Lecturers

Jose Amaro
  • Phone: 818/677-2724
  • Office: JR 141
  • Email: jose.amaro@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ed.D., Educational Leadership, CSUN; M.A., Chicana/o Studies, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday 10am-11am & 1pm-2pm; Friday via Zoom 11am-12pm

Biography

Dr. José Amaro is a first-generation college student and a nontraditional student whose educational background motivated intrigue in identity politics and research on how literature, television, and media influence dominant narratives that shape social norms and the conception of race, gender, and sexuality. His A.A. from Oxnard Community College in Social and Behavioral Sciences was conferred in 2013. In 2007, he earned a B.A. in English Literature from California State University, Channel Islands. He is an alumnus of California State University, Northridge (CSUN). In 2013, he received an M.A. in Chicana and Chicano Studies and in 2025 he earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from CSUN. His academic journey led to an emphasis on employing interdisciplinary and qualitative research to critique the representation and discursive treatment of queer masculinity in Spanish language telenovelas, which remains a hobby. Within the field of education, he emphasizes the importance of centering student narratives to interrogate the systematic inequalities and inequities shaping the academic persistence of low-income and first-generation college students-of-color and pedagogical strategies for student retention. His research interests include Chicana/o/x studies, cultural and ethnic studies, and queer studies. His favorite literary movement is the modernist period, and he favors literature from the southwest and California.

Education

A.A., Social and Behavioral Sciences, Oxnard Community College, Oxnard, 2013
B.A., English Literature, California State University, Channel Islands, 2007
M.A., Chicana and Chicano Studies, California State University, Northridge, 2013
Ed. D., Educational Leadership, California State University, Northridge, 2025

  • Phone: 818/677-2734
  • Office: JR 148
  • Email: martin.arce@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Language, Reading, & Culture; M.A., Educational Leadership

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by appointment

  • Phone: 818/677-2734
  • Office: JR 141
  • Email: gabriel.buelna@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Political Science, Claremont Graduate University, M.A., Public Policy, Claremont Graduate University, M.S., Social Work, CSU San Diego

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by Appointment

  • Phone: 818/677-2734
  • Office: JR 
  • Email: guadalupe.cardona@csun.edu
  • Degree: M.A., Curriculum & Instruction (Language & Literacy), Arizona State University

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by Appointment via Zoom

  • Phone: 818/677-3926
  • Office: JR 120A
  • Email: lucila.chavez@csun.edu
  • Degree: M.A., Mexican American Studies, CSULA; M.A., History, CSULA

Spring 2026 Office Hours: via zoom Monday/Wednesday 2:30pm-3:30pm; or in person by appointment

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 11:30am-12:45pm; or by appointment

  • Phone: 818/677-4621
  • Office: JR 102
  • Email: jaime.cruz@csun.edu
  • Degree: M.A., Urban Planning, UCLA

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Monday 1pm-2:15pm

Maria Elena Cruz
  • Phone: 818/677-2734
  • Office: JR148
  • Email: mecruz@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Education, UC Santa Barbara; M.A., Education, UC Santa Barbara; M.A., Psychology, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Not teaching this semester

Biography

Dr. Maria Elena Cruz has been a Lecturer in the Department of Chicana/o Studies at California State University, Northridge since 2009, teaching courses on child development, education, and cultural identity. She has also taught at UC Santa Barbara and directed multiple federally funded TRIO programs, including Talent Search and Upward Bound, supporting first-generation and low-income students in California and Texas. Her work spans teaching, grant leadership, and community engagement, with publications on Chicana/o education, teacher preparation, and school equity.

  • Phone: 818/677-3926
  • Office: JR 120A
  • Email: bert.cueva@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Women's Studies, UCLA; M.A., Women's Studies, UCLA; M.A., Urban Planning, UCLA

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday/Wednesday 2:15pm-3:15pm; Thursday 12:45pm-1:45pm; Friday by appointment

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Thursday 10:30am-11:30am

ME Fernandez

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday 11:30am-12:30pm; Wednesday 2:45pm-3:45pm; or by appointment

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by Appointment through Calendly See Syllabus/canvas for link.

  • Phone: 818/677-2605
  • Office: JR 120B
  • Email: antonio.gallo@csun.edu
  • Degree: Juris Doctor, Law, Trinity International University

Fall 2025 Office Hours: Friday 12pm-1pm; or by appointment

  • Phone: 818/677-4625
  • Office: JR 102A
  • Email: omar.gonzalez.93@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Chicana/o Studies, UCLA; M.A., Chicana/o Studies, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Monday 8:30am-9:30am & 4pm-5pm;  W 7pm-8pm

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday 10:15am-11:15am; Wednesday 11:30am-12:30pm

  • Phone: 818/677-4626
  • Office: JR 102
  • Email: carlos.guerrero@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Cultural Studies, The Claremont Graduate University; M.A., Chicana/o Studies, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: via Zoom Tuesday 8am-8:30am & 3:30pm-4pm

  • Phone: 818/677-6817
  • Office: JR 120B
  • Email: carlos.a.hernandez@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Modern Latin American History, UCLA; M.A., History, UCLA, M.A., Latin American Studies, UCLA

Spring 2026 Office Hours: via Zoom Tuesday/Thursday 12:30pm-1:20pm

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by Appointment Monday/Wednesday 9:30am-10am & 2:20pm-3pm

  • Phone: 818/677-3976
  • Office: JR 143F
  • Email: xocoyotzin.herrera@csun.edu
  • Degree: M.A., Interdisciplinary Studies (Chicana/o Studies / Spanish), CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Not teaching this semester

  • Phone: 818/677-2724
  • Office: JR 141
  • Email: nancy.lee@csun.edu
  • Degree:  M.A., Communication Studies, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Not teaching this semester

  • Phone: 818/677-2883
  • Office: SQ 111
  • Email: mario.lopez@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Educational Leadership, University of La Verne; M.A., Public Administration, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Monday 5pm-7pm

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by appointment via Zoom

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by appointment via Zoom Tuesday 2pm-3pm

Fabian Pacheco

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Not teaching this semester

Biography

I am proud to be first-generation and the son of immigrants. I was born and raised in Boyle Heights and attended LAUSD schools. My educational journey has not been linear and I embrace it as a source of strength. As a doctoral student, lecturer, and high school counselor, I leveraged my platforms to address systemic oppression that negatively impacts our communities. Some of my research interest includes Hispanic Serving Institutions, the educational pipeline, ethnic and racial socialization, and community cultural wealth. My office and support are open to all students.

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by Appointment via Zoom

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by Appointment Monday 10am-11am

  • Phone: 818/677-2734
  • Office: JR 102
  • Email: alex.placencio@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Political Science, Claremont Graduate University; M.A., Administrative Education; CSUN, M.A., Public Policy, Claremont Graduate University

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday 3pm-4pm - see syllabus for instructions; or by appointment

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday 1:30pm

  • Phone: 818/677-2734
  • Office: JR 148
  • Email: maythe.ruffino@csun.edu
  • Degree: Ph.D., Latin American & Spanish Literatures, UC Santa Barbara; M.A., Hispanic American & Hispanic Literatures, UCLA

Spring 2026 Office Hours: via Zoom Tuesday 4pm-5pm

George Sanchez

Spring 2026 Office Hours: by appointment Monday/Wednesday 8:45am-9:45am; Friday by appointment via Zoom

Biography

George B. Sánchez-Tello is an award-winning reporter and writer. He earned his master's degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University, Northridge, in 2012. Sánchez-Tello teaches writing, public speaking, history and art as well as the Fieldwork in the Barrio class with EOP. 

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 1:30pm-2:30pm; or by appointment

  • Phone: 818/677-7957
  • Office: JR 114B
  • Email: v.villela@csun.edu
  • Degree: M.A., English Literature, CSUN

Spring 2026 Office Hours: Monday 11:30am-2:30pm