Charla Henley

MA in Latin American Studies | 2016

Job : Data Analyst, The University of New Mexico
Location : Albuquerque, NM

What were you involved in while at UNM?

FLAS Fellow - Haitian Creole, SOLAS, UNM Evaluation Lab, Study Abroad in Cuba and Haiti

What’s a favorite memory or class from your time in the program?

My favorite class was Dr. Mala Htun's Gender Politics course. It totally changed the way I viewed many of the current political controversial ideas and helped me see that sometimes the issue isn't the actual issue, but the power and control behind the issue.

What are you doing now and what have been some of your professional highlights?

I am currently a Data Analyst at UNM and have worked part-time as an Independent Evaluator for several of the non-profits in the area. I've worked professionally with Dr. Melissa Binder, Dr. Sonia Bettez, and Dr. Claudia Isaac. My careers are both still fairly young.

How has your Latin American Studies degree informed your work?

As a MALAS student, I took part in the UNM Evaluation Lab, which worked towards my Economics concentration. I apply what I learned in the UNM Evaluation Lab to my everyday work as a Data Analyst and an Independent Evaluator. I certainly would not be where I am today without those classes.

What advice do you have for current or prospective students?

Get involved and do different kinds of classes - even classes you aren't sure you're cut out for. Expanding your academic horizons may open professional doors you don't even know exist yet. It happened for me and many of my classmates and colleagues who have since chosen professions we wouldn't have known about if we stayed within our comfort zones.