Staff

We welcome anyone and everyone to our programs who want to engage in community, share in knowledge, and learn with us. Our team is committed to the ever-growing mission of Latin American Programs. Most of us speak Spanish and are happy to assist you with anything you need. We will be happy to support you find resources, identify individuals who can help you, provide mentoring and guidance.

TEMPORARY PROGRAM MANAGER


The image is a portrait of a woman smiling directly at the camera. She has long, curly dark hair that falls over her shoulders. She is dressed in a vibrant yellow blazer and underneath it, she is wearing a colorful striped top featuring vertical stripes in shades of blue, orange, pink, and white. The background of the image is blurred with tones of green and light brown, likely suggesting an outdoor setting. The woman's expression is joyful, and her smile is broad, showing her teeth.

ANGELA VELASCO

  (she/her/ella)

Angela Velasco is a temporary program manager with the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity (EID). She is a New Mexico State University Alumni with a Bachelor of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) and a Master of Arts (Agricultural and Extension Education).

Angela is also a New Mexico State University Retiree after 27 years of service. She first started her NMSU career with Facilities and Services while earning her bachelor's degree. Shortly after earning her degree Angela was hired in Human Resource Services serving in multiple roles. She retired after working 15 years as an Equity Officer/Investigator with OIE.

After spending several years as an After several years away from NMSU, Angela is excited to return in a new role where she will contribute her expertise to the ongoing development and support of the Latin American Programs and the Asian Pacific Islander Program.

Fun Facts: Angela enjoys spending time as possible with her family and friends, which includes hosting weekly Sunday dinners. When the opportunity arises, she enjoys reading suspense and thriller novels, watching crime drama series and watching live baseball, especially during the times her sons were playing.


 

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, INTERMEDIATE


Image of Joseph Duran Administrative Assistant, Intermediate. The image portrays a man from the chest up, standing outdoors. He is wearing a bright blue, button-up shirt with the collar open and glasses with dark, thick frames. He has short, neatly combed black hair and a short, well-groomed beard and mustache. His expression is calm, with a slight smile. The background is blurred with hues of green and white, suggesting greenery or an outdoor setting.

Joseph Duran 

Administrative Assistant, Intermediate

Joseph Duran is the Administrative Assistant for Latin American Programs and Black Programs. Prior to this role, Joseph was the administrative assistant for The Foundation and for the Dept. of Psychology. Joseph is born and raised in Las Cruces, NM and graduated from New Mexico State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in management and finance.

Fun Fact: Joseph enjoys spending time with his daughter, being outdoors (hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping), and traveling. Joseph and his daughter have a bucket list, where they want to go to every MLB stadium and watch a game!


 

LATIN AMERICAN PROGRAM INTERN

Giselle Trevizo-Duarte

GISELLE TREVIZO-DUARTE

Giselle Trevizo-Duarte (she/her) is a Senior in the Bachelor's Social Work Program at NMSU. She began her journey as an intern with the Latin American Program and has a strong passion for helping her community.

Fun Fact: She is from Chihuahua and loves traveling all around the world.


 

 




Pracheta Halikar

PRACHETA HALIKAR, GRADUATE ASSISTANT


Hello, my name is Pracheta Harlikar, and I am originally from India. I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at New Mexico State University, where my research focuses on neuromorphic computing with an emphasis on FPGA-based architectures for spiking neural networks. In addition, I serve as a Graduate Assistant with Latin American Programs, supporting cultural, academic, and student engagement initiatives. I bring a strong foundation in circuit design, FPGA development, hardware security, machine learning, and embedded systems, enriched by diverse industrial experiences. Over the years, I have contributed to projects in robotics and automation, hardware testing, and data science, where I collaborated on circuit design, system validation, predictive analytics, and real-time problem-solving. These roles, along with my teaching and mentoring experiences, have equipped me with both deep technical expertise and the ability to work across interdisciplinary teams.

Personal Aspiration: I am passionate about advancing computing technologies that integrate biological inspiration with digital systems, and I aspire to contribute to impactful innovations while mentoring and inspiring the next generation of engineers.

 


LATIN AMERICAN PROGRAMS STUDENT STAFF



ANDREA QUINTAL

ANDREA QUINTAL

She/Her

Major: Animation & Visual Effects
Minor: Marketing

GLINDIA CARTER

GLINDIA CARTER

She/Her

Major: Social Worker

Roxana Estrada

Roxana Estrada

She/Her

Major: Criminal Justice
Minor: Forensic Science