Students

Lindsay Adams
Lindsay Adams, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, completed her B.A. in cultural studies and comparative literature. After working as assistant director for a small international charity in Chicago, she decided to enter the Latin American Studies program with an emphasis on inter–Latin American border development and participatory approaches to all areas of development, in particular, the design of human rights memorials and ethno- and eco-tourism projects.

Giovanni Batz
Giovanni Batz received his B.A. in political science and a minor in history at California State University–Northridge in May 2008. His main research interest involves the issue of identity and the preservation of culture among the children of Mayan immigrants in urban areas, specifically in Los Angeles. In addition, Giovanni is interested in Guatemalan history, politics, and the human rights situation as well as Central American migration to the United States during the 1980s civil wars in the region. Giovanni is the son of Guatemalan immigrants, was born and raised in Los Angeles, and believes that hard work pays off.

Monica Bosquez
Monica Bosquez, native of Corpus Christi, Texas, earned a B.A. in English literature from UT Austin before working for five years as a policy analyst and legislative aide at the Texas Legislature, where she focused on natural resource and border issues. She served as a Peace Corps Environmental Conservation Volunteer in Panama from 2002–2005. Monica was a 2007 Ford Fellow in Guanajuato, Mexico, was part of a 2008 UT Community and Regional Planning applied G.I.S. research team in the Dominican Republic, and serves on the Board of Directors of the DiscoverHope Fund. Monica is currently employed as a Program Development Specialist with the Office of Rural Community Affairs, where she manages a multi-million dollar self-help water and wastewater fund for low- and moderate-income residents across the state. Research interests include housing, informal settlements, Mexican Americans and the rural poor, social capital and community development. 

Meredith Bossin
Meredith, originally from Houston, Texas, received her B.A. in the history of art and architecture from Rice University. After a six-month trip to South America, she decided to pursue a degree in Latin American Studies and chose the University of Texas because of the opportunity to pursue Planning as well. The focus of her research is gender in the context of development. She volunteered with ProyectArte, a nonprofit art program in Buenos Aires, during the summer of 2006 and completed the Civil Society Institute Program in Mexico in the summer 2007 semester. Last semester, she participated in a service learning course that involved fieldwork in the Dominican Republic. She will be returning to Santo Domingo in October 2008 to do research for her thesis, which will focus on women and employment. Upon graduation, she hopes to work in the field of international development.

Zachary Brown
Zachary Brown earned a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, with majors in history and religious studies. His academic work there culminated in two honors theses, the first on the history of political mobilization through cultural movements in Brazil, and the second on the construction of hybrid identities during the formation and development of the Brazilian religion, Umbanda. Following four years of experience as a jazz instructor at a San Diego arts academy, he went to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, where he taught Afro-Brazilian music and dance to disadvantaged children at schools affiliated with several of the city’s cultural organizations. Zachary is currently pursuing an M.A. in Latin American Studies. His research interests include the formation and development of Afro-Latin identities, especially in relation to historical projects of nation building. He is particularly interested in the role of religion within these projects.

Gina Casey
Gina earned her B.A. degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin.  During this time, she spent two semesters abroad, studying in Valparaiso, Chile, and Salvador, Brazil. After graduation, she traveled in Central America and taught English on the coast of Nicaragua at Bluefields Indian and Caribbean University. Afterward she worked at a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., the Washington Office on Latin America, where she conducted research on current events and human rights issues in Mexico and Central America.

Erin Daley
Erin Daley is a dual degree master’s student in Latin American Studies and Public Affairs. She graduated from Wake Forest University in 2002 with a B.A. in Spanish and completed a graduate program in community development at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro in Mexico in 2004 as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar. In Mexico, Erin wrote her thesis on microfinance and savings in rural communities in Querétaro. While at UT, she has researched the health care needs of American retirees in Mexico, studied social vulnerability in informal urban settlements, designed transnational development proposals, and worked as a management consultant to a Mexican nonprofit. In addition to Mexico, Erin has studied and conducted research in Spain, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil. Prior to coming to UT, Erin managed a family violence prevention initiative for migrant farm workers. Erin’s primary policy and research interests include migration, health, and international development.

Lindsey Engelman
Lindsey Engelman is a dual degree candidate in Latin American Studies and Public Affairs. She attained her bachelor’s degree in legal studies at the University of California,Santa Cruz. Since then, Lindsey has worked as a legal assistant at an environmental law firm in Austin, Texas. She also has worked as a human rights accompanier in Guatemala, accompanying genocide victims participating in a criminal case against the heads of state responsible for the genocide. Lindsey's research interests include human rights and the global political economy, particularly pertaining to issues of environmental justice.

Laura Gamboa
Laura Gamboa is a first-year student in the M.A. program in Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She conducted her undergraduate studies at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, where she graduated with honors, obtaining a B.A. degree in history. Laura is interested in democracy and participation, specifically political parties and government systems, within Colombia and other Latin American countries.

Lora Hollingsworth
Lora Hollingsworth earned her B.A. with highest honors in anthropology and a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2006. Her undergraduate achievements include her position as an assistant for an upper-division medical anthropology course, her presentation of research at the American Anthropological Association meeting in 2006, and her award-winning senior research project investigating nodes of inequality at the border. After graduation, she worked in fund development with two local nonprofits and served on the Board of Directors of the Development Executives Network. In summer 2008, Lora completed an internship assisting with grant research and preparation for the Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice. As a master’s student at LLILAS, Lora is interested in engaging with activist anthropology and understanding relations of power and poverty in Nicaragua. In her personal time, she volunteers as a Support Specialist for a virtual support group for women's reproductive health issues.

Naya Jones
As a LLILAS master’s student, Naya combines the fields of anthropology, geography, and ethnobotany in her research. Her interests include the African diaspora in Mexico, critical race theory, racialization, medicinal plant use/knowledge, and the interaction between medical systems. She strives to understand how the processes of the African Diaspora—slavery, marginalization, the construction of race—continue to have an impact on the lives of Afro-descendants. Naya is particularly interested in health and healing in black communities. Her thesis examines plant use and its interaction with clinical care among Afro-descendants in Mexico. Her inspiration stems from a passion for racial/social justice and from her experiences as a black and Mexican American. Aside from academics, Naya is active in the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA). Her extracurricular efforts center on issues affecting students of color on the campus. Outside of school, she enjoys working within the greater community, writing, dancing, and travel.

Hadyn Kihm
Hadyn Kihm is pursuing master's degrees in Latin American Studies and Public Affairs. Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, she received her B.A. in Latin American Studies and international relations from the College of William and Mary in 2006. She has lived and traveled in Argentina and Brazil, and her focus of study is Southern Cone development, particularly the role of local governance in working toward greater transparency and citizen participation. During summer 2008, she conducted research on participatory budgeting in Córdoba, Argentina. Hadyn will serve this year as one of the coordinators of the annual ILASSA Conference. She is rarely seen without her yerba mate kit.

Colleen McGue
Colleen McGue is a first-year M.A. student in the LLILAS program at UT Austin. Her studies are focused on human rights and the politics of race and violence in Brazil. Colleen graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in political science and a minor in Portuguese. During her time at Notre Dame, she spent a summer working with Maryknoll lay missioners in São Paulo, and later spent a semester studying in Brazil at the Universidade Católica Salvador. Here at UT, Colleen is an intern at the Brazil Center (http://www.utexas.edu/cola/insts/llilas/brazil/).

George McQueen
Growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, George has always been drawn south—whether to "lunchear" on tacos or to travel overland to Argentina and back. Since earning B.A. degrees in English and Spanish (minor in music) at Northern Arizona University, George has worn several caps, including those of journalist, activist, carpenter, teacher, camping guide, and traveler. He hopes to combine his years of preservation experience with his observations as a municipal reporter (and education at UT) to understand planning issues that affect historic districts, particularly in Latin America.

Karina Merino
Karina Merino Hinojosa is a master’s degree student in Latin American Studies with a scholarship from CONACYT. Karina holds a B.A. in international relations from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). She wrote her thesis about The Foreign Policy of UK in the European Union, which allowed her to get an internship at the European Studies Center at UNAM. While working there, she earned a scholarship to participate in a Seminar at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, Spain. Karina worked for a Foundation related to America Latina where she was aware of her interest for the region. She wants to focus her research in comparative studies and development, especially in Mexico and Brazil.

Elizabeth Parrott
Elizabeth Parrott is a first-year master's candidate in Latin American Studies. She holds a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Georgia at Athens. Her academic interests include development, human rights, and gender studies. Upon completion of her master's program, Elizabeth will be pursuing a doctoral degree.

Thomas Perkowski
Thomas Perkowski is a first-year student in the M.A. program at LLILAS. He graduated from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 2008 with a B.S. in foreign service and a certificate in Latin American Studies. While at Georgetown, he was fortunate to have had the opportunity to intern at the Inter-American Dialogue and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Thomas wrote his undergraduate thesis on the effects of gang violence and law enforcement policies on democracy in Central America. His research interests include the relationship between gang violence and democracy, the effects of crime on development, drug trafficking, revolutionary movements, and human rights in Latin America.

Claudia Rodriguez
Claudia received her B.A. in international relations from the University of Delaware in May of 2007. Her research there included one project investigating the maquiladora industry and kidnappings of women in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and another project investigating the human rights violations accountability and the legal cases against former dictators in Argentina and Chile. The latter project evolved into an undergraduate senior thesis. Both projects were completed in conjunction with the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program at Delaware. Currently, Claudia is pursuing na M.A. at LLILAS, concentrating on various human rights issues in Latin America. Her research interests include civil society in Cuba, discrimination in Latin America, accountability for human rights abuses, and human trafficking in Latin America. She is also an intern at American Gateways (formerly PAPA) for the Immigrant Victims of Violence Protection Project.

Ann M. Scott 
Ann M. Scott is a Ph.D. candidate in Latin American Studies with emphasis in anthropology, geography, and art history. Originally from Michigan, she earned her B.S. degree with honors in 1988 at Central Michigan University and continued at Northern Illinois University, where she received her M.A. in anthropology in 1993. Her field experience includes archaeological investigations in Peru, Bolivia, Honduras, Belize, and Guatemala. Ann’s specialization in Mayan studies has focused on pre-contact cave utilization as well as contemporary use of sacred space among the Kaqchikel Maya of Guatemala. Her doctoral research has examined how contemporary Maya utilize and relate to sacred landscape features such as caves, mountains, and boulders. Ann was a recipient of the Faculty Sponsored Dissertation Research Grant in Latin America and two FLAS fellowships for the Kaqchikel Language and Culture Program held in Guatemala. She plans to graduate in May 2009.

Sean Sellers
Sean Sellers, a student in the LLILAS master’s program, studies neoliberalism, human rights, and grassroots social movements. His organizing and research center around the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (www.ciw-online.org). Sean completed a B.S. in political communication from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004.

Emily Spangenberg
Emily Spangenberg is a first-year M.A. student at LLILAS. Her current research interests lie in human rights, transitional justice, and interactions between international law and domestic politics. Emily spent a semester of her undergraduate career in Argentina at the University of Buenos Aires, which sparked her interest in the politics of human rights in the Southern Cone. She has served as a translator for various organizations that provide immigrant communities with legal assistance, and currently translates affidavits for the Political Asylum Project of Austin. Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a B.A. in journalism, political science, and Spanish in 2007. Before arriving in Austin, she spent a year teaching in a bilingual elementary school in Cádiz, Spain.

Dana Stovall
Dana is pursuing an M.S. in community and regional planning at the School of Architecture and an M.A. in Latin American Studies at LLILAS. She earned her B.A. in anthropology from the University of Notre Dame with minors in Latin American Studies and International Peace Studies. As an undergraduate, Dana studied in Santiago, Chile, where she founded an art program for abused children. She also interned with an Ecuadorian human rights foundation, documenting local organization against large-scale mining. Upon graduation, Dana moved to the U.S.-Mexico border and volunteered full-time in a domestic violence shelter. Before starting at UT, she worked in Monterrey, Mexico, as an ethnographic consultant. Her background in documenting impoverished conditions has sparked her interest in the built environment, and at UT she has been involved in planning research projects in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Dana's interests include informal housing settlements and participatory community processes.

Lindsey Stringer
Lindsey Stringer completed her B.A. in international studies and Spanish at the University of Mississippi in 2008. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she was a member of the Croft Institute for International Studies and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. She studied Spanish in both Costa Rica and Chile for a month and international relations in Argentina for a semester at the Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Lindsey completed her degree with a thesis on presidential decree powers in Argentina and Chile and their effect on democracy. She is currently a first-year M.A. candidate in LLILAS and is focusing on human rights. She would like to research gay rights in Argentina and Chile and perhaps work with an NGO in human rights in the future.

Matthew Templeman
Matthew Templeman is a U.S. Army Latin America specialist. He received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Matt served ten years in the U.S. Army as an Engineer Officer, working in combat and civil engineering units. In 2007 Matt became an Army Foreign Area Officer. He studied Spanish at the Defense Language Institute then worked at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru. for one year. During his military career, Matt has worked with foreign militaries and security forces in Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Chile, and Peru. He earned an M.S. in engineering management from the University of Missouri in Rolla. Matt is interested in human rights and development issues in Latin America. After completing his degree, Matt will continue working with Latin American militaries as a U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer to promote democracy, institutional integrity, and respect for human rights.

Meghan Vail
Meg is a first-year master’s degree candidate at LLILAS. She received her B.A. in Hispanic studies and history from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. Her Hispanic studies thesis analyzed the roles of the Shining Path and the Peruvian military in placing indigenous Peruvians at the heart of a violent crossfire of political ideology throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Her research interests include migration, the relationship between language and cultural identity, and all matters Caribbean and Peruvian. Meg is grateful for this wonderful opportunity to be part of LLILAS, a participator in Longhorn culture, and most important, for the opportunities that Austin provides to be working to address the needs of migrant communities. Go Quakers and Hook ’em Horns.

Nashielly Victoria
Nashielly Victoria, born in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, received a B.A. in anthropology at the University of Florida. She is interested in human-environment interactions, particularly “sustainable” community-based natural resource management in rural Mexico.  

Chris Woodruff
Chris is a second-year master's degree candidate at UT's Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies. He graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2007 with undergraduate degrees in international studies and Spanish. As a master's student, Chris has devoted his attention to the study of human rights, particularly as they relate to the process of transitional justice and democratization in South America's Southern Cone region. Within this region, Chris's primary research focus has been on Uruguay's guerrilla revolutionary group, the Tupamaros, and on tracing the history of human rights protections in Uruguay. In 2008, Chris was instrumental in aiding the Ecuadorian Truth Commission in its endeavor to secure declassified documents from the U.S. government related to human rights abuses in Ecuador from the 1980s. His summer 2008 internship with the National Security Archive in Washington, D.C., allowed him to conduct extensive research on primary U.S. government documents as well as submit more than two hundred Freedom of Information Act requests that should help support his future research into U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.