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Soledad (she/ her/ella) grew up in Santa Fe and graduated from George Mason University with a B.A. in Integrative Studies with a focus on Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies. She has had an eclectic career that included working in corporate communications in New York City, on a cruise ship that sailed around the world and in Washington DC for several members of the New Mexico Congressional delegation and the Obama Administration at both the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Labor. She has extensive international experience traveling to over 50 countries and volunteering with the World Water Forum in Marseille, France, the Druze Community in Isfiya, Israel, and Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. She has gained a passion for Latin America through the years in large part due to her professional and personal experiences in the region .

Soledad hopes to continue to work in the diplomatic arena helping to build stronger alliances between the USA and Latin America. Soledad chose the MALAS program because it seemed like the staff and students are genuinely interested in the field of study and eager to engage with different people, ideas and experiences. She was inspired to attend UNM because it is close to home and includes specific resources that directly focus on and value the unique and complicated Latino/a/x experience of New Mexico.