Staff members at the Center for Latin American Studies play an essential part in the Center's every-day functions. Some of the responsibilities assigned to staff members include processing travel arrangements for students and faculty, helping students register for courses and process their scholarships, completing paperwork for visiting scholars, and providing support with marketing and event efforts. Below you will find the contact information and assigned duties for all Center staff.
Carlos de la Torre
Director, Center for Latin American Studies
Ph.D. in Sociology, New School for Social Research
Dr. Carlos de la Torre is the director of the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida.
319B Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4703
Email: delatorre.carlos@latam.ufl.edu
Jessica (Mrozinske) Baker
Associate Director of Administrative Services
Ms. Baker is responsible for the general administration of the Center for Latin American Studies and provides leadership for the Center’s administrative personnel. She handles pre-award and post-award submissions and monitoring through the UFIRST system, reconciles expenditures, and provides regular financial updates. She also interacts with core offices, other departments, faculty, and staff when there are questions about Center funds or expenditures.
354 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4707
Email: jmrozin@latam.ufl.edu
Jessica Caicedo
Fiscal Assistant III
BA Spanish, University of Florida
Ms. Caicedo is responsible for processing general fiscal transactions at the Center for Latin American Studies, which includes travel-related transactions, both foreign and domestic, reconciling all Pcard transactions, and processing Journal Entries to the General Ledger.
304 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4735
Email: jcaicedo@latam.ufl.edu
Andrea Dahdah Palencia
Program Coordinator
BA Criminology, University of Florida
Ms. Dahdah Palencia coordinates the Center's conference, symposia, receptions, travel grants, and other events. She also assists with coordinating travel for Title VI and the Library Travel Grants, the affiliate faculty travel fund opportunity, the Center based Faculty Travel funds, and any grant or initial travel needs.
318 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4715
Email: andrea.dahdah@latam.ufl.edu
Po Echeguren
Academic Assistant III
BA Political Science, University of Rochester
Ms. Echeguren provides academic and fiscal support for the MALAS, TCD and MDP students.
316 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4709
Email: secheguren@latam.ufl.edu
Christa Markley
Communications Specialist
BFA Motion Picture Arts, Florida State University
Ms. Markley manages the communications and marketing efforts for the Center for Latin American Studies. She works with Center staff to promote events, contacts other departments to maximize the reach of Center announcements and promotional materials, and works with outside media to better promote the Center's message. Ms. Markley's duties also include managing and maintaining the Center website.
346 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4047
Email: cmarkley@latam.ufl.edu
Andrew Noss
MDP Program Coordinator
Ph.D. Geography / Tropical Conservation and Development / African Studies, University of Florida
Dr. Noss is the administrative coordinator for the Master of Sustainable Development Practice (MDP) Program and the Sustainable Development Practice (SDP) Certificate Program. He advises students on admissions, registration, funding, summer field practicum travel, and graduation procedures. He organizes MDP program activities including MDP committee meetings, Development Practitioner seminars, student presentations, and workshops.
470 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-392-3293
Email: anoss@ufl.edu
Xania Ramos
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT ASST I
BA Interdisciplinary Studies, Florida International University
Ms. Ramos provides administrative assistance to the Center Director as well as to Center faculty and staff. She manages the Director's calendar and travel arrangements. She also assists in maintaining our mailing database and email distribution lists. She coordinates internal events for the Center and assists program coordinators and our outreach team with event logistics.
319 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4705
Email: xania.ramos@latam.ufl.edu
Mary Risner
Associate Director, Outreach and Business Programs
Project Manager, Florida/Brazil Institute
Ed.D Curriculum and Instruction-Educational Technology, University of Florida
Dr. Risner develops and manages initiatives that integrate the study of foreign language and area studies across the curriculum. She has over 20 years of experience teaching a foreign language at a variety of K-16 levels. Her background is in Marketing, Latin American Studies, and Educational Technology.
370A Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4723
Email: mrisner@latam.ufl.edu
Patricia Sampaio
TCD Program Coordinator
MS Ecology, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Ms. Sampaio coordinates the activities related to the Tropical Conservation and Development Program (TCD) and its related programs, such as management of TCD student and alumni databases; organization and support of all TCD events; planning and participation on task forces and committees; revision and maintenance of the TCD webpage; monitoring of the Ford Endowment expenditures; and production of reports. She is also responsible for the coordination of scholarship and other financial support competitions sponsored by TCD, the Amazon Conservation Leadership Initiative Program (ACLI) and LAS.
343 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4734
Email: psampaio@latam.ufl.edu
Carlos A. Suárez Carrasquillo
Senior Lecturer
Director of Master and Graduate Certificate in Latin American Studies
Center for Latin American Studies
Department of Political Science
Ph.D. in Political Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dr. Suárez is the director of master and graduate certificate in Latin American Studies for the M.A. in Latin American Studies. His research interests in urban politics focus on the different policies and values that have been used to impact urban landscapes. He has studied the emergence of Gated Communities in Puerto Rico, the use of city marketing in Puerto Rico, and is now looking into how Puerto Rico is portrayed as a brand by government.
319F Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4724
Email: casuarez@latam.ufl.edu
Catherine Tucker
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR of ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
PROFESSOR, LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Department of Anthropology
PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF Arizona
Dr. Tucker is the Associate Director of Academic Affairs at the Center for Latin American Studies. Tucker’s research explores how collective action and governance arrangements may enhance or undermine the sustainability of social-ecological systems.
309 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-392-0690
Email: tuckerc@ufl.edu