Tarah Johnson

MA in Latin American Studies | 2010

Job : Senior Analyst, Center for Social Innovation
Location : Silver Spring, MD

When she was an undergrad, Tarah K Johnson studied International Business and minored in Latin American Studies. She chose UNM for her MALAS degree because it is known as one of the premier LAS programs in the country. Because she was interested in more of a pan-Latin American approach, she saw a huge benefit in going to UNM as opposed to staying on the east coast. The Latin American & Iberian Institute Graduate Fellowship program was a huge incentive, as were several faculty members and the Zimmerman Library. Tarah believes her LAS degree has made her more culturally aware, especially since her concentrations were Anthropology and History. She feels she was most impacted by her time working in Zimmerman Library with Dr. Suzanne Schadl, who helped her to develop her academic interests and offered support throughout her fellowship, allowing her to grow both personally and academically. Having the experiences of living in Albuquerque and meeting the students and staff at the LAII made her graduate school experience extremely rewarding. Tarah's current position entails close work with government funders in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). She works closely with the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, as well as the Center for Mental Health Services and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to develop culturally competent, trauma-informed, patient-centered online resources and trainings for grantees working in the Behavioral Health field.