Our Staff
Mr. Josmell J. Pérez
Director, The Carolina Latinx Center
Josmell@unc.edu
Mr. Pérez was born in Lima, Peru and moved at the age of 5 with his family to Northern New Jersey. He graduated from Muhlenberg College with a degree in Psychology and Spanish and earned his graduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Education. He was involved in the formation of the Carolina Latina/o Collaborative and now serves as the Center’s director.
Prior to coming to Carolina in 2007 he worked as Assistant Director of Admissions and Multicultural Recruitment Director for Moravian College, where he led an initiative that resulted in the doubling of multicultural student enrollment. He also served as an Admissions Counselor at Ohio University in Athens, where his territory was the northwest part of the state.
Marcela Torres-Cervantes
Associate Director, The Carolina Latinx Center
marcela@unc.edu
Marcela Torres-Cervantes (she/her/hers) is the Associate Director for the Carolina Latinx Center. She is a Mexicana who was raised in Clinton, NC. From a young age, she loved school and the opportunity that an education would provide for her family to be successful. She attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics for her final years of high school before moving to Washington, DC to attend college. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from George Washington University and an M.Ed. from the University of Georgia. Throughout her academic experiences, Marcela became invested in Latinx advocacy, normalizing mental health discussions in communities of color, and student identity development in higher education.
Citlalli Salazar
Program Assistant, The Carolina Latinx Center
cicisala@ad.unc.edu
Citlalli “Cici” Salazar is the Program Assistant for the Carolina Latinx Center. She was born and raised in Greensboro, NC. She is a proud Mexicana and loves to help the community where she can. She attended Elon University, where she got the opportunity to be an Odyssey Scholar. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and Political Science. During her time as an undergrad, she became involved in advocating and supporting BIPOC students through mentorship. She is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where students can thrive, connecting them with resources, mentorship, and opportunities that will pave the way for their success. Cici is look forward to working collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff to create a vibrant and supportive community for Latinx students.
Rosario Villa
Graduate Assistant, The Carolina Latinx Center
Rosario Villa is a third-year graduate student in the School Psychology doctoral program in UNC’s School of Education. She has experience in multicultural assessment and intervention services in clinical and academic settings. Her interests focus on supporting Latinx students and their families to promote healthier development and academic success. Rosario graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology and a minor in Latinx Studies. Rosario was raised in North Carolina and is dedicated to addressing the psychoeducational needs of the growing Latinx population in the state through her clinical work.
Gabrielly Nolasco
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Gabrielly Nolasco is the Student Ambassador for Latinx Heritage Month at the Carolina Latinx Center. She is a Salvadorian that was born in Lenoir, NC. She is currently pursuing a Business major with a concentration in Marketing. As the semester begins, she is excited to work with Latinx students to create a positive and friendly environment.
Mia Melendez-Ruiz
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Mia Melendez-Ruiz (she/her/hers/ella) is a returning student ambassador for Enlaces at the Carolina Latinx Center. She is a Puertorriqueña originally born in Athens, Georgia but grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Currently she’s a sophomore pursuing a major in Management and Society with a minor in Spanish. This past summer she served as a Property Operations and Management Intern at Tishman Speyer in Philadelphia and is excited to be back on campus with everyone.
Marleny Nolasco
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Marleny Nolasco (she/her/hers) is currently a Junior here at UNC. She is a proud Mexicana from Dobson, NC. She is pursuing a B.S. in Psychology as well as a minor in Neuroscience. Marleny is passionate about educating and uplifting the Latinx community. She is excited to be serving as this year’s Conferencia chair where she hopes to continue educating and uplifting her community.
Ana Diaz
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Ana Diaz (she/Ella) is a Senior majoring in Psychology and Public Policy with a minor in Spanish in the medical profession. She was born and raised in Asheboro, North Carolina with roots in Guerrero and Veracruz, Mexico. She is passionate about Latinx representation and recognition. This year she is continuing her work as the Student Ambassador for Campus Collaboration through the Latinx Leadership Alliance. Through this role, she hopes to support and amplify the voices of existing organization to help make Carolina a more welcoming and home for all Latinx students on campus.
Elsa Landeros
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Elsa Landeros is a senior, majoring in Economics and double minoring in Spanish for the Business Professions. She was raised in Hillsborough, NC and has roots in Aguascalientes, Mexico. This year she is working as the Student Ambassador in Marketing. She is passionate about amplifying Latinx voices on campus and cultivating a welcoming space for her community via content creation.
Mariana Vasquez Gallardo
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Mariana Vasquez Gallardo is the Student Ambassador for UndocuCarolina. She is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing the nursing field. Mariana is passionate about advocating for Latinx communities, especially in healthcare. She is proudly Mexicana and has grown up in Boonville, NC. As a student ambassador, she is excited to help promote representation across UNC. She looks forward to working with the Carolina Latinx Center to help promote equality and raise awareness throughout campus.
Jose Cuc-Reyes
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Jose Cuc-Reyes (He/Him/His/El) is the Student Ambassador for Assessments. He is from Tar Heel, NC, and is of Mexican-Guatemalan descent. He is pursuing a double major in Environmental Science and Earth and Marine Sciences with a concentration in Geosciences. Jose is highly committed to promoting educational equity and encouraging Latinx students to be interested in environmentalism and natural sciences.
Angela Herrera-Morales
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Angela Herrera-Morales (she/her/ella) is the student ambassador for Enlaces at the Carolina Latinx Center. She is a proud Guatemalteca from Siler City, NC and is pursuing a degree in Human Development & Family Science. She is passionate about helping her community, and through her role, she hopes to further engage with UNC and the surrounding communities!
Celina Ocampo
Student Ambassador, The Carolina Latinx Center
Celina Ocampo is a sophomore majoring in Political Science with a minor in Conflict Management and is a General Student Ambassador for the CLC. She was raised in Siler City, North Carolina and is a proud Mexicana! With her role, she hopes to be a helpful resource to students and contribute to the growing Latinx community here at Carolina. She is passionate about advocacy, uplifting the voices of students and looks forward to working with the Carolina Latinx Center!
Paul Cuadros
Carolina Latinx Center Faculty Associate
Paul Cuadros is an award-winning investigative reporter and author whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Chicago Reporter, The Center for Public Integrity, and other national and local publications. He is the author of A Home on the Field, How One Championship Team Inspires Hope for the Revival of Small Town America, which tells the story of Siler City, North Carolina as it copes and struggles with Latino immigration through the lives of a predominantly Latino high school soccer team. His book has been selected as common read at four universities including the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In 2014, the television documentary series Los Jets based on his book and produced by Jennifer Lopez premiered on cable television starring Cuadros. He is an associate professor in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is also one of the founders of UNC’s Carolina Latinx Center. Cuadros continues to write about immigration and the Latino community and is currently working on another book about the Latino community in the American South.