Center Staff

Staff members at the Center for Latin American Studies play an essential role in the Center's day-to-day functions and overall success. Get to know our stellar support staff below!

 

Jessica (Mrozinske) Baker

Associate Director of Administrative Services

Jessica B

Jessica B. is responsible for the general administration of the Center for Latin American Studies and provides leadership for the Center’s administrative personnel. She handles pre-award and post-award submissions and monitoring through the UFIRST system, reconciles expenditures, and provides regular financial updates. She also interacts with core offices, other departments, faculty, and staff when there are questions about Center funds or expenditures. 

319E Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4707
Email: jmrozin@latam.ufl.edu 


Jessica Caicedo

HR Generalist

BA Spanish, University of Florida

Jessica C. manages human resources and payroll functions. She coordinates Effort Reports and Faculty Activity Reports and processes all security role requests for the Center for PeopleSoft. 

319D Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4702
Email: jcaicedo@latam.ufl.edu


Po Echeguren

Academic Assistant III

Po Echeguren

BA Political Science, University of Rochester

Po provides academic and fiscal administrative support for the MALAS and LAS graduate certificate students.

316 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4709
Email: secheguren@latam.ufl.edu 


Maria Garamvolgyi

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT ASST I

BA Spanish Literature, Purdue University

Maria provides administrative assistance to the Center Director as well as to Center faculty and staff. She manages the Director's calendar and travel arrangements. She also assists in maintaining our mailing database and email distribution lists. She coordinates internal events for the Center and assists program coordinators and our outreach team with event logistics.

Email: mgaramvolgyi@ufl.edu 

 


Kym Hodges

Conference & Event Planner

Kym coordinates the Center's conference, symposia, receptions, and other events. She also assists with coordinating travel for faculty, students, and guests to the Center. 

318 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4715
Email: k.hodges@latam.ufl.edu 


Clate Korsant

Assistant Director of Academic Affairs

Clate Korsant

Ph.D. in Social Anthropology, Goldsmiths College, University of London

Dr. Korsant is the Assistant Director of Academic Affairs at the Center for Latin American Studies. His research interests include environmental and cultural anthropology; documentary film and photography; political ecology; social, political, economic justice; ethnographic practice and writing; and the politics of environmentalism.

319F Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4704
Email: ckorsant@latam.ufl.edu


Christa Markley

Communications Specialist

BFA Motion Picture Arts, Florida State University

Christa manages the communications and marketing efforts for the Center for Latin American Studies, including event promotion and the Latinamericanist newsletter. She works with other departments to maximize the reach of Center announcements and promotional materials, and with outside media to better promote the Center's message. Her duties also include managing and maintaining the Center website and social media channels.

342 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4047
Email: cmarkley@latam.ufl.edu

 


Andrew Noss

MDP Program Coordinator

Andy

Ph.D. Geography / Tropical Conservation and Development / African Studies, University of Florida

Andy is the administrative coordinator for the Master of Sustainable Development Practice (MDP) Program and the Sustainable Development Practice (SDP) Certificate Program. He advises students on admissions, registration, funding, summer field practicum travel, and graduation procedures. He organizes MDP program activities including MDP committee meetings, Development Practitioner seminars, student presentations, and workshops.

470 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-392-3293
Email: anoss@ufl.edu


David Nuñez

Research Administration Assistant

David Nuñez B.S. Leisure Service Management; M.S. Sports Management, University of Florida

David provides administrative support for processes related to grant management and fiscal payments. These responsibilities include assisting with grant budget management and grant submission, travel documentation, and vendor payments.

304 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4722
Email:
dnunez@latam.ufl.edu


Mary Risner

Associate Director, Outreach and Business Programs
Project Manager, Florida/Brazil Institute

Mary Risner Small

Ed.D Curriculum and Instruction-Educational Technology, University of Florida

Dr. Risner develops and manages initiatives that integrate the study of foreign language and area studies across the curriculum. She has over 20 years of experience teaching a foreign language at a variety of K-16 levels. Her background is in Marketing, Latin American Studies, and Educational Technology.

370A Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4723
Email: mrisner@latam.ufl.edu 

Biography


Piannys Rosario

Fiscal Assistant III

Piannys is responsible for processing general fiscal transactions at the Center for Latin American Studies, which includes travel-related transactions, both foreign and domestic, reconciling all Pcard transactions, and processing Journal Entries to the General Ledger.

304 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4721
Email: prosario@latam.ufl.edu


Patricia Sampaio

TCD Program Coordinator
Patricia S

MS Ecology, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Patricia coordinates the activities related to the Tropical Conservation and Development Program (TCD) and its related programs, such as management of TCD student and alumni databases; organization and support of all TCD events; planning and participation on task forces and committees; revision and maintenance of the TCD webpage; monitoring of the Ford Endowment expenditures; and production of reports. She is also responsible for the coordination of scholarship and other financial support competitions sponsored by TCD, the Amazon Conservation Leadership Initiative Program (ACLI) and LAS.

343 Grinter Hall
Phone: 352-273-4734
Email: psampaio@latam.ufl.edu