I completed an MA in Spanish in 2012 and a PhD from the Hispanic Linguistics program in 2017. Currently, I am an Associate Teaching Professor and the Spanish Language Academic Coordinator in the Department of Literature at the University of California San Diego. My research interests center around language variation and change, Spanish in contact, bilingualism, Spanish as a heritage language, language acquisition, and Spanish phonology.

My Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics with a minor in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching from the University of Arizona has served as a robust foundation for my professional career as an assistant professor, researcher, and program builder, specializing in sociolinguistics, translation studies, Romance linguistics, and Spanish for specific purposes. Through my doctoral studies in the Humanities, I acquired the requisite expertise, rigor, critical thinking prowess, and communication skills to undertake research endeavors, craft higher education courses across various disciplines, instruct university students not just in course content but also in critical thinking, and fulfill administrative duties within academic communities.

My focus on sociolinguistics allows me to probe into the social and cultural dimensions of language use, offering students deeper insights into language variation, identity, language policies and ideologies, and communication dynamics within Spanish-speaking and bilingual communities. Furthermore, my sub-specialization in Translation Studies (and Spanish for Specific Purposes) equips me to address diverse linguistic needs, promote cross-cultural understanding in both academic and practical contexts, advocate for language access in society, and cater to the specific requirements of various professional environments.

My academic preparation in the humanities has not only helped me strengthen the connections I form with my students, colleagues and within local communities but also enables me to foster a supportive and confidence-building learning environment in the classroom.