Executive Board
- Co-President Staff – Dr. Desiree Alva
- Co-President Faculty – Dr. Karma Chavez
- Co-President Staff Elect – Angelia Barrera-Medina
- Co-President Faculty Elect – Dr. Tonia Guida
- Vice President of Finance – Connie Rodriguez
- Vice President of Membership and Community Engagement – Vacant
- Vice President of Communications – Ramces Luna
Committee Chairs
- Leadership and Professional Development Committee Chair – Jesse Lafarga
- Scholarships and Donations Committee Chair – Jewel Talbert
- Large Scale Signature Events Committee Chair – Lex Orozco
- Small Scale Signature Events Committee Chair – Caroline Enriquez
Staff Co-President
Dr. Desiree Alva
Desiree D. Alva (she/her) serves as Director of Student Programming and Assessment for New Student Services (NSS) in the division of Student Affairs. In this role, she provides oversight and works to expand student programs for targeted populations (e.g., foster care alumni, first-generation), manages special projects, and coordinates assessment for the department. She has been with NSS and at UT Austin for almost eight years and has been a member of HFSA for about six years.
Before coming to UT Austin, Desiree worked at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Edgewood College in a variety of roles that spanned both Academic and Student Affairs (e.g., Diversity Affairs, New Student Orientation, Admissions, Counseling, Advising, Student Organizations, and Residence Life). No matter the role or the institution, she always found ways to advocate for unique populations such as native, transfers, veterans, first-generation, foster care alumni, undocumented and LGBTQA+.
Desiree is the last of six kids and is originally from San Antonio, Texas. She received all her degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison (B.A., M.S, and Ph.D.). She and her wife have three elementary aged kids and live in South Austin.
Faculty Co- President
Dr. Karma Chavez
Karma R. Chávez is Chair and Bobby and Sherri Patton Endowed Professor in the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies and affiliate in the Departments of Communication Studies, Rhetoric and Writing, and American Studies; the Centers for Mexican American Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies; the LGBTQ Studies Program; and the Lozano Long Institute for Latin American Studies at the University of Texas – Austin. She is author of Queer Migration Politics: Activist Rhetoric and Coalitional Possibilities (University of Illinois Press, 2013); Palestine on the Air (University of Illinois Press, 2019); and The Borders of AIDS: Race, Quarantine, and Resistance (University of Washington Press, 2021). Working with colleagues across UT’s College of Liberal Arts, Chávez has been helping to create a new initiative called GRIDS (Gender, Race, Indigeneity, Disability, and Sexuality Studies), designed to foster relationships among those who study these and other systems of power and support local and university social justice efforts. In the summer of 2019, Chávez helped to create the new Michigan State University Press journal, Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture. She edits the Intersectional Rhetorics series at the Ohio State University Press.
Staff Co-President Elect
Angelia Barrera-Medina
Angelia Barrera-Taylor (she/her/hers) serves as a Community Coordinator within University Housing and Dining. Angelia was born and raised in Cushing, OK. Angelia attended the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing and her Master’s Degree in Adult Higher Education.
Angelia spent 4 years as a Hall Director at UCO working in multiple types of residence halls. After graduating with her Master’s, Angelia moved to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) where she worked for over two years within Student Conduct and Community Standards. Angelia has now worked with UT for over a year and feel right at home. Her passion for supporting students is why she continues to work in Student Affairs. She enjoys spending time with her husband and exploring Austin’s many different coffee shops.
Faculty Co-President Elect
Dr. Tonia Guida
Dr. Tonia Guida is a higher education scholar-practitioner with more than nine years of experience teaching, training and facilitating social justice education and dialogue facilitation. As Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Guida leads the Diversity and Inclusion portfolio of the college and serves as the chief college spokesperson for all programs and initiatives relating to the college’s diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI) goal to cultivate a culture of care for every individual within our college that impacts everyone we educate, the research we conduct and the communities we serve. She is also faculty as an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Division of Pharmacy Practice.
Dr. Guida has experience as a university professor teaching courses related to learning and engaging around differences in social identities (UT Austin, CSUN, UCSD). She also worked as a higher education practitioner working with the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, pre-college outreach, study abroad initiatives for historically minoritized groups, Summer Bridge Programs and Inclusive Teaching & Learning work. She joins the college with leadership expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion issues in higher education. The underlying thread of her professional endeavors has centered around 1) engaging with issues of racial and social justice, 2) supporting students’ development of their critical consciousness and 3) working with historically minoritized groups as an effort to close the equity gap.
Dr. Guida is also a first-generation college student and is originally from Los Angeles, CA. When she is not working, she enjoys being in nature, running, and traveling. This is her first year in HFSA and she is looking forward to learning more about the organization and all we do. Tonia is also serving as this year’s Faculty Co-President Elect for HFSA.
Vice President of Finance
Connie Rodriguez
Connie Estel Rodriguez (she, her, ella) serves as a Complex Coordinator within University Housing and Dining. Connie was born and raised in Huntsville, AL. Connie has grown up with a love for Texas for her parents both grew up in the Valley. She spent many winters and summers road tripping to the Valley to visit her family. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Health at the University of North Alabama (UNA). UNA is where her spark for Higher Education and Residence Life began. After completing her degree in Alabama she moved to Conway, AR. Here at the University of Central Arkansas she worked on her Master’s Degree in College Student Personnel Administration. After graduating she continued to work at Central Arkansas as a Residence Life Coordinator. The summer of 2019 Connie moved to Austin for a change in her Higher Ed career. Connie is now starting year four at UT working in University Housing and Dining. Outside of work Connie enjoys watching sports (especially soccer, football and professional bull riding), crafting, and hanging out with her friends. If you see Connie walking around in the evenings on Speedway you will see her being followed around by a small tan 5lb Chihuahua name Tomatillo, “Tommy”. This is Connie’s first year in HFSA and is looking forward to learn more about the organization and all we do. Connie is also serving as this year’s Vice President of Finances-Elect for HFSA.
Vice President of Administration and Community Engagement
Vacant
Vice President of Communications
Ramces Luna
Ramces Luna (he/him/el) serves as the Social Media and Digital Content Strategist at the Cockrell School of Engineering. He received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communication studies at Texas State University where he also worked as a Student Development Specialist for the Dean of Students and Leadership Institute. In his current role, Ramces supports the Cockrell School of Engineering by conceptualizing, creating and managing engaging social media content to promote the Cockrell School’s brand, accomplishments, research and services.
Committee Chairs
Leadership and Professional Development Committee Chair
Jesse Lafarga
Jesse Lafarga (he/him/el) is a Complex Coordinator for University Housing and Dining at UT Austin. Jesse began his higher education career at Arizona State University where he received his M.Ed. in Higher and Postsecondary Education. Jesse has experience in facilities management, operations, and student engagement. He initially received his B.S. in English with an emphasis on adolescents, community, and education from the University of Arizona. In his current role, he oversees Dobie Twenty21 residence hall where he helps students create a Home on the Forty.
Scholarships and Donations Committee Chair
Jewel Talbert
Jewel Talbert (she/her) grew up in Yoakum, Texas. She is a Senior Program Coordinator for the Graduation Help Desk in the Office of Student Success. She is a first-generation student who earned her bachelor’s degree in management at Texas A&M University and a masters of higher education at the University of Texas.
Jewel began her higher education career as the student director of a first-generation student program and a peer-recruiter at Texas A&M where she developed a passion for student support and higher education excellence. She has been with the University of Texas for seven years in roles related to financial aid, first-generation support, retention and graduation, and student success.
Jewel has been a member of HSFA for three years and is looking forward to continuing her role as scholarship chair.
Large Scale Signature Events Committee Chair
Lex Orozco
Lex Orozco (she/her/ella) was born and raised in the soul of the Sonoran Desert, Tucson, Arizona. She completed both her undergraduate degree (B.S. in Public Management and Policy) and her master’s degree (M.A. in Higher Education) at the beautiful campus of the University of Arizona. There was a brief hiatus where Lex journeyed to Jersey City, New Jersey, to be a city girl and served the Residence Life department at Sant Peter’s University. Being the desert flower she is, Lex returned to the heat here at the University of Texas at Austin. Lex is one of the two Complex Coordinators that oversees Kinsolving Residence Hall.
As a member of the Hispanic Faculty/Staff Association (HFSA), Lex hopes to bring the “servingness” to HSI by providing support and community to students, staff members, faculty, and guests here at UT Austin. She chairs the large-scale signature events committee that hosts the John Trevino Jr. Holiday Assistance Program in the Fall and Fiesta (scholarship) in the Spring semester.
This academic year, Lex hopes to expand the John Trevino Jr. Holiday Assistance Program to provide “more” than a turkey during the holiday season for families of the Longhorn community. She also hopes to expand the Fiesta (scholarship) event to get previous UT Alumni involved. It is quite an undertaking, but with the dedication and members of HFSA, anything is possible!
Consider joining the large-scale signature events committee today!
In her free time, Lex is in the adult beginner class for ballet Folklorico. She has joined a sand volleyball league and a court volleyball league here in the Austin area. When not at her extracurricular commitments, you can find Lex at her favorite gym, Lift ATX, or Lady Bird Lake trying to balance on her paddleboard.
Small Scale Signature Events Committee Chair
Caroline Enriquez
Caroline Enriquez is Director for Holistic Review for the Office of Admissions at The University of Texas Austin. In the summer of 2023, she celebrated 25 years working in Admissions at UT Austin. Caroline oversees the holistic review process as well as the management of various scholarship programs and university partnerships; her work bridges the gap between Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Success Programs. A native of El Paso, Caroline graduated from Coronado High School and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998. She serves as the Hispanic Faculty Staff Association Chair for Small Scale Signature Events and is on the Admissions Practices Committee for the National Association for College Admissions Counseling. Caroline has held several roles within HFSA over the last decade; she was the Staff Co-Chair in 2016, recorder, Book and Culture Committee Co-Chair and member, Scholarship Committee member, John Treviño Holiday Assistance Program member, Fiesta Co-Chair, and committee member. She is married to Charles Enriquez, Assistant Dean in the McCombs School of Business. Caroline and Charles live in Austin with their two children, Jax and Nia, and their escape artist Schnoodle, Chole.