El Centro de la Raza

Director

Bachelors in Social Work, NMSU
Master of Arts in Education with Counseling and Guidance, University of New Mexico

My role is to provide access and promote success in higher education for Latino students, celebrate successes, and address challenges. I have been at UNM for over 20 years and have been the Director for El Centro de la Raza for over 15 years.

Program Coordinator

AA Business Pre Management, CNM
BBA, Business Administration, Human Resource Management
- Anderson School of Management, University of New Mexico

I am the program administrator for our department and handle the accounting, budget, payroll, and supervision of office staff. I am always glad to help with career planning, internship and scholarship information. I absolutely love my job because we are family not just coworkers! My experience includes working with various non profit and faith based organizations. My passion is working with youth, women and families in our community.

Senior Program Manager

B.A. in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Chicana/o Studies
Master's of Community & Regional Planning from UNM.
Doctorate in Higher Education Administration, in progress at Colorado State University.

I have been a staff member at El Centro de la Raza since December 2004. El Centro de la Raza has been an important part of my academic success. As a freshman, in 1996, I participated in the peer mentoring program. During that time I became well acquainted with the programming and support provided at El Centro and chose to become apart of the action as a staff member.

Student Programs Specialist

BFA Fine Arts, minor in Education

I was born and raised in Northern New Mexico, where I learned how to raise animals, farm and grow our own food. I come from a long line of educators and artists. This has helped shape me into the person I am today. I am an active artist, and plan to incorporate my education as an artist as an example for anyone who is working towards a professional degree.

As a Program Specialist at El Centro de la Raza I have been given the opportunity to work with Latino, Hispano, and Immigrant students. I will be supporting our students with a focus on Educational Advisement, Scholarships, Community involvement, Cultural/Event programming and Personal Development. Students have numerous challenges before them and my duty is to guide them through the academic forest that can seem overwhelming to anyone new to the university setting.

I hope you become a part of our family and find a home with all of us who have the privilege of being part of a historically passionate family at UNM…BIENVENIDOS!!!

Student Programs Specialist

B.A. in Sociology and Spanish, UNM
Master In Social Work, Community Concentration from University of Puerto Rico

Although I am a new staff member, my relationship with our program and various student and community based groups has a long history. After being out of state for a few years I am excited to return and reestablish personal and professional relationships with the various academic, cultural, water and land based community efforts that shaped who I am. As every year passes I continue to learn how collective experiences help us all to grow and learn how our academic and professional process can be just as rewarding as our end goals. I look forward to being a part of such journeys with all those willing to venture.

Administrative Assistant

AA Liberal Arts, Central New Mexico Community College
BA Psychology, University of New Mexico, anticipated graduation 2011

I am administrative assistant for El Centro de la Raza. I enjoy every minute of serving everyone who crosses the front window at El Centro and try my best to provide the information that is needed by everyone. I like to build relationships with staff and especially the relationships I have built with the students. I enjoy coordinating events and working on special projects. My long term goal is to continue working in higher education and to encourage students to believe that they can make it through every obstacle.

Network Administrator / Webmaster

El Centro is always looking to stay fresh and provide the best support to UNM's students and the community. I have been chosen to help move El Centro forward technologically, finding new solutions to old challenges and providing technical support to our staff and students along the way.

Graduate Assistant

BA Urban Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MCRP Community & Regional Planning, University of New Mexico

I was born and raised in Central Illinois but my grandparents are from Chihuahua and Guanajuato, Mexico. As a graduate student, I have been involved with advocacy and organizing Latina/o students and students of color with the Project for New Mexico Graduates of Color (PNMGC), Raza Graduate Student Association (RGSA) and recently as the 2008-2009 President of the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA).

As an El Centro de la Raza Graduate Assistant, I helped develop the Latina/o Graduate & Professional Student Initiative including El Centro's graduate student fellowship program and Latina/o Faculty Brown Bag. In 2009-2010, I will also be working with the El Centro de la Raza 40th Anniversary Symposium as well as other special projects to promote Latina/o student success and development. I am also an Office of Student Affairs (OSA) 2009 Fellow representing El Centro de la Raza.