HAYDEE M. RODRIGUEZ was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She received her B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico. She also holds an M.A. in English Literature received from the University of Oklahoma and received her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin in Curriculum & Instruction with specializations in Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Anthropology. She teaches and coordinates the English as a Second Language (ESL) Methods course, the Spanish Methods courses for Bilingual Educators, coordinates the bilingual education professional development sequence cohorts. Her current work focuses on bilingual education and ESL teacher preparation and the induction and mentorship of novice bilingual education and ESL teachers.

taina@austin.utexas.edu

CRISTY T. OLIVER is an Administrative Manager with University Compliance Services. She has the primary responsibility of providing administrative support for the office as well as coordinating various compliance and ethics initiatives. Cristy is a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional. Cristy has been an active member of HFSA for many years, participating on various committees, including Holiday Assistance Committee, Scholarship Committee, Professional Development Committee, Leadership Development Committee and Leadership Practicum. Cristy enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an active volunteer with many local non-profit agencies.

cristy@austin.utexas.edu

LORI A. PETERSON is a Financial Analyst in Payroll Services. She has held this position since 2008. Her primary responsibilities include reconciling the University’s Payroll Services Main Payroll Clearing Account, and serving as the primary point of contact and expert on nonresident alien employees’ tax and compliance information, taxable fringe benefits, and departmental payroll fringe charges. Lori received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management from Texas State University - San Marcos. Lori is originally from Falfurrias, Texas, but has lived in the Austin area since 1994. She currently lives in Spicewood, Texas with her husband, Eric, and 9 year-old daughter, Emily. Lori enjoys country living with horses, dogs, cats, goats and chickens and is very active in church activities, youth sports and 4-H.

lpeterson@austin.utexas.edu

Member since 2007.

LEEA MECHLING has been a UT employee since 1991. She is the Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Legal Affairs, Patricia Ohlendorf. She provides a wide array of support to the attorneys in the unit. Leea has been a member of HFSA for many years and has served twice on the executive committee as well as serving as past chair of the Holiday Fiesta Committee and the Election Committee. She has also been a member of the Holiday Assistance Committee and the Scholarship Committee. She enjoys spending time with her family, including her two grandchildren, Beck and Royal. Her hobbies include reading scary novels, collecting music posters, attending music events, hiking and camping with her husband, Henry and their four dogs.

leea@austin.utexas.edu

JANET WEST is a Senior Administrative Associate in the University Policy Office (UPO) providing support to the Policy Manager. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of a new policy management program for the University. She developed the UPO website framework, established several database policy tracking systems and has engaged with policy owners in revising HOP policies. Janet has laid the foundation in defining the scope and responsibilities required in order to meet a high standard of service to our policy owners, executive leaders and to the president’s office. Janet has been employed with the State of Texas for 26 years with most of her service at the University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Austin. In her down time, she enjoys riding her motorcycle, sewing and crocheting. She is married with two grown children and two beautiful grandchildren.

janet@austin.utexas.edu

DIANA HERNANDEZ-SANCHEZ is a Senior Administrative Associate in the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost at UT Austin. She has served in this position since 2010. She has the primary responsibility of providing administrative support to Senior Vice Provost David Laude. Diana received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from The University of Texas at Austin. Diana joined HFSA in 2008 and served as Recorder for the organization in 2010. Diana enjoys attending concerts, mountain biking, and viewing films at locally owned theatres.

diana.noemi@austin.utexas.edu

Dr. Juan González received a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Illinois, a master's degree in bilingual-bicultural education from the University of Texas at San Antonio and an undergraduate degree in Latin American studies from Texas Tech University. From 1986 to 1987, he studied at UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute as a post-doctoral fellow, researching higher education strategies for the retention of low-income and minority students.

Before coming to the University, González was vice president for student affairs at California State University, San Bernardino; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Georgetown University; and Arizona State University.

He has been a consultant to a variety of universities, specializing in the assessment and integration of learning outcomes into services and programs. He also has been a consultant to the California Post-Secondary Commission, the Tomás Rivera Research Center and the Hispanic Leadership Development Forum. He has been on the advisory boards of the American Council on Education, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the Preparing College Students for a Diverse Democracy Project at the University of Michigan School of Education.

RICHARD HOGEDA became the Assistant Dean in the College of Education on February 1, 2012, and oversees the daily student support functions of the student division of the dean’s office and is responsible for academic advising programs, new student orientation, degree evaluation, study abroad programs and student organizations. Prior to becoming the Assistant Dean, Richard worked as an Academic Advisor in the College of Education since 1998. Before coming to the College of Education, he worked as an Admissions Counselor in the University's Freshman Admissions Center from 1993-1998. Richard has received the James Vick Texas Excellence Award for Academic Advising on two separate occasions and was awarded Sigma Lambda Gamma’s Amethyst Light Award for Outstanding Latino Faculty/Staff in 2011. He received his B.A. In Economics from The University of Texas at Austin in 1993 and his Master of Education in Higher Education Administration, Student Personnel Administration from The University of Texas at Austin in May 2002. His wife, Alberta, who is also a UT grad, is an Austin Firefighter. They have two kids: Leticia, a senior at UT in the College of Education, and Richard Jr., who will be starting ACC this Fall.

rhogeda@austin.utexas.edu

ROSE PAEZ is Finance Manager in Cash Management. She has been with UT Austin Since 2004. Her primary role is to ensure all of the University’s bank accounts are managed properly. She also is the primary contact for the University’s credit card operations and PCI compliance. Rose received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Southwest Texas State University, now known as Texas State University. Rose enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an active volunteer with her local church.

oa.rpaez@austin.utexas.edu