New Mexico State University's Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity has appointed two interim directors to oversee two diversity programs.

Dae Romero will serve as the interim director of LGBT+ Programs, while Chadrhyn A. A. Pedraza will serve as the interim director of the Asian Pacific Islander Program.

"We are excited to welcome our newest team members, as they bring a wealth of knowledge and diverse perspectives that will strengthen our collective efforts to achieve great things," said Mariana Ortega, assistant vice president of diversity initiatives for NMSU's Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity. "We look forward to accomplishing much together while fostering inclusion for our NMSU community."

Founded more than a decade ago, LGBT+ Programs works to promote wellness and success among students, faculty and staff in their gender and sexuality expression. The program has a long history of providing advocacy, resources, education and programming to meet the needs of LGBT+ Aggies and their allies.

Romero, who earned a master's degree in communication studies from NMSU, has been a part of the NMSU community in various roles since 2015.

As a queer, Mexican, first-generation and non-traditional student and scholar from El Paso, Romero draws on their experience to help students navigate higher education. Through diversity, equity, inclusivity and accessibility, they aim to create a transformational environment for all NMSU students to grow as humans and scholars.

Romero is also the course director for NMSU's Introduction to Communication class. They teach through culturally relevant pedagogical approaches that revolve around the importance of intersectionality and empathy. They bring critical consciousness, curiosity, choice, accessibility and diverse knowledge to the classroom, using intersectional communication.

The Asian Pacific Islander Program, established in 2023, grew out of a yearslong student-led effort to increase on-campus representation of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The program seeks to enhance the overall experience of these underrepresented groups by advocating for resources, education and community building.

Pedraza, an assistant professor in NMSU's School of Teacher Preparation, Administration and Leadership, has nearly two decades of experience in both academic and field settings and has extensive experience working with students from diverse academic, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. She aims to create inclusive spaces that leverage students' strengths while addressing their unique challenges.

Pedraza's research interests focus on the higher education experiences and identity formation of Asian American and Pacific Islander students, the deconstruction of monoracialism, the historical role of A/API communities in higher education and mentorship, particularly for women in academia.

Pedraza has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, a master's degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and administration from NMSU.

NMSU's Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity will conduct a search for a permanent director for the Asian Pacific Islander Program during the spring semester. Additional information will become available as the search progresses.

For more information about the Asian Pacific Islander Program visit https://api.nmsu.edu  or follow @nmsu_api on Instagram. For more information about LGBT+ Programs, visit https://lgbt.nmsu.edu  or follow nmsu_lgbt on Instagram.

The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-appoints-two-interim-diversity-program-directors/s/809cb270-cfb6-49a1-a3db-7ee901895651