Arnold Dimas

Financial Wellness Graduate Consultant
arnold_d6@yahoo.com

Hi! My name is Arnold (he/him/él) and I am a second year MPH student in the Community Health Sciences department. This year, I am excited to be one of the Graduate Financial Wellness Consultants!

As a proud son of immigrants from Mexico and a first-generation college student, I am reminded of the values of working hard and saliendo adelante (“getting ahead”). I graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology and minors in Global Health and Chicana/o/x Studies from UCLA in 2020 (double bruin!). As an undergrad, I was involved in several programs that supported my professional development as a public health scholar, including those through the CDC and UC Davis. After graduating, I worked as a Community Outreach Specialist at the Public Health Institute, where I led resource coordination efforts to support individuals and families impacted by COVID-19.

A big part of my interest in financial wellness comes from my passion for public health. Growing up in Richmond, CA I saw the inequities my family and community experienced living in a low-income, community of color. This sparked my curiosity for the ways that health is holistic and interconnected –– from physical and mental, to environmental, occupational, and financial health, and more. I believe that financial literacy is influential on our holistic wellness and as a graduate consultant, I am excited to hold a safe space for students to learn, ask questions, and discuss all things financial wellness!

Aside from being a graduate student, I am also a certified Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN). Through my training, I approach my coaching sessions as an opportunity to explore the ways in which our upbringing and intersecting identities (e.g. first-generation, low-income, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrant, undocumented, etc.) connect with our financial beliefs and practices. As complex beings at different stages of our life, I believe reflecting on our finances is a powerful tool to become more confident in our financial wellness journey!

In my free time, I love to cook, try new foods, dance, hike, listen to music, and explore LA.

I look forward to working together!