ZULEMA VALDEZ
https://sites.ucmerced.edu/zulema-valdez
EDUCATION
University of California at Los Angeles
2002 PhD, Sociology
1996 MA Thesis, Sociology
1992 BA, Sociology
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
University of California, Merced
2023-25 Associate Vice Chancellor of Equity, Justice & Inclusive Excellence (interim 9/23-6/24)
- Functions as chief of staff to facilitate oversight of EJIE’s organization and strategic planning
- Directs system-wide and campus-wide initiatives relating to equity and inclusion
- Lead on UCOP SEA Change Initiative, Serves on Advisory Board for UCOP Advancing Faculty Diversity, Serves on UCOP Transparency Subcommittee of the UC Artificial Intelligence Council
- Oversees faculty diversity and development initiatives, including lead on Advancing Faculty Diversity grant activities, inclusive excellence pedagogy
- Monitors faculty recruitment and hiring, promotion and retention of underrepresented populations
- Primary point of contact with Academic Personnel Office and all academic units
- In collaboration with Division leadership team, performs strategic planning and coordination of resources related to program, staff, space, and budget planning
- Lead grant-writer for Division
- Conducts empirical research and analyses, data-driven assessment and evaluation of EJIE-related programs, initiatives, and activities; develops effective interventions to achieve equity and inclusion
- Supervises Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Educator and Specialist
2018 –23 Associate Vice Provost for Academic Personnel
- Leads strategic planning and initiatives relating to faculty equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
- Directs the Faculty Equity Advisor program to improve faculty recruitment, hiring, and retention
- Secures Grants in support of APO and DEI initiatives ($1.7 million dollars to date)
- Lead PI on UCOP Advancing Faculty Diversity Recruitment Grant, $498,052 (2018-19); Lead PI on UCOP Advancing Faculty Diversity Retention Grant, $138,874 (2019-21); Co-PI on Andrew Mellon Foundation Pathways Faculty Mentoring Grant, $500,000 (2019-22); Lead PI on UCOP Advancing Faculty Diversity Recruitment Grant, $499,787 (2020-22), Lead PI on UCOP Advancing Faculty Diversity Retention Grant, $90,000 (2021-23)
- Oversees processes related to informal and formal faculty complaints, grievances, and conflict resolution, in accordance with UC policies and procedures
- Oversees the evaluation of Unit 18 excellence/merit reviews, in accordance with UC policies
- Conducts evidence-based research to ensure faculty equity, diversity and inclusion
- Conducts evidence-based research to ensure best practices in recruitment, hiring, and retention
- Serves as unit contact for President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
- Advises Deans and Faculty on climate issues in Schools and units/departments
- Liaisons with Provost Office, Student Affairs, OPHD, Graduate Division, OEDI, and other offices on sensitive matters impacting climate
- Liaisons with UCOP on systemwide DEI efforts in faculty development and advancement
- Coordinates and collaborates with VC/CDO of EDI (now, Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence)
- Coordinates with relevant offices (Provost, SA, OPHD, P&T, GD) on processes related to grievance and conflict resolution
- With VPAP, develops and maintains fair recruitment practices, ensuring diversity and equity in hiring and recruitment
- With VPAP, coordinates with dept chairs, deans, and EVC/provost to facilitate faculty retention and streamline best practices
- Liaisons with senior campus leaders and Academic Senate and represents APO as ex-officio member on various campus- level, system-wide, and external committees, such as the Academic Senate’s Committee for Diversity Equity, and Inclusion
2015 –18 Director of Graduate Studies
- Oversees planning the programs of the graduate group in teaching, research, and other functions
- Oversees the budget and administers the financial affairs of graduate group, in accordance with University procedures
- Oversees graduate student recruitment/admissions, financial support, and website, in consultation with group faculty, school dean, and graduate dean
- Develops and maintains a plan for promoting diversity in recruitment and among graduate students
- Reports annually on graduate student diversity results in accordance with campus policy
- Determines resource needs and administers program budget, in consultation with faculty and dean(s)
- Assigns graduate student space, custody, and authorized use of University graduate group property
- Oversees curriculum of the graduate group under review, both by serving as graduate group Faculty Accreditation Organizer of annual program assessments and by organizing periodic program review
- Determines graduate course offerings each semester including determination of any course resources needed and curriculum changes, in consultation with group faculty, dean, dept. chair and school staff
- Collaborates with dept chair on teaching assignments, in accordance with policy
- Arranges Teaching Assistant assignments and offers guidance on student advising/counseling
- Oversees graduate student progress, ensuring student progress is reviewed annually, advancement to candidacy and degree requirements are satisfied, in coordination with faculty and staff
- Represents dept. faculty in degree program matters to graduate dean, school dean, Graduate Council, Executive Committee
- Maintains a climate that is hospitable to creativity, diversity, and innovation
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
2018-Present Professor, Sociology, University of California, Merced (Step V, 7/2024)
2013-2018 Associate Professor, Sociology, University of California, Merced
2011-2013 Associate Professor, Sociology, Texas A&M University
2005-2011 Assistant Professor, Sociology, Texas A&M University
2003-2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, National Poverty Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2002-2003 Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, UC San Diego
AWARDS AND HONORS
2019-20 Distinguished Graduate Teaching/Mentorship Award, UC Merced Academic Senate
2019 Faculty Leaders Fellowship, RAND
2012 Merit Award, Texas A&M University, College of Liberal Arts
2010-11 Proof of Concept Award, Race & Ethnic Studies Institute (RESI) Texas A&M University
2008-09 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Ford Foundation
2007 Scholar Research and Travel Fellowship, Latino National Survey, Cornell University
2003-05 Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Ford Foundation Research and Training Program on Poverty, The Underclass and Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2002-03 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for Comparative Immigration Studies and the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego
2002-03 Postdoctoral Fellowship (declined), UC MEXUS, UC Riverside
2001-02 Dissertation Fellowship, SSRC International Migration Program
2001-02 Dissertation Fellowship, UCLA Graduate Division
2001 Honorable Mention, Best Student Paper Award, “Evidence for a Polanyian Interpretation of Entrepreneurship: Reciprocal, Redistributive, and Market Strategies in Ethnic Enterprise,” Section on International Migration, American Sociological Association
SCHOLARLY AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES
Books
2026 Laura Enriquez, Zulema Valdez, Annie Ro, Cecilia Ayon, and Jennifer Najera. Entre Familia: How Family Legal Vulnerability Shapes the Lives of California College Students. NYU Press.
2015 Valdez, Zulema. Entrepreneurs and the Search for the American Dream. Routledge. New York, New York: Routledge.
2011 Valdez, Zulema. The New Entrepreneurs: How Race, Class and Gender Shape American Enterprise. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press.
Edited Books
2017 Valdez, Zulema (Ed.). Beyond Black and White: A Reader on Contemporary Race Relations. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
2017 Valdez, Zulema and Mary Romero (Eds.). Intersectionality and Entrepreneurship. Ethnic and Racial Studies Series. New York, NY, USA: Routledge.
Edited Journals
2021 LE Enriquez, SV Pierce, EG. Murillo Jr., C Ayón, and Z Valdez. “Advancing Research on Undocumented College Students in California through a UC and CSU Collaboration.” Special issue of Journal of Latinos and Education 20(3).
2019 Cohen, R. L., Hardy, K., Valdez, Z. (Eds). “Everyday Self-Employment.” American Behavioral Scientist 63(2).
2016 Valdez, Z., Romero, M. (Eds.). Ethnic Entrepreneurship in Intersectional Perspective. Special Issue of Ethnic and Racial Studies 39(9).
Journal Articles
2021 Enriquez, LE, K Chavarria, VE Rodriguez,* C Ayón, B Ellis, MJ Hagan, J Jefferies, J Lara,* MM Hernandez,* EM Jr., J Nájera, C Offidani-Bertrand, MO Fujimoto, A Ro, W Rosales, H Sarabia, AK Soltero López, M Valadez, Z Valdez, and SV Pierce. “Toward a Nuanced and Contextualized Understanding of Undocumented College Students: Lessons from a California Survey.” Journal of Latinos and Education 20(3): 215-231. * Graduate student author †Undergraduate student author
2020 Daniels, K. P., Valdez, Z., Chae, D. H., Allen, A. M. “Direct and Vicarious Racial Discrimination at Three Life Stages and Preterm Labor: Results from the African American Women's Heart & Health Study.” Maternal and Child Health Journal 24(1):1387-1395.
2020 Pirtle, W., Valdez, Z., Daniels, K., Duenas, M. D., Castro, D. “Conceptualizing Ethnicity: How Dimensions of Ethnicity Affect Disparities in Health Outcomes Among Latinxs in the United States.” Ethnicity and Disease 30(3) 489-500.
2019 Valdez, Z. “The great recession and precarious wealth among middle-class Mexican-Origin entrepreneurs.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 1-18.
2019 Valdez, Z., Plankey-Videla, N., Murga, A. L., Menchaca, A. C., Barahona, C. “Precarious Entrepreneurship: Day Laborers in the US Southwest.” American Behavioral Scientist 63(2) 225-243.
2018 Valdez, Z., Golash-Boza, T. “Master status or intersectional identity? Undocumented students’ sense of belonging on a college campus. Identities 1-19.
2018 Golash-Boza, T., Valdez, Z. “Nested Contexts of Reception: Undocumented Students at the University of California, Central.” Sociological Perspectives 61(4).
2017 Valdez, Z., Golash-Boza, T. “U.S. racial and ethnic relations in the twenty-first century.” Ethnic and Racial Studies 40(13) 2181-2209.
2017 Ramirez, A. Susana, Diaz Rios, L. K., Valdez, Z., Estrada, E., Ruiz, A. “Bringing Produce to the People: Implementing a Social Marketing Food Access Intervention in Rural Food Deserts.” Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 49(2) 166-174.e1.
2016 Valdez, Z., Ramirez, A. Susana, Estrada, E., Grassi, K., Nathan, S. “Community Perspectives on Access to and Availability of Healthy Food in Rural, Low-Resource, Latino Communities.” Preventing Chronic Disease 13(13) 1-11.
2016 Valdez, Z. “Intersectionality, the household economy, and ethnic entrepreneurship.” Ethnic and Racial Studies. 39(9) 1618-1636.
2017 Valdez, Z. Reprint, Intersectionality and Ethnic Entrepreneurship, pp. 66-84. Routledge.
2015 Valdez, Z. “Intersectional Differences in Segmented Assimilation: Skill and Gender in the Context of Reception.” Research in the Sociology of Work: Immigration and Work. 27(1) 101-128.
2015 Valdez, Z. “The Abandoned Promise of Civil Rights.” Sociological Forum 30(S1) 612-626.
2012 Valdez, Z. “Self-Employment as an indicator of Segmented Assimilation among Six Ethnic Minority Groups.” Entrepreneurship Research Journal. 2(4) 1-28.
2012 Valdez, Z., Dean, W. R., Sharkey, J. R. “Mobile and Home-Based Vendors’ Contributions to the Retail Food Environment in Rural South Texas Mexican-Origin Settlements.” Appetite 59(2) 212-217.
2011 Dean, W. R., Sharkey, J. R., Johnson, C. M., Valdez, Z. “Food Vending and Acquisition in Texas Border Region Pulgas (Flea Markets) from Both Sides of the Counter.” The Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition. 6(2) 458-476.
2011 Valdez, Z. Political Participation Among Latinos in the United States: The Effect of Group Identity and Consciousness. Social Science Quarterly 92(2) 466-482.
2008 Valdez, Z. “Beyond Ethnic Entrepreneurship: An Embedded Market Approach to Group Affiliation in American Enterprise.” Race, Gender and Class: An Interdisciplinary Journal. 15(1-2) 156-169.
2008 Valdez, Z. The Effect of Social Capital on White, Korean, Mexican and Black Business Owners' Earnings in the US. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 34(6) 955-973.
2006 Valdez, Z. “Segmented Assimilation Among Mexicans in the Southwest.” The Sociological Quarterly. 47(3) 397-424.
2003 Tsuda, T., Valdez, Z., Cornelius, W. “Human Capital versus Social Capital: A Comparative Analysis of Immigrant Wages and Labor Market Incorporation in Japan and the United States.” Migraciones Internacionales. 2(1) 5-35.
2005 Tsuda, T., Valdez, Z., Cornelius, W. Reprint, in L. Z. Pelzer, R. Apreda (Eds.), Focus on Macroeconomics Research, pp. 27-54.
2003 Tsuda, T., Valdez, Z., Cornelius, W. Reprint, in J. Reitz (Ed.), Host Societies and the Reception of Immigrants, pp. 215-251. La Jolla, California: Center for Comparative Immigration Studies Series.
Book Chapters
2020 Fairlie, R. W., Valdez, Z., Vallejo, J. A. “The Economic Contributions of Latino Entrepreneurs,” in Advancing U.S. Latino Entrepreneurship: A New National Economic Imperative, pp. 59-76. Purdue University Press.
2009 Valdez, Z. “Agency and Structure in Panethnic Identity Formation: The Case of Latino Entrepreneurs,” in J. Bocas, J. Duany, J. R. Feagin (Eds.), How the United States Racializes Latinos: White Hegemony and its Consequences, pp. 200-213. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
2009 Valdez, Z. “Mexican American Entrepreneurship in the Southwest,” in J. S. Butler, A. Morales, D. L. Torres (Eds.), An American Story: Mexican American Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation,” pp. 175-196. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.
2007 Valdez, Z. “Latino/a Entrepreneurship in the United States: A Strategy of Survival and Mobility,” in H. Rodriguez, R. Saenz, C. Menjivar (Eds.), Latina/os in the United States: Changing the Face of America, pp. 168-180. New York: Springer.
2006 Valdez, Z. “Beyond the Ethnic Enclave: The Effect of Ethnic Solidarity and Market Opportunity on White, Korean, Mexican and Black Enterprise,” in C. Brettell (Ed.), Crossing Borders/Constructing Boundaries: Race, Ethnicity, and Identity in the Migrant Experience, pp. 243-272. Lexington Books.
2005 Valdez, Z. “Two Sides of the Same Coin? The Relationship between Socioeconomic Assimilation and Ethnic Entrepreneurship among Mexicans in Los Angeles,” in E. C. Ochoa, G. L. Ochoa (Eds.), Latina/o Los Angeles: Global Transformations, Settlement, and Activism, pp. 137-154. Tucson, AZ: Arizona University Press.
Other Research-Based Articles, Reports, and Publications
2021 Enriquez, LE, C Ayón, J Nájera, A Ro, and Z Valdez. “Advancing Equity for Undocumented Students and Students from Mixed-Status Families at the University of California.” UC Collaborative to Promote Immigrant and Student Equity. Irvine, CA.
2020 Enriquez, LE, C Ayón, K Chavarria, B Ellis, MJ Hagan, J Jefferies, J Lara,* MM Hernandez,* EM Jr., J Nájera, C Offidani-Bertrand, MO Fujimoto, A Ro, VE Rodriguez,* W Rosales, H Sarabia, AK Soltero López, M Valadez, Z Valdez, and SV Pierce. “Persisting Inequalities and Paths Forward: A Report on the State of Undocumented Students in California’s Public Universities.” UC Collaborative to Promote Immigrant and Student Equity & Undocumented Student Equity Project. Irvine, CA.
2019 Cohen, R. L., Hardy, K., Valdez, Z. “Introduction to Special Issue: Everyday Self-Employment.” American Behavioral Scientist, 63(2), 119-128.
2017 Valdez, Z., Golash-Boza, T. “Rejoinder: Towards and Intersectionality of Race and Ethnicity.” Review of Ethnic and Racial Studies by Zulema Valdez, et al. Taylor and Francis. London. UK. Taylor and Francis.
2016 Romero, M., Valdez, Z. “Introduction to the special issue: intersectionality and entrepreneurship.” Ethnic and Racial Studies. 39(9) 1553-1565.
2015 Valdez, Z. “Less than Liberal.” Contexts Magazine.
2015 Valdez, Z. “The 'self-made man' is an entrenched story, but a fable to many.” Time.com.
2013 Valdez, Z. “Latino/Latina Studies,” in J. Manza (Ed.), Oxford Bibliographies Online in Sociology Oxford University Press.
2008 Valdez, Z. “Underemployment,” in J. H. Moore (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, vol. 3, pp. 173-177. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA.
2006 Valdez, Z. “Diminished Expectations: Urban Poverty and Nonmarital Childbirth.” Sociological Forum, 21, 519-522.
2001 Valdez, Z. “Entrepreneurs,” in J. Ciment (Ed.), Encyclopedia of American Immigration 7th ed., vol. 2, Armonk, New York: M.E.Sharpe Publishing.
Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research
2021-23 Valdez, Z., (PI at UC Merced), Golash-Boza, Tanya (Co-PI at UC Merced), Matos, Dania (Co-PI at UC Merced) with colleagues from UC Santa Cruz (Bhalla, Fox Tree, Moodie, Poblete), “Developing and Implementing Equity Advocate Programs at UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced,” $90,000 (for Merced portion of funding).
2018-22 Zatz, Marjorie (PI), Matlock, Teenie (Co-PI), Valdez, Z., (Co-PI), “UC Merced Program in Support of Faculty Diversity and Career Enhancement,” Andrew Mellon Foundation, $500,000.00.
2020-22 Valdez, Z. (PI), Matlock, Teenie (Co-PI), Matos, Dania (Co-PI), “DEI Excellence and Hiring a Diverse Faculty at UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced: DEI Faculty Working Group and First Round Diversity and Research Statements,” $499,787.20.
2019-21 Valdez, Z. (PI), Matlock, Teenie (Co-PI), Matos, Dania (Co-PI), Golash-Boza, Tanya (Co-PI), “Advancing Faculty Diversity Grant: Improving Climate and Retention for STEM Faculty through Inclusive Communities,” $138,874.10.
2019-20 Enriquez, Laura (PI), Ayon, Cecilia (Co-PI), Bedolla, Lisa Garcia (Co-PI), Najera, Jennifer (Co-PI), Teranishi, Robert (Co-PI), Valdez, Z., (Co-PI), “UC Collaborative to Promote Immigrant and Student Equity,” $270,000.00.
2018-19 Valdez, Z. (PI), Matlock, Teenie (Co-PI), Camfield, Gregg Earl (Co-PI), Zatz, Marjorie (Co-PI), Golash-Boza, Tanya (Co-PI), Robbins, Jill (Co-PI), “Pathways to the Professoriate: Advancing Faculty Diversity in the Schools of Natural Sciences and Engineering at UC Merced,” $498,052.00.
2017-18 Valdez, Z. (PI), Ramirez, A. Susana (Co-PI), “Alternate Food Outlets Contributions to the Food Environment: Healthy Food Access and Availability in the Low Resource, Rural and Agricultural Central Valley,” UC Merced Blum Center for Developing Economies.
2017-18 Valdez, Z. (PI), Golash-Boza, Tanya (Co-PI), Hatton, Nigel De Juan (Co-PI), “Prison Education Working Group,” UC Merced Center for the Humanities.
2014-17 Valdez, Z. (Collaborator), Wallander, Jan L (PI), Ramirez, A. Susana (Co-PI), DeLugan, Robin Maria (Co-PI), Roussos, Stergios (Co-PI), Corchado, Claudia (PI), “A CBPR Initiative to Address Obesity Disparities for Latinos in the San Juaquin Valley,” NIH - National Institutes of Health, $90,000.00.
2014-16 Valdez, Z. (PI), Plankey-Videla, Nancy (Co-PI), “The Effects of Legal Status on the Social and Economic Incorporation of Mexican-Origin Mixed Status Families in the Southwest,” American Sociological Association and National Science Foundation.
2015 Valdez, Z. (Co-PI), Golash-Boza, Tanya (PI), “Barriers and Opportunities for Success among Undocumented Students in the University of California System,” University of California Center for New Racial Studies.
2015 Valdez, Z. (Co-PI), Golash-Boza, Tanya (PI), “UCM Blurring the Border Conference,” UC Center for the Humanities Conference Planning Grant.
2010-11 Valdez, Z., “Planning Grant,” Mexican American and Latino Research Center, Texas A&M University.
2005-6 Valdez, Z., “ASA/NSF Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline Grant.”
2005-6 Valdez, Z., “Planning Grant,” Mexican American and U.S. Latino Research Center, Texas A&M University.
1999-2001 Valdez, Z., “Dissertation Research Grant,” U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies, Census Research Data Center.
Invited Talks, Seminars, and Public Lectures (from 2018)
2023 Valdez, Z., Invited Speaker, “Writing a Successful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement.” Adelante HSI: Preparing Future Faculty Bootcamp, UC Merced, Merced, CA.
2020 Valdez, Z., Webinar: “Persisting Inequalities and Paths Forward: A Report on the State of Undocumented Students in California’s Public Universities.” UC PromISE, UC Irvine, Irvine, CA.
2020 Valdez, Z., “Climate Change and Wildfire Sufferance among Rural California Residents,” Enviro-Lunch Speaker, UC Merced, Merced, CA.
2019 Valdez, Z., Intersectional Inequalities: Gender, Ethnicity, and Immigration, “What is Latinx Sociology?” University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA.
2019 Valdez, Z., “The Future-Present of Climate Change,” MIST Speaker Series, UC Merced, Merced, CA.
2018 Valdez, Z., Center for the Study of Work, Labor, and Democracy Speaker Series, “The Great Recession and Precarious Latino Entrepreneurs,” UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA.
2018 Valdez, Z., UC Irvine Department of Sociology Speaker Series, “The Great Recession and Precarious Entrepreneurship among Elite and Survival Entrepreneurs,” Irvine, CA.
2018 Valdez, Z., California Bold: Leading Policies and Movements for Immigrant Integration, “Immigrant Integration and Intersectionality,” University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
2018 Valdez, Z., University of Florida Social Justice Summit, “Allyship and Social Justice,” University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Conference Presentations (from 2018)
2021 Valdez, Z., American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, “Climate Change and Wildfire Sufferance among Rural California Residents,” ASA, virtual conference due to COVID19.
2021 Valdez, Z., Webinar: “Advancing Equity for Undocumented Students and Students from Mixed-Status Families at the University of California,” UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence, Irvine, CA.
2020 Valdez, Z., Diverse Talk Live!, Panel: “How Universities Can Recruit and Retain Diverse Faculty During the Pandemic,” Diverse Issues in Higher Education Webcast.
2020 Valdez, Z., UC Chicanx/Latinx Leadership Summit, Panel: “Faculty Advancement and Welfare,” UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
2019 Valdez, Z., American Sociological Association, “Latinx Intersectional Identity Formation across National-Origin, Ethnicity, Panethnicity, and Race,” Speaker, Presidential Panel, New York, NY.
2018 Valdez, Z., American Sociological Association, “The Great Recession and Precarious Wealth among Middle Class Mexican-Origin Entrepreneurs,” Philadelphia, PA.
2018 Valdez, Z., International Migration Mini-Conference, Panel: “Teaching in the Era of Trump,” Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Professional Service
2022-23 American Sociological Association Section on Race, Gender and Class, Council Member, Elected
2022 American Sociological Association Session Organizer, “Sociology of Food,” Regular Session
2022 American Sociological Association Section on Race, Gender and Class, Session Organizer and discussant for “The Future of Intersectionality,” panel; session organizer for “Global Intersectionalities,” “Activism and Intersectionality,” and “Roundtables”
2021-22 American Sociological Association Section on Race, Gender and Class, Chair, Elected
2020-21 American Sociological Association Section on Race, Gender and Class, Chair-Elect, Elected
2017-20 American Sociological Association Governing Council, Member, Elected
2020 Review Committee for Tenure (woman of color 3), Reviewer
2020 Center for Engaged Scholarship, Reviewer, Oakland, CA
2019 ASA/NSF Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline Review Committee, Reviewer
2019 Review Committee for Tenure (woman of color 2), Reviewer
2019 American Sociological Association Presidential Panel on Economic Justice, Presider
2018-19 Ethnic and Racial Studies Journal, Editorial Review Board Member, London, UK
2019 ASA/NSF Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline Review Committee, Reviewer
2019 Review Committee for Tenure (woman of color 1), Reviewer
2019 Workshop on Latina Representation in the Academy, Attendee, Berkeley, CA, USA. Organizers: G. Cristina Mora and Lisa Garcia Bedolla, UC Berkeley
2018 ASA/NSF Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline Review Committee, Reviewer
2018 American Behavioral Scientist, Ad Hoc Reviewer
2018 American Sociological Association Regular Session Sociology of the Anthropocene, Organizer
2018 National Research Council Ford Foundation Diversity Panel, Member, Irvine, CA
2015-17 Contexts Magazine, Editorial Review Board Member
2015-17 American Sociological Association Dissertation Award Selection Committee, Chair
2017 Contemporary Sociology, Editorial Review Board Member
2017 National Research Council Ford Foundation Diversity Panel, Member, Irvine, CA
2016 NSF SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Competition Review Panel, Member, Irvine, CA
2016 American Sociological Association, Presider, Seattle, CA
2015-16 American Sociological Association Section on Latina/o Sociology, Past President, Elected
2016 Creative Connections Retreat, Co-Organizer, Wawona, Yosemite National Park, CA
2015-16 American Sociological Association Dissertation Award Selection Committee, Member
2014-15 American Sociological Association Section on Latina/o Sociology, Chair
2015 Creative Connections Retreat, Co-Organizer, Wawona, Yosemite National Park, CA
2015 National Research Council Ford Foundation Diversity Panel, Member, Irvine, CA
2011-14 International Migration Section of the American Sociological Association, Council Member
2014 NSF REU SITE Selection Panel, Member, Washington D.C., VA
2014 American Sociological Association Section on Latina/o Sociology, Chair-Elect
2014 Creative Connections Retreat, Co-Organizer, Wawona, Yosemite National Park, CA
2014 External Tenure Case Review for Kent State, Referee
2014 National Research Council Ford Foundation Panel, Member, Irvine, CA
2013 American Sociological Association Committee on Nominations, Member
2013 National Endowment for the Humanites Fellowship Review Panel, NEH, Panelist
2013 External Tenure Case Review for UMASS-Amherst, Referee
2011 NSF Postdoctoral Grant Competition, Reviewer, Washington DC
2006-11 World on the Move, American Sociological Association's International Migration Section Newsletter, Editor
2010 International Migration Regular Session, American Sociological Association's Annual Meeting, Organizer and Moderator, Atlanta, GA
2010 NSF Postdoctoral Grant Competition, Reviewer, Washington DC
2007-10 Latino/a Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association, Council Member
2009 Immigration Regular Session, American Sociological Association's 2009 Annual Meeeting, Organizer and Moderator, San Francisco, CA
2009 NSF Postdoctoral Grant Competition, Reviewer, Washington DC
2008 Norma Williams Graduate Mentoring Workshop, sponsored by the Latino/a Sociology Section of the American Sociology Association, Chair
2008 NSF Postdoctoral Grant Competition, Reviewer
2006 Family and Work Sessions I and II, American Sociological Association's Annual Meeting, Organizer and Moderator, Montreal, Canada
2006 NSF Postdoctoral Grant Competition, Reviewer, Washington DC
University Service
2023-25 Interim/Associate Vice Chancellor of Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence
2018-23 Associate Vice Provost for Academic Personnel (formerly, AVP for the Faculty)
2019-20 Host Mentor, Faculty Advisor for Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Merced
2019 Co-Chair, Search Committee for UC Merced Chief Diversity Officer
2018-19 Member, Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion
2019 Member, Vice Provost for the Faculty Search Committee
2018 Co-Coordinator, President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Symposium at UC Merced
2018 Co-Coordinator, Symposium on the Collateral Consequences of Incarceration
2017-18 Member, Academic Senate Diversity and Equity Committee
2017 Attendee, UC Chicanx/Latinx Leaders Retreat
2017 Mentor, Competitive Summer Bridge Program
2017 Member, Sustainability Search Committee (SAFI)
2015-17 Member, UCM Ad Hoc Garden Committee
2014-17 Advisor, Faculty Advisory Council Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC)
2017 Guest Speaker, Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (UROC)
2016 Member, UC MEXUS Social Science Review Panel
2016 Member, Assistant Dean Search Committee
2015-16 Member, UC Consortium on Criminal Justice and Health
2015 Member, UCM Taskforce for UCM Strategic Area Focus Initiative (SAFI) Inequality, Representation, and Social Justice Pillar
2015 Co-Coordinator, Blurring the Border Conference
2015 Co-Coordinator, Citizenship, Denizenship, and Inclusion Seminar Series
2013 Organizer, Institute on Migration and Global Health, UC Global Health Institute
School/College Service
University of California, Merced
2017 Advisor, Faculty Equity Advisor
2013-15 Chair, Social Sciences Executive Committee
2013-14 Advisor, ReCCES Advisory Board
2013-14 Member, SSHA Curriculum Committee
Texas A&M University
2011-12 Proposal Coordinator, Texas A&M, Texas Census Data Center
2006-12 Advisory Board, Texas A&M, Race and Ethnic Studies Institute (RESI)
2007 Texas A&M College of Liberal Arts, MALRC Developmental Grant Review Panel
2007 Texas A&M College of Liberal Arts, RESI Developmental Grant Review Panel
Department Service
University of California, Merced
2018-19 Member, Merit Review Committee
2018 Member, Search Committee for Health/Environment Assistant Professor
2016-18 Chair, Graduate Group Chair - Sociology
2017 Conducted Assessment of Graduate Program in Sociology
2017-18 Member, Merit Review Committee
2016-17 Member, Graduate Admissions Committee - Sociology
2015-16 Chair, Graduate Admissions Committee - Sociology
2016 Chair, Graduate Group Chair - Social Sciences
2014 Member, Faculty Search Committee
2013-14 Advisor, Undergraduate Sociology Club Faculty Advisor
Texas A&M University
2011-12 Newsletter Editor, Texas A&M, Sociology Department's “Gemeinschaft News”
2006-12 Coordinator, Texas A&M, Sociology Dept., Race, Class, and Gender Area
2005-12 Texas A&M, Department of Sociology, Computing Committee
2006-7 Texas A&M, Department of Sociology, Open Search Committee
2005-07 Organizer and Facilitator, Texas A&M, Department of Sociology, The Race and Ethnicity Workshop
2005-6 Texas A&M, Department of Sociology, Diversity Committee
Public Service
2022-23 Volunteer, Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter
2017-21 Board Member, American Bar Foundation Network for Justice
2019-21 Board Member, Mariposa County Civil Grand Jury, Mariposa, CA
2018 Commencement Speaker, Roosevelt High School, Fresno, CA
2017-18 Facilitator and Volunteer, Insight Gardening Program, Chowchilla, CA
2017 Reviewer, Youth Outside, Oakland, CA
2014 Graduation Lunch Speaker, Chowchilla Women's Prison, Chowchilla, CA
2014 Volunteer Teacher, Prison Education Project, Chowchilla, CA
Advising and Teaching
Dissertations Supervised
University of California, Merced
2019 – 21 Hala Alnagar, Member
2017 –21 Katie Butterfield, Chair. Postdoctoral Fellowship at UC Davis 2023-2025
2015-22 Carolina Molina, Chair. Lecturer, UC Merced
2015 –22 Veronica Lerma, Chair. Tenure-Track, UC Davis
2017-20 Katie Daniels, Co-Chair.Tenure-Track, Cal Poly Pomona
Texas A&M University
2008-17 San Juanita Garcia Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Chair. Tenure-Track, UC Santa Barbara
2009-11 Rhonda Sue Struminger, Member
Leslie Ann Locke, Member
2008-11 Jan Jie-sheng, Member
2008-10 Christine Guarneri, Member
Leslie Meyer, Co-Chair. Professor, Texas Southmost College
Rice University
2020 – 22 Asia Bento, Rice University, Houston, Texas, Member
University of Bergen
2020-21 Ann Cathrin Corrales-Øverlid, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Member
Theses Supervised
University of California, Merced
2021 – 23 Andre Arias, Member
Destina Bermejo Navarro, Member
2018-19 Breanna Brock, Member
Maria Escobar, Member
Melissa Quesada, Member
Rene Becerra, Member
2017-19 Cintia Quesada, Chair. Tenure-Track College of the Sequoias
Vicente Mata, Chair
2016-17 Hyunsu Oh, Member
2015-17 Denise Castro, Co-Chair
Michelle Yeung, Co-Chair
2014-16 Katie Butterfield, Chair
Katie Daniels, Chair
2013-15 Carolina Molina, Chair
Veronica Lerma, Chair
Texas A&M University
2011- 12 Gabriela Aranda, Member
Eric Gamino, Chair
2010 -12 Chi-Chen Wat, Member
2008 -10 Jennifer Guillen, Member
San Juanita Garcia, Co-Chair
Qualifying Exams Supervised
University of California, Merced: Race and Ethnicity, Gender and Family, International Migration, Environmental Soc
2023 Jarrod Brown, Andres Arias, Eliana Fonsah, Destina Bermejo
2019 Cintia Quesada, Maria Escobar
2018 Michelle Yeung, Yajaira Ceciliano, Alejandro Zermeno, Hyunsu Oh
2017 Carolina Molina, Kathryn Daniels, Katie Butterfield
2015 Chia Xiong, Marcus Shaw, Veronica Lerma, Carolina Molina
Honors Theses Supervised
Texas A&M University: International Studies Senior Theses
2008 Kristine Ramos
Sarah Veit
2007 Breanne M. Alsobrooks
Priscilla Garcia
Randi Holder
Teaching Experience
University of California, Merced
Graduate: Research for the Dissertation, Graduate Research, Independent Study,
Intersectionality, Professionalization Seminar, Graduate Research Methods
Undergrad: Advanced Race and Ethnicity
Texas A&M University
Graduate: Grant Writing in the Social Sciences, Racial and Ethnic Relations in the United States,
International Migration
Undergrad: International Migration (Writing Intensive), Racial and Ethnic Relations in the United States
University of California, Los Angeles
Undergrad: Introduction to Sociology