to be able to get that opportunity with [Martinez] as well.”

Martinez said that her goal for this next semester is to focus on conversations around personal growth and finding a place in the community at PLNU, which the Alpha leaders are having with their first-year dorm halls. 

“It’s a very special time that [they] are given with the freshmen,” Martinez said. “Everyone’s starting a new chapter, so it’s making sure that we can care well and also help them feel comfortable to share [with their leaders], and then they will start to hopefully rely on each other.”