Inaugural HSI Director: Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez (She/Her/Ella)
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.
Email: egonzalez@conet.ucla.edu
HSI Project Analyst: Marialexia Zaragoza (She/Her/Ella)
Born and raised in the Inland Empire, Marialexia is the daughter of immigrant parents from Jalisco and Michoacán, Mexico; she is a sister, a TiaNina, and an advocate for her Latine comunidades. As a first-generation and low-income student, her identities and experiences impact her practitioner and scholarly works. Marialexia earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Chicana/o studies from California State University, Fullerton, where she was also a McNair Scholar. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Higher Education program at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on understanding how Hispanic Serving Institutions can better serve their students through their implementation of High Impact Learning Practices, as well as analyzing the ways in which Latine students change, create, and influence institutional policy. She is excited to be a part of the UCLA HSI team, and looks forward to seeing UCLA become an HSI!
Email: mzaragoza@conet.ucla.edu
HSI Student Liaison: Daniela Cortez Bravo (She/Her/Ella)
I am Daniela Anais Cortez Bravo (she/her), a 4th-year undergraduate. I identify as a first-generation Latina student – originally from the Bay Area. Now, I have the privilege to pursue my studies at UCLA with the opportunity to double major in Public Affairs and Education & Social Transformation while being involved in research and student advocacy.
Email: dcortez@conet.ucla.edu
HSI Student Liaison: Kimberly Barrueta (She/Her/Ella)
Kimberly Barrueta (She/Her/Ella) is a first-generation Latina college transfer student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is in her senior year majoring in Labor Studies with a minor in Community Engagement and Social Change. She involved with extracurricular focused on the outreach and retention of Transfer Students such as CCCP, Latinx Transfer Day and being a volunteer and mentor with the student transfer center. She was born and raised in a mixed-status household in San Diego County. She hopes to pursue a career in higher education to work in the community college setting to continue advocating for future generations of Latinx Transfer Students in higher education.
Email: kbarrueta@conet.ucla.edu
