HACU announces third cohort of its Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is pleased to announce the third cohort of its Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program. Thirty-nine participants have been selected to begin the program this fall.

The six-month leadership development program for mid-level college and university professionals is designed to increase the number, variety, and quality of talent in leadership positions at Hispanic-Serving Institutions and in higher education overall.

Selectees will participate in programming covering academic and student affairs management, regional institutional accreditation, and higher education advocacy issues. Participants will also interact with a professional search firm.

The sessions will be delivered through a series of online meetings and also in person sessions that will take place in November 2025 at HACU's Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado and at the National Capitol Forum in Washington, D.C., in April 2026. The program will conclude with a graduation ceremony.

Special thanks to Capital One* and the Mellon Foundation** for their support in providing grant funding for select participants.

The selectees and their home institutions are:

Emiyaril Alvarez, Millersville University
Mirella Borjon Padilla, Northeastern Illinois University/ El Centro
Christina Calderon, Paradise Valley Community College
Ynez D. Canela, San Bernardino Community College District
Antonella Calarota-Ninman, Ph.D., Montclair State University**
Eunice Cuevas, Lehman College, City University of New York
Nydia Dominguez, San Diego City College*
Juan Andres Andy Espinoza, Cochise College
Lehidy Frias, Rhode Island College
Rosa Galino, Aims Community College**
Diana F. Galvez, Hudson County Community College
Randall Garza, Ph.D., Northwest Vista College
Angela A. Gomez, Keiser University
Monique Hernandez, Contra Costa College
Bill Johnson-González, Ph.D., DePaul University**
Marisa Michelle Lacey, Sul Ross State University
Haydee E. Laza, Ph.D., Texas Tech University
Pablo Machado, The University of Texas El Paso
Dalia Magana, Ph.D., University of California, Merced**
Virginia Mares, Northwest Vista College
Crystal R. Martinez-Smith, Ed.D., Tarleton State University
Melissa Menendez, Ph.D., Santa Barbara City College**
Yolanda T. Mitchell, Ph.D., University of North Texas*
Erik Lewis Morales, Mercy University
Sean Muñoz, M.D., University of California, Davis
Marina Serna Pulido, Ed.D., University of Redlands
Nicolle Quinonez, University at Albany - SUNY
Andrea Rascón, Community College of Aurora
M. Lisa Raygoza, Yavapal College
Iliana Reyes, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Mariza Rocha, Aurora University
Angela Rodriguez, Front Range Community College
Mario A. Rodriguez, University of Nevada Las Vagas
Kandy Ruiz, Pikes Peak State College
Gabrielle Sykes-Casavant, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Yesenia Talavera, The University of Texas at El Paso
Omar Valerio-Jiménez, Ph.D.,University of Texas at San Antonio**
Jose Villarreal, East Los Angeles College
Simon Weffer-Elizondo, Ph.D., Northern Illinois University*