Dr. Cecilia Menjivari, President Anita Verdugo Tarango, President-Elect Eva Fatigoni, Past President Dr. Jaqueline Martinez, Faculty Liaison Claudia Mendoza, Staff Liaison Stacey Flores, Student Relations Liaison Bibiana Rivera, Student Relations Liaison Felipe Ruiz, Communications Chair Roxann Y. Gonzales, Secretary Concepcion Biebrich, Treasurer Luis F.B. Plascencia, Historian Hector Zelaya, Development Chair Gabriel Escontrias, Jr, Advisor

Dr. Cecilia Menjivar, President-Elect

Cecilia was born and grew up in El Salvador. She received her BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Southern California, a Master's of Science in International Educational Development also from USC, and a MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Davis. She also was a Chancellor's Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on how adverse contexts (resulting from different forms of exclusion such as legal, social, economic-as well as from institutional, symbolic, and political forms of violence) shape individuals' lives.

Menjivar's research interests can be summarized in two areas. The first focuses on U.S.-bound migration. She has been studying the effects of legal, social and economic context on different spheres of social life among immigrants, such as social networks, family, gender relations, religious participation, and transnational ties, focusing primarily on Central American immigrants in the United States. Also, she has been examining the militarization of the U.S. border and its effects for the immigrants who cross it (or perish in attempts to do so). Her second site of research interest lies in Latin America, with special attention to Central America. Here she is interested in the effects of everyday violence on daily life, as seen through the lens of gender. Based on fieldwork she undertook in Guatemala, she has been writing about the effects that multiple forms of violence--institutional, political, gender, symbolic-have on the social worlds have on the lives of Ladinas and indigenous women.

She has received several awards, including the American Sociological Association Julian Samora Distinguished Career Award, the ASU Alumni Association Faculty Achievement Award in Research, the American Sociological Association Latinos/as Section Distinguished Contribution to Research Award, and the Outstanding Mentor Award from ASU's Graduate Women's Association.

Eva Fatigoni
Cowden Distinguished Professor School of Social and Family Dynamics Director of Graduate Studies, Sociology Program in Sociology
480-727-0863
menjivar@asu.edu

 

Anita Verdugo Tarango

Anita Verdugo Tarango is currently the Director of Outreach and Advisor to the Senior Vice President of Educational Outreach & Student Services at ASU. In this role, she oversees various programs promoting access to the University including the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program and Barrett Summer Scholars, a program for gifted middle school students. She also works on special projects for the Senior Vice President who oversees outreach and student affairs across the university.
Her previous positions at ASU include working with the Community Service Program, Educational Opportunity Center, and the College of Education. Prior to ASU, she worked in the marketing and social services fields.

On campus, Anita serves on the executive board of the Chicano/ Latino Faculty and Staff Association. She is also a mentor for Obama Scholars and the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program students. She received the CLFSA Dr. Christine Marin Staff Award in 2009.

A native of Tempe, Anita has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's in Public Administration from ASU.

Anita Verdugo Tarango
Director/ Advisor to the Sr. Vice President Educational Outreach and Student Services Arizona State University
480-965-2212
avtarango@asu.edu

 

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Eva Fatigoni, Past - President

Eva's work experience includes serving as advisor, educator, consultant, facilitator, program coordinator, and direct service provider. Through her work, Eva has gained valuable experience, knowledge and understanding of the various needs, approaches to support Arizona's youth and their families. Eva has presented on various topics including diversity, intergroup relations, and student access in higher education. Her consulting activities span a wide rage of clients including Aguila Youth Leadership Institute, Mujer, Inc., City of Phoenix Attorney General's office, Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus Pine Council, Central Arizona College, and Xavier College Preparatory Academy. Through focus groups, workshops, and short term projects she has provided expertise/information to students, families, educators and community-based organizations facing unresolved challenges which can impede students' personal and academic development.

In her current position as Center Coordinator, Eva continues her work in providing outreach to the community. She also provides administrative and research support to 13 faculty members and Dr. Bonnie Gance-Cleveland, Director and of the Center for Improving Health Outcomes in Children, Teens, and Families within ASU's College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

Eva Fatigoni
Center Coordinator, College of Nursing and Health Innovation

 

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Dr. Vera A. Lopez, Faculty Liaison

Jacqueline Martinez is an Associate Professor in the School of Letters and Sciences.  She received her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Martinez studies communication as it mediates the relationships among personal experience, social practices, and cultural histories. Her work is informed theoretically by U.S. American phenomenology and communication theory (semiotics) as they have developed in relation to European philosophy since the late 19th century.

In an applied sense, she studies embodiment as that which enables the actualization of meaning in the immediate and concrete experiences of persons located in particular times and places. Of specific interest are issues related to racial, ethnic, class, and sexual identifications with contexts of cultural domination. She is an affiliate faculty member with Women and Gender Studies, Asian Pacific American Studies, and Justice and Social Inquiry at ASU.

Dr. Jacqueline Martinez
Associate Professor
School of Letters and Sciences
602.496.0614
jmartinez@asu.edu

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Claudia Mendoza, Staff Liaison

Claudia is an Executive Coordinator for Access ASU in the Office of Educational Outreach and Student Services, She creates and maintains relationships with K-12 schools, specifically with school administrators, teachers, counselors as well as students and families to promote and enhance college readiness.  She serves as a liaison between ASU and partner school districts to identify, connect, and leverage ASU resources in the areas of college readiness, admissions, financial aid outreach, curriculum development, professional development, and student engagement.  

She previously worked in the field of K-8 public education.  She has over ten years experience working with the Tempe Elementary School District. During her first seven years with the district, she taught Kindergarten & First grade.  She then transitioned into the roles of ELL Coach and Language Arts Coach where she was able to reach a larger number of students through providing professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.

Mendoza holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from New Mexico State University and a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from Arizona State University.

Claudia Mendoza
Executive Coordinator/Access ASU
Educational Outreach & Student Services
480.965.7111
claudia.mendoza@asu.edu

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Stacey Flores, Student Relations Co-Liaison.
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Stacey Flores
Coordinator, Office of Student Engagement
Student Affairs at the West campus
602.543.8118
Stacey.Flores@asu.edu

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Bibiana Rivera, Student Relasions Co-Liaison
Bibiana Rivera was raised Tucson, AZ by way of Cananea, Sonora, Mexico where she was born. Her family and her moved to the United States when she was eight years old. She is the oldest of three: a proud daughter, sister and aunt. She received her B.A degrees in Journalism, Studio Art, and Spanish Literature from University of Arizona, making her the first to graduate college in her family. For this reason, Bibiana strives to help students understand the possibilities of higher education and the need to complete a degree after high school. She came to Tempe when she accepted a job with Arizona State University.

She has worked for ASU since 2005. Since then, she has obtained her Masters in Education from Northern Arizona University. Bibiana stays involved in her community. She has served as Chair for the Hispanic Women Corporation Youth Institute. She coordinates an annual conference for young ladies that focus on education, community leadership, self-esteem and awareness.

She is currently is developing her plan as a photographer, making her artistic hobby a business. She enjoys traveling, dancing and reading. Bibiana works as Coordinator of New Student Orientation Programs and Prospective Student Events at the Polytechnic campus. Her previous position was working with Access ASU as a Financial Aid Outreach Counselor, educating students and parents about the financial aid, scholarships and affordability of higher education.

Bibiana Rivera
Coordinator, Asup Dean of Students
480.727.....
Bibiana.Rivera@asu.edu

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Felipe Ruiz Acosta, Communications Chair
Felipe Ruiz is the Director of Strategic Marketing and Design at the Downtown Phoenix campus, and the College of Public Programs. Mr. Ruiz has been an active member of the design team helping the college to create a new brand identity when they first move to the new campus in Downtown. Ruiz has a Master's degree in Nonprofit Studies under the School of Community Resources & Development.

Mr. Ruiz is also part of the Downtown Leadership Council, The Spirit of Service Leadership Council, and now part of the CLFSA as the Communications Chair.

Felipe Ruiz Acosta
Director of Strategic marketing & Design,
College of Public Programs
602.496.0423
felipe_ruiz@asu.edu

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Roxann Y. Gonzales, Secretary
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Concepcion Biebrich, Treasurer
Ms. Biebrich is the Administrative Associate to the Director of the Hispanic Research Center, a center within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

She has been with Arizona State University as a professional for the past 27 years. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Minor in Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Concepcion Biebrich
Administrative Associate, Hispanic Research Center
480.965.3990
Connie.biebrich@asu.edu

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Luis F.B. Plascencia, Historian

Luis is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the ASU West campus, Affiliated Faculty in the School of Transborder Studies (Tempe), and Affiliated Faculty in the School of Public Affairs (Downtown). His scholarly interests include migration, citizenship, migrant contract labor programs, Mexico-United States borderlands, and Latino communities in the United States. He was recently elected to the position of President-elect for the Association of Latina & Latino Anthropologists, a section of the American Anthropological Association; he will serve in that position in 2012, and as President in 2013-2014.

Plascencia's major current research project is an analysis of state and local efforts to regulate migration and migrants in Arizona. This research is examining Arizona's employer sanctions law, Phoenix Police Department "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policies regarding persons subject to removal, SB 1070/HB2162, and medical deportations carried out by private hospitals.

Luis was born in Mexico City, and grew up in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County). He has lived in San Diego, Chicago, San Antonio, and Austin prior to relocating to the Phoenix-area.

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Hector Zelaya, Development Chair

Hector Zelaya is a Director at the Center for Executive and Professional Development at the W. P. Carey School of Business. He primarily works with corporate clients to design and deliver educational programs that serve their executive, management, and workforce development objectives.

Prior to arriving at ASU in 2004, Hector was a program manager at UCLA Anderson Executive Education for two years, where the Latino Leadership Institute was one of the programs he managed. Prior to his stint at UCLA, he worked at Wharton Executive Education at the University of Pennsylvania for nine years, where he last held the title of Associate Director, Open Enrollment Programs. Among the programs he managed was the two-week Executive Development Program for individuals who were transitioning from functional to general management.

Hector earned his MBA from the W. P. Carey School of Business at ASU and his BBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He grew up in Los Angeles and has two sons (ages 22 and 20) and one granddaughter (1 year). .

Hector Zelaya
Director, Center for Executive & Professional Development
W. P. Carey School of Business
480.727.7929
Hector.Zelaya@asu.edu

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