Manuel Del Real Ph.D.

AVP of Membership

Council Term: 2023-2026

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Executive Director of HSI Initiatives and Inclusion

Dr. Manuel Del Real is the Executive Director of HSI Initiatives and Inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver). He directs and promotes strategies and operations aimed at ensuring MSU Denver continues to be a model Hispanic Serving Institution. He is a Co-Principal Investigator for one of MSU Denver’s Title III Grants, Part F, focusing on HSI STEM and Articulation Programs. As part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, he works to promote the ongoing development of an equitable and inclusive campus community that nurtures learning and growth for all its members. Dr. Del Real is a Co-Founder of the Colorado HSI Consortium and President-Elect for the Colorado Coalition for the Educational Advancement of Latinxs. 

Dr. Del Real was born and raised on the Northside of Denver, Colorado and attended Denver Public Schools. He received his B.A. in French, Psychology, Spanish, and M.A. in Higher Education with a focus on Diversity in Organizations from the University of Denver. He received his Ph.D. in Education with a focus on Higher Education and Social Justice from Iowa State University. 

As a critical social justice scholar practitioner, Dr. Del Real is committed to promoting access, diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. As a student affairs practitioner for over thirteen years, he has effectively led initiatives focusing on underrepresented populations and increasing postsecondary access and success. As a former faculty member, he taught courses on curriculum and instruction, ethnicity in the media, and Chicanx history and culture. His scholarly interests center on race, gender, and sexuality. Specifically focusing on Greek-letter organizations and Latino males in higher education.

Karla Cruze-Silva Ph.D.

VP of Membership

Council Term: 2023-2026

Arizona State University

Associate Director for Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives

Dra. Karla Cruze-Silva (she/ella) serves as the Associate Director for Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives at the University of Arizona (UA). Karla's personal and professional experiences have informed the ways in which she navigates institutions of higher education. She has worked at various 4-year public and private universities working directly alongside students from historically excluded populations such as, first generation college students, high financial need students, students of color, students who were ever in foster care, unaccompanied youth, & students who are undocumented.

Karla is a first-generation college graduate, Chicana, daughter and wife to immigrants, and a scholar-practitioner. As a scholar-practitioner she is committed to access, equity, and inclusion in higher education. She works with students holistically using asset-based approaches such as Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), Funds of Knowledge, and Critical Race Theory. Her research includes the experiences of managerial professionals working at Hispanic Serving Institutions and using testimonios as tools of resistance for educators. Karla is also heavily involved in the Tucson community. Specifically, she has been involved in immigrant rights movement with ScholarshipsA-Z since 2016. She has served as chair of the board of directors for ScholarshipsA-Z since 2020. She also serves as an advisor for a Latinx sorority, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Incorporated and a multicultural fraternity, Omega Delta Phi Fraternity Incorporated.

Karla graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from Northern Arizona University, a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a doctoral degree in higher education from the University of Arizona. 

Mara López, Ed.D.

AVP of Marketing

Council Term: 2023-2026

Arizona State University

Senior Research Program Manager and part-time Faculty Associate

Dr. Mara López is a full-time Senior Research Program Manager and part-time Faculty Associate at Arizona State University (ASU). In her work at ASU, a newly designated HSI, she works to develop culturally responsive practices and increase the intentionality with which institutions work with Latinx students in STEM. She has taught First-Year Success courses at ASU since 2019. She recently graduated with her Doctorate in Education from ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College with an emphasis in Leadership and Innovation. Her research is centered on curriculum redesign, career decision-making self-efficacy, equity in education, social justice in education, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Through her research she has developed a Curriculum Interrogation Checklist through a Culturally Responsive Lens and a Culturally Responsive Recruitment and Retention Framework. She has presented at several conferences, spoken on several podcasts and written several papers all related to these research topics. She has worked in research for over 14 years on NIH, NSF, DoD, and DoE grants. She earned her BA in Psychology from San Diego State University and an MA in Organizational Leadership from Point Loma Nazarene University. She hopes to continue to affect change within institutions of higher education, provide mentorship for students who have been historically marginalized in academia and use research to be an agent of change.

Veronica Areola, MPA

VP of Praxis

Council Term: 2023-2026

University of Illinois, Chicago

Inaugural director of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives

Veronica I. Arreola serves as the inaugural director of the University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives. She has worked at UIC for 25 years, serving as the program director of the 2016 grant from the Department of Education that affirmed UIC’s designation as an HSI. This grant led to the creation of L@s GANAS (Latin@s Gaining Access to Networks for Advancement in Science), a program designed to support UIC’s efforts to increase the number of Latinx and low-income students attaining degrees in STEM fields. 

Veronica has also served as the director of the UIC Women in Science Engineering (WISE) program, an academic advisor in Biological Sciences, and doing foundational work towards the creation of WISE while at the UIC Center for Research on Women and Gender. Under her leadership, UIC WISE was recognized with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 2011.

Arreola was also the inaugural executive director of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities which seeks to coordinate efforts across all research intensive HSI universities to increase the number of Latinx PhDs holders and faculty members. 

She holds a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences and a master’s in public administration, both with concentrations in Gender and Women’s Studies, both degrees from UIC.

Adrienne Arguijo-Morgan, MA

VP of Praxis

Council Term: 2020-2023

Ventura College

HSI-STEM Grant Director

aarguijo-morgan@ahsie.org

Adrienne is the Project Director for Ventura College's Project Servingness: Aspiration, Identity, and Learning (S:AIL) in STEM (Title III HSI-STEM and Articulation Programs). In her role, she is focused on supporting the academic and transfer success and career aspirations of Latine/BIPOC and low-income students in STEM through culturally responsive, affirming, and sustaining institutional and curricular practices. Prior to joining Ventura College, Adrienne has served in various HSI related programs and capacities at Santa Barbara City College, California Lutheran University, and the University of California Santa Barbara and has implemented multi-million-dollar Title V HSI individual and cooperative awards. Her work has focused on implementing student engagement and faculty development programs that ignite critical discussions and review of institutional and curricular practices to develop an equity-centered, transformational experience that is culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of BIPOC/Latine students.

Adrienne has worked to support students through various P-20 initiatives, has taught personal and professional development courses, developed and managed robust college outreach and student support services, facilitated parent engagement programs, and served on numerous committees that support student success. In 2018, she was awarded the California State Parent Student Teacher Association Honorary Service Award for her steadfast commitment to working with, and advocating for, BIPOC/Latine students and families for 16 years.

Adrienne is a first-generation college graduate, earning a B.A. in English with a minor in Feminist Studies (LGBTQ+ concentration) and a M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Cultural Development from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Inez Barragan, MEd

Council Term: 2020-2023

Mission College

HSI STEMLink Project Director

ibarragan@AHSIE.org

Inez Barragan is a Grants Project Director overseeing a $5.4M, Dept. of Education award focused on advancing STEM and high tech opportunities for Latinx and low-income students at Mission College, located in the heart of the Silicon Valley region. Inez attended Santa Rosa Junior College and University of California Davis, earning a B.S. degree in Applied Behavioral Science (ABS). She found her passion for higher education leadership while working as a Reentry & the ABS major advisor at UC Davis. Shortly after graduation, Inez worked in economic development -rural development lending- deepening her understanding of deeply marginalized people in our country, including our Native & tribal communities, migrant farmworker-families, and our disenfranchised poor, among others. As her daughters’ reached their teens, still a single-mom and longing to be in higher ed., Inez began working as a Student Activities Coordinator for the Science Educational Equity program at Sacramento State University. After earning her Masters in Higher Education Leadership while working at Sac State, Inez then served as the Diversity and Educational Programs Coordinator at the Center for Biophotonics Science & Technology at UC Davis. Eventually, Inez moved back to Santa Rosa to serve her former community college as their EOPS-CARE and CAFYES Director, until the HSI STEMLink Project Director position was announced in 2016. Inez’s Personal message: I am a Mexican-American, first generation college graduate with over 20 yrs. of grant management experience, and I seek to advance the preparation and opportunities of Latinx and low income students into STEM and high tech careers. I greatly value my experience supporting our students and emerging HSIs across any of the three CA higher Ed systems: CSU, UC and Community Colleges. More recently, I led my college’s participation in the Kickstarter program under Arizona State University and continued working with the ASU team on the design of the STEM-ESS Project. I have lived in Michoacán Mexico and northern CA for most of my life. I spend my free time with family and friends, hiking, cooking, attending basketball games, live concerts, on long-distance cycling trips in the summer, and watching movies in winter.

Dr. Cyndia Morales Muñiz

(Pronounced: Seen-dee-ah Mo-rah-les Moon-yeez)

Additional Language: Español (Spanish)

Pronouns: She/Her/Ella

VP of Membership

Council Term: 2020-2023

University of Central Florida

Director, HSI Culture & Partnerships

cmuniz@AHSIE.org

Dr. Cyndia Morales Muñiz serves as Director of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Culture and Partnerships at the University of Central Florida (UCF). She has worked at UCF for over a decade, having served in various roles within academic and student affairs to champion greater college access and degree attainment among underserved and minoritized students, which strongly informs her work today.

Dr. Muñiz led efforts that resulted in UCF becoming the third four-year public university in the State University System of Florida to be federally recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education in January 2019. She now works across the university to develop a centralized vision for maximizing this designation in a way that meaningfully serves students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members from diverse backgrounds. 

Dr. Muñiz also stewards national partnerships that help advance UCF’s HSI objectives. In addition to her service as Vice President of Membership for the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE), she also serves as the university representative for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and Excelencia in Education. 

In October 2021, Dr. Muñiz’s leadership resulted in UCF achieving Seal of Excelencia certification, which recognizes institutions who demonstrate positive impact and success in serving Latino students through intentional alignment in data, practice, and leadership.   

Dr. Muñiz is a first-generation college graduate, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Binghamton University, a master’s degree in Sociology from St. John’s University and a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from UCF. 

Dr. Marla Franco

Finance and Strategic Partnerships

Council Term: 2023-2026

University of Arizona

Assistant Vice Provost, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives

mfranco@AHSIE.org

Dr. Marla Franco serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives at the University of Arizona. She has worked in higher education for over 20 years at public universities in California and Arizona, having served in various roles within academic and student affairs to champion greater college access and degree attainment among underserved and underrepresented students, which strongly informs her work today.

She is founder of the AZ HSI Consortium and co-founder of the STEM in HSI Working Group. As a scholar-practitioner, she has co-authored publications to inform improved practice at HSIs, including Transforming STEM Education at Hispanic Serving Institutions in the United States: A Consensus Report, Assessing the Readiness of Hispanic Serving Institutions to Serve Latinx Students: Moving Beyond Compositional Diversity and Engaging Community Partners to Improve STEM Education at HSIs.

Dr. Franco is a first-generation college graduate, having earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in counseling from California State University, Long Beach, and a doctoral degree in higher education leadership from Azusa Pacific University.

Dr. Juan Carlos Reyna

VP of Finance

Council Term: 2020-2023

San Diego City College

Dean, Student Development & Matriculation

jcreyna@AHSIE.org

Dr. Juan Carlos was elected to AHSIE Council in 2020 and proudly serves as the Vice President of Finance. At the time of joining AHSIE, he served as the DHSI Title V Director at Grossmont College, a capacity he was in for four years, until closing out the grant. Currently, Juan Carlos serves as the Dean of Student Development and Matriculation at San Diego City College, a proud and intentional HSI.

Juan Carlos was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco and came to the United States without proper documentation. He experienced the education systems during his formative years as an undocumented Latino male near the U.S./Mexico border, low-income, and with parents who had up to a middle school formal education in Mexico. He defied all odds and has experienced significant success in academia and in life. He is a proud and humble husband, father, son, and amigo. He earned his Bachelor's degree in History from the California State University of San Marcos, a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from National University, and a Doctoral degree in Community College Leadership at San Diego State University.

Dr. Jeannie G. Kim

Finance and Strategic Partnerships

Council Term: 2023-2025

Santiago Canyon College

President

jghkim@AHSIE.org

Trained as a cultural anthropologist with degrees from UCLA and California State University, Fullerton, Dr. Kim is a keen observer of socio-cultural ecology both ideological and human, particularly in the nexus between education and technology. Her 30+ years of experience as a leader and change-agent in higher education fuels her insights into how best to create communities of innovation within bureaucratic and systemically entrenched organizational structures. Her curiosity regarding these areas led to her doctoral research at Claremont Graduate University, examining networks of change and the influence of leadership in creating cultures of innovation. She received her B.A. from UCLA and M.A. from CSU Fullerton - both in Cultural Anthropology - and Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy, Evaluation, and Reform from Claremont Graduate University.

David Trujillo, M.A.

AVP Stand Alone Institutes

Council Term: 2019-2022

AHSIE Founder/Past President; Trujillo & Associates 

dtrujillo@AHSIE.org

David Trujillo has served as the Director of Grants, Special Initiatives and Title V at the University of New Mexico-Taos, as Dean of Grants and Sponsored Programs and Interim President at Northern New Mexico College, as Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs at New Jersey City University, and as Director of Community and Special Projects at the University of Southern Colorado. Mr. Trujillo has thirty years of experience working at Title III-eligible institutions, has assisted over 40 colleges and universities in obtaining Title III and Title V funding, and his work has led to over $200 million in awards.

Dr. Antonio Duran

Council Term: 2022-2025

Arizona State University

Assistant Professor in Higher and Postsecondary Education

aduran@AHSIE.org

Dr. Antonio Duran (he/him/el) is an Assistant Professor in the Higher and Postsecondary Education program at Arizona State University. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Antonio attended New York University for his bachelor’s degree and was a part of a first-generation college student scholars’ program. After his time at NYU, he attended Miami University in Oxford, OH, for his master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education. While at Miami University, he discovered his passion for engaging in research that would better the lives of minoritized individuals in postsecondary education. He pursued this goal by obtaining his Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. Now, his scholarship involves understanding how historical and contemporary legacies of oppression influence college student development, experiences, and success. In particular, he is interested in how institutional environments, and especially HSIs, shape the realities of those with multiple minoritized identities.

Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez

Council Term: 2019-2023
VP of Conference

University of California, Los Angeles

Inaugural Director of HSI

Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez serves Associate Vice President of Conference for the 2022 AHSIE Best Practices Conference. She currently serves as the inaugural Director of HSI at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez is a change agent for equity and social justice. She is a Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) migrant and first-generation college graduate with a B.A. in psychology and education studies from UCLA, an M.S. and Ph.D. in psychology from UC Santa Cruz. She currently serves as the inaugural Director of the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) at UCLA’ Office the Chancellor. 

Dr. Gonzalez has designed, implemented, and institutionalized multiple U.S. Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) grants at UC Santa Cruz, San José City College, and San Diego City College. Through ESCALA, she has collaborated and coached institutional teams working collectively on campus-wide efforts to find solutions for moving towards 'serving' Latinx, low-income and first-generation students. Gonzalez serves as the Vice President of Conference for the Alliance of HSI Educators (AHSIE). 

Dr. Daniel Loera

AVP of Governance

Council Term: 2021-2024

University of La Verne

Director of Multicultural Affairs

dloera@AHSIE.org

Daniel Loera, Ed.D., Director of Multicultural Affairs, Center for Multicultural Services at the University of La Verne. Daniel received his doctor of education in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne in 2012. His published dissertation was titled: Emotional intelligence and student success among White and first- and second-generation Latina/o college students. He received his Master of Arts from Mt. St. Mary’s College Graduate Program in Religious Studies (now known as Mount St. Mary’s University), and his Bachelor’s degree from St. John’s Seminary College with an emphasis in philosophy. Prior to joining the University of La Verne, Daniel worked as the Director of Community Leadership Programs for the National Conference for Community and Justice—NCCJ. NCCJ was a national, not-for-profit human relations organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry, and racism in America through conflict resolution, education, and advocacy. In his current position at the University of La Verne, Daniel enjoys working to create learning opportunities for the campus community around issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. I believe that to have an open and honest dialogue about significant issues impacting us individually and collectively, is the first step toward dismantling bias and ultimately systems of oppression. From 2010 to 2020, Daniel previously served as an elected officer with the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE), and is now rejoining as an elected member. More specifically, he chaired the Student Outreach and Leadership Development committee that oversees the Student Leadership Institute, and co-chaired the AHSIE student scholarship program. AHSIE is a national higher education organization focused on disseminating high impact/best practices to Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).

Leticia P. López, Ph.D.

Co-President

Council Term: 2021-2024

San Diego City College

Acting Dean of Mathematics, Sciences, and Nursing

llopez@AHSIE.org

Dr. Leticia P. López is currently serving as the Acting Dean of Mathematics, Sciences, and Nursing Education at San Diego City College. Prior to this assignment, she enjoyed a 20-year career at San Diego Mesa College in roles that included Program Manager of HSI Initiatives, Spanish Professor, USDA-NIFA Grant Principal Investigator, San Diego Foundation Science & Technology Grant Principal Investigator, International Education Coordinator, and Honors Program Coordinator. She serves on the San Diego State University National Science Foundation STEM RESISTE Advisory Board and on the HSI San Diego Regional Grant Directors Advisory Group. Dr. López is of Cuban and Mexican-American descent and grew up in Los Angeles where she graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in Spanish from Mount Saint Mary's University. She earned a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literature from UC Santa Barbara. She identifies as a community college advocate, a Latina champion of student success, a lifelong learner, and a travel enthusiast. Dr. Lopez has been serving on the AHSIE Council since 2018.

Dr. Martha Enciso

VP of Marketing

Council Term: 2022-2025

California State University, Fullerton

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

menciso@ahsie.org

Dr. Martha Enciso serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). In this role, she oversees the area of Identity and Belonging, which encompasses Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers, Retention Initiatives, and Special Populations. Dr. Enciso has taught higher education courses in graduate programs at CSUF, Fresno State University, and the University of Southern California. Dr. Enciso has experience working in academic and student affairs and focuses on creating intentional cross divisional partnerships to address equity issues on campus. Her research interests focus on transfer students, first-generation college students, and historically marginalized students.

Dr. Enciso presents her work nationally and most recently served as Co-Chair of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community National Leadership Team. Dr. Enciso received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology all at the University of Southern California.

Paloma Vargas, Ph.D.

President

Council Term: 2021-2024

Oxnard College

Dean of Math, Science, Health, Kinesiology and Athletics Division

pvargas@AHSIE.org

Dr. Paloma Vargas (she/they/ella) is the Dean of Math, Science, Health, Kinesiology, and Athletics Division at Oxnard College, a 2-year public Hispanic-Serving (HSI) institution. In her capacity as Dean, Dr. Vargas works with administration, faculty, and staff to determine best practices in serving a diverse student population. Dr. Vargas received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (HSIs), and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical and Molecular Parasitology from The Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at New York University. Her graduate and post-doctoral work focused on host-pathogen interactions of both parasitic amoeba (E. histolytica) and Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaire’s Disease. Dr. Vargas previously served as a biology faculty member, researcher, HSI Director, Science Coordinator and STEM Advisor at private and public institutions.

Dr. Vargas has extensive experience in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. Her focus has been on dismantling policies that negatively affect Black, Latinx, and Native American/Indigenous students in higher education. She has served as a facilitator and trainer for faculty in DEI work including work focusing on Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Dr. Vargas is an anti-racist in training, centers culturally relevant pedagogy in her work. Dr. Vargas is an active member of both the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and of the Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institute Educators (AHSIE).

Dr. Norma Guerra, Ph.D.

VP of Governance

Council Term: 2021-2024

University of Texas at San Antonio

Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion and Professor

nguerra@AHSIE.org

Dr. Norma S. Guerra is a professor and the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and recent Excelencia Award recipient. Her public higher education work spans more than 30 years during which time she has served in academic, business, administrative, and student affairs advocating for students from underserved, underrepresented and minoritized communities. She also serves as Associate Dean for undergraduate students and faculty affairs within her College, Education and Human Development, which centers her commitment to students and faculty. 

Dr. Guerra is a research-practitioner. She is the creator and developer of the LIBRE Model, a strength-based approach designed to facilitate problem-solving through a social-emotional and cognitive lens. She is an active scholar, authoring three books and numerous articles written to inform improved HSI practices through recognizing and understanding engagement styles and their implications for problem-solving. Currently Dr. Guerra serves as co-chair of the university Inclusive Excellence Board and works collaboratively with members of her College in mentoring underrepresented faculty and students. She developed and supported a college-department partnership with the counseling department to provide transitional support to undergraduate and graduate students as they work to develop their new careers.

Dr. Guerra is a first-generation college graduate, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas; a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; and a doctoral degree in Educational (School) Psychology from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. She is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology and also licensed as a Professional Counselor and Supervisor.

Yolanda Cataño

AHSIE

Inaugural Executive Director of AHSIE

ycatano@ahsie.org

I am a first-generation, queer Latina scholar and practitioner. My interests are heavily influenced by my traditional Mexican upbringing. I strongly believe in the value of family and I carry that everywhere I go. I have a very bubbly and energetic personality. I love dancing salsa and bachata (pre-COVID 19), and enjoy traveling.

I have worked in many capacities over the years working for HSI’s. I started my journey at San Diego Mesa College as an Administrative Technician for their Title III, STEM Conexiones Grant. Immediately after that, I was contacted by the Title V Pathways Academy Director to serve as an HSI Consultant to train their Peer Ambassadors for their first-year experience program at Cuyamaca College. After a year’s worth working at Cuyamaca, I landed a part-time role working as an HSI Educational Researcher for their Title III STEM Grant. Most recently, I served as the Interim Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Equity, and Student Success at Imperial Valley College where I helped support the Title V TALCAS grant.

Dr. Floralba Arbelo

Council Term: 2021-2024

Albizu University

Dean of Student Affairs and Associate Professor

farbelo@AHSIE.org

I have over 15 years of administrative and faculty experience in higher education across various settings which include New York, Puerto Rico, Florida, Virginia, and Oregon. I have also collaborated at the community-based level to promote education, research, mentoring, and professional development of Hispanics in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Guatemala. My professional interests are focused on Hispanic student success, research, innovation in support and retention, student affairs, faculty development, and capacity building. I am an inaugural alumna of HACU's Higher Ed leadership institute and have successfully completed two Title V Developing HSI grants.

I have worked at my current HSI for almost 12 years and through experience, research, knowledge sharing, and collaboration with other HSI scholar-practitioners I understand that there has been a great increase of Latinx enrollment but as a community, we are still struggling with college completion rates, representation of Latina/os at the administrative and faculty levels, and confronting equitable practices that are sensitive to the particular needs of Latina/os. I also understand that HSIs provide great social mobility for Latinx, yet there is some work to be done to achieve servingness. It is an honor to serve as a council member with AHSIE.

Robert Gutierrez, M.A.

AVP Governance & Membership

Council Term: 2017-2020

San Jose City College

Acting Dean, Division of Mathematics & Science

rgutierrez@AHSIE.org

Robert Gutierrez is the Interim Dean for the Division of Mathematics & Science at San Jose City College in California’s Silicon Valley. From 2010 to 2018, Robert Gutierrez formerly served as Director of the Metas Program at San Jose City College where he successfully established comprehensive systems of support services with a high degree of integration between academic and student services for underrepresented students. He has eight years of experience as Project Director of three Title V grants at SJCC.

Derek Lopez, Ph.D.

Council Term: 2021-2024

Colorado State University Pueblo

Associate Vice President of Operations and Advancement

dlopez@AHSIE.org

Derek Lopez, Ph.D. is currently the Associate Vice President of Operations and Advancement at Colorado State University Pueblo. He is also currently the Project Director for four Title V Grants including two individual grants, a cooperative, and a PPOHA and has been Project Director for 7 in his career thus far. He has authored, secured, and/or implemented over $33 million dollars of grant-funded programs and publishes on Latino student success in higher education. He earned his Ph.D. from the Stanford University School of Education (SUSE) with a focus on Child and Adolescent Development.

Derek is honored to have been selected to serve on the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) Council and is currently the Associate Vice President of Praxis. He also participated in the inaugural class of La Academia de Liderazgo, a Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) leadership development program designed to increase Latino representation in executive leadership roles at postsecondary institutions. Dr. Lopez has worked in higher education for the last 18 years and at various levels across the P-20 spectrum including as an early childhood educator and K-8 administrator.