Dr. Juan De Lara (he/him/el)
American Studies and Ethnicity, Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies
Dr. Manuel Pastor (he/him)
Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity
USC Dornsife Equity Research Institute
Daisy Guzman (she/her/hers)
Marshall/Office of Undergraduate Advising & Student Affairs
Dr. Xiomara Mateo-Gaxiola (she/her/ella)
Office of Equity and Community Engagement, Rossier School of Education
Dr. Xiomara Mateo-Gaxiola directs programming for the Office of Equity and Community Engagement at USC Rossier’s School of Education and serves as Adjunct Associate Professor in Rossier’s Educational Leadership Doctoral program. She has held leadership positions in K-12 education and non-profit spaces. Her leadership centers advocacy for the positive conditions that educators, children, families, and communities need to thrive. Dr. Mateo-Gaxiola has presented at international, national, and local conferences on critically reflective and culturally relevant teaching and coaching practices, teacher wellbeing, resilient school environments, participatory decision-making, and community school implementation. As a volunteer, Dr. Mateo-Gaxiola serves the community by supporting artists, arts education, and arts advocacy as Chair of the Board of Directors for Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro, CA. In 2022, Angels Gate Cultural Center was named non-profit of the year by the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Mateo-Gaxiola earned a Doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership from USC Rossier’s School of Education; Master of Arts in Education Leadership from Pepperdine University; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Global Strategy and Law from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; and she holds credentials and certificates in Multiple Subjects with CLAD, Single Subjects-Mathematics, School Administration and Cognitive Coaching.
Dr. Nancy Alonzo (she/her/ella)
Residential Education
nancyalo@usc.edu
Isabel Aranda
USC Latino Alumni Association
Dr. Lorena Duran
Viterbi School of Engineering Admissions and Student Engagement
Lorena Duran serves as the Director of Student Wellness for the Viterbi School of Engineering. She is a data-driven mental health practitioner passionate about building organizational capacity to ensure student well-being in academic settings from preschool to college. She draws upon her experience as a licensed clinical social worker to build robust and coordinated social, emotional, and behavioral health support systems for students to pave a solid pathway toward academic success. Lorena, a first-gen student, received a B.A. (Psychology & Sociology) and a master’s in social work from USC and a doctorate in educational leadership from Azusa Pacific University. While a student at USC, Lorena was involved in MEChA, Latino Student Assembly, and the Latino Social Work Caucus and spent a lot of time in what was then El Centro Chicano, now La CASA.
