symPAWsium agenda – September 15, 16 & 17

Beyond Buzzwords: Critical Conversations for equity in Rural Education

Thursday September 15, 2022 – First day of Hispanic Heritage Month

• 5:00 PM – Opening Dinner Reception, featuring Adams State President Dr. David Tandberg.
  • SUB Banquet Room

Dr. Tandberg brings both a deep knowledge of higher education and personal ties to Adams State and the San Luis Valley. A nationally recognized expert on higher education who has been invited to consult with and present at The White House, U.S. Senate, and U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Tandberg served as senior vice president of policy research and strategic initiatives at State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO).
Dr. Tandberg earned a Bachelor of Arts in history/social studies education from Adams State in 2002. While a student, he was elected president of Adams State’s student government (Associated Students & Faculty) and competed as member of the cross-country and track teams. Dr. Tandberg earned a master’s in political science and a Ph.D. in higher education from Penn State University. “I want to thank the Board for entrusting me with this undertaking,” noted Tandberg. “I was born in Leadville, grew up in Colorado, and consider Alamosa my second home. I am truly honored and can’t wait to be a part of the community again.”

Friday September 16, 2022

• 8 – 9:30 Breakfast
• 9:45 – 11:45 K-12 Conversations (Keynote and Panel) – The panel moderator will guide panelists to talk about critical issues and will work with the audience to develop key takeaways and recommendations to present to stakeholder and decision makers.
• 10:45-11:00 Break
• 11:45 Lunch begins.
• 12:00 pm Main Keynote – Dr. Roberto Montoya
  • Dr. Roberto Montoya has worked and researched at all levels of the educational system. He began his career as a diversity recruiter for Colorado Mesa University and traveled across the state and Southwest to recruit students from diverse populations. He worked in enrollment at Regis University, and more recently, at the University of Colorado Denver as an instructor and on various research projects and grants that focused on educational equity and justice in public PK-12 schools and higher education. He also worked in the private sector for two different Fortune 500 companies. In these roles, he led dynamic and diverse teams that focused on equity initiatives and advocacy programs. He served as the manager of diversity and engagement for the City and County of Denver at the Denver International Airport. Most recently, he worked at Race Forward as the west regional manager for the Government Alliance on Race and Equity. In this role, he was responsible for working with, coaching, and guiding mayors, city managers, city councils, and appointed officials in crafting, establishing, implementing, and honing policies, practices, procedures, and legislation that focused on equity. In August 2021, The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) hired Dr. Montoya, to take on the new position and serve as the first-ever chief educational equity officer. The new position supports the Department’s diversity, inclusion, justice, and equity goals and promotes the vision of a Colorado higher education community that is inclusive and deliberate in erasing the persistent equity gaps in educational attainment across all student demographic categories. The chief educational equity officer serves as a catalyst and advocates for educational equity initiatives and systemic change at Colorado’s institutions of higher education to develop quick and sustaining results that support historically minoritized and underrepresented students. Dr. Montoya has numerous peer-reviewed publications, holds a B.S. in political science from Colorado Mesa University, an M.A. in ethnic studies from Regis University, and a Ph.D. in education and human development from the University of Colorado Denver. Forged in the barrios of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dr. Montoya is committed to community, praxis, and elevating epistemologies. He is a father, husband, scholar, educator, and self-proclaimed jazz and hip-hop head.

• 2:10 pm – 3:00 pm MCD 101 Higher Ed Panel: Critical Conversations Regarding Equity in Rural Higher Education – The panel moderator will guide panelists to talk about critical issues and will work with the audience to develop key takeaways and recommendations to present to stakeholder and decision makers.
  • Keynote – Dr. Jennifer Alanis serves as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator at Harvey Mudd College and Adjunct Faculty in the HEAL Program at Adams State University. She focuses on creating an inclusive campus through programming, training, creating strategic plans and partnerships in the Claremont community. Dr. Alanis has worked in higher education and student affairs for over ten years and has experience in diversity, inclusion, intercultural relations, and cultural and transfer student centers. She received her B.S. from Loyola University Chicago with a triple minor in Spanish, women’s studies, and literature. Jennifer also received an M.A. in arts, entertainment, and media management from Columbia College Chicago and an MEd in educational policy organizational leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She completed a doctorate of education (EdD) in higher education and organizational change from Benedictine University. Dr. Alanis is a strong advocate for study abroad and most recently served as the Assistant Executive Dean of the Fall 2019 Voyage of Semester at Sea.
  • Panelist – Alfredo (Freddy) Burciaga is currently the Dean of Retention & Completion at Trinidad State College, providing oversight and leadership to seven different areas within Student Affairs. Freddy has worked in higher education for over 24 years with a strong background in financial aid and student services. His experience includes higher education administration in the two-year, and four-year institutions in student services and legislative initiative implementation oversight statewide.
    Freddy is currently completing his Doctorate in Community College Leadership, earned a Master’s in Higher Education Administration & Leadership (HEAL) at Adams State University,, and a Bachelor’s degree from CSU-Pueblo in Mass Communications.
    Freddy recently returned to Southern Colorado (Trinidad) but grew up in southeastern Colorado. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends, going on adventures, and spending time with his Siberian husky (Azul). Freddy is passionate about advocating for student success and creating a supportive environment for a valuable student experience.
  • Panelist – Ms. Heather DeLange serves as the Director of the Office of Private Postsecondary Education for the Colorado Department of Higher Education. In her role she oversees the private, degree-granting colleges and universities and the religious training institutions that operate in the state. In the vein of state authorization, she also serves as the State Portal Entity for the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, of which all Colorado public institutions participate as well as several private colleges/universities and private occupational schools. Ms. DeLange has served in several roles for the Department of Higher Education since 2003, clearly she roots deep. She earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Colorado State University and was part of the first cohort in the Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership at Adams State University.
  • Panelist – Dr. Victoria Obregon serves as the Assistant Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Colorado State University Pueblo. Before coming to Colorado State University Pueblo, Victoria was a K-12 educational researcher, recruiter, and teacher. She believes that teaching and learning should be connected to each student’s interests, the communities related to our study, and the scholars that have come before us. She has worked with students in various Pueblo areas to develop their academic interests, abilities, and skills.
    Her academic work focuses on education policy for migrant farm working students and LatinX excellence in higher education. Her past and present research focus on educational reform movements in the U.S. and Cuba that offer academic improvement yet often reinforce inequality or are subverted by existing social policy. In particular, she studies the history and current impact of educational policy, recruitment and attainment innovation, and management policies, particularly concerning historically excluded communities.
• 3:00 pm Break
• 3:10 pm – 5:00 pm MCD 101 Mental Health Education Keynote Mental Health in Education Panel: Critical issues with equity in rural education
  • Keynote -Ileana Gonzalez, assistant professor in the Counseling department, joined the faculty in 2012. She holds a CACREP accredited Masters and Education Specialist degree in School Counseling and Educational Media and Instructional Design from the University of Florida and a CACREP accredited Doctoral degree in Counselor Education from the University of Maryland. She has presented locally, nationally and internationally and written on topics relating to urban school counselors and social justice and social justice related issues in counselor education. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, Chi Sigma Iota-International Counseling Honor Society, Counselors for Social Justice and the Association of Multicultural Counseling Development. She has previously served as the Chapter faculty advisor for the Johns Hopkins University Lambda Chapter of CSI and was recently awarded the 2020 Counselor Educator of the year by the Maryland School Counseling Association.
  • Panelist -Dr. Marla Guerrero currently serves as a mental health counselor and diversity coordinator at the Marquette University Counseling Center since 2016. She served as an adjunct assistant professor in the Counselor Education/Counseling Psychology department for four years. In addition to her clinical and teaching roles, Dr. Guerrero serves on various diversity and inclusion initiatives at Marquette, where she has held several leadership positions. She helped to both establish and lead Marquette’s Dreamers Support Committee and helped to establish a statewide coalition of higher education professionals to better serve immigrant students and their families across Wisconsin. She has presented to local, state, and national audiences on serving Dreamers/DACA students as well as broader mental health considerations within BIPOC communities. As a testament to her advocacy serving underrepresented college students and the larger immigrant community, she was named to the “Si Se Puede: Wisconsin’s Most Powerful Latinos” list in 2019 with Madison365.
  • Panelist – Alfonso Casias, A school counselor in Del Norte, CO with the Upper Rio Grande School District. Alfonso grew up in Antonito, CO and graduated from Antonito High School in 2006. He attended Adams State University where he received a BA in Psychology and Secondary Education. Alfonso has completed a Masters in school counseling in 2013 and Masters in Higher Education Administration and Leadership in 2020. He is licensed In Colorado as a Professional School Counselor and National Certified Counselor through the NBCC and is currently working on his NCSC. He also holds a Colorado teacher education license in Social Studies since the Fall of 2010. Alfonso worked with the Colorado GEAR UP program in both Alamosa and Centauri High schools helping students with college and career readiness from 2013 to 2019. In the fall of 2019 he started his current position as part of the CO School Counselor Corps Grant. He has received an Anxiety & Stress Management certificate from ASCA in 2021. In 2021, he was nominated for the LifeChanger of the year award. He is currently on the University of Denver CRSHE Dream Team focused on eliminating barriers to student mental health in the San Luis Valley. He pride myself in being an advocate for student and staff wellness.
  • Panelist -Sandra Gavin (she/her/hers) earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Northern Illinois University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado and Illinois. Also, a National Certified Counselor. Dr. Gavin is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at Adams State University. She has a wide range of experiences working in private practice, university settings, and a private school. Dr. Gavin continues to work in private practice. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Individuals, and the Rocky Mountain Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. Dr. Gavin presents regularly at national and regional conferences, usually related to affirmative practices to work with LGTBQIA+ clients. Her research focuses on improving quality counseling services to LGBTQIA+ clients and increasing counselor’s counseling self-efficacy to work with this population.

Saturday September 17th

• 8:00 am Breakfast
• 9:00 am -11:00 am  Community issues regarding Rural Education Keynote: Critical issues with equity in rural education
  • Keynote -Eric J. Carpio is the Chief Community Museum Officer for History Colorado and the Director of the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center. At Fort Garland, he’s leading the museum toward a renewed vision centered on co-creating and elevating diverse voices through community engagement and collaboration. Fort Garland’s most recent exhibit, “Unsilenced: Indigenous Enslavement in Southern”, has received extensive media coverage by outlets such as the New York Times, Indian Country Today, and Rocky Mountain PBS. In his role, Eric serves as the director of the Borderlands of Southern Colorado Educator Workshop, a National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History project, which explores the complex history of the American southwest through the intersection of racial, ethnic, religious, and geographic landscapes. In 2019, he was selected as one of ten Senior Fellows for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) for the American Association of Museums Facing Change initiative, to provide DEAI training, support, and leadership to museum boards across the country. Eric has a B.S. from Colorado State University and a M.A, from Adams State University. He is an alumnus of the University of Denver’s Latino Leadership Institute (LLI) and the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Impact Strategy (CSIS).
  • Panelist – Alum Roberto Montoya, PhD, began teaching the social foundations of race and racism as an adjunct professor at CU Denver’s School of Education & Human Development in 2012. He received his doctor of philosophy, education and human development, in May 2021. His dedication to fostering educational equity began while working in recruiting for Colorado Mesa University and enrollment at Regis University, and on multiple research projects and grants for public K-12 schools including Cherry Creek School District, Boulder Valley School District, and Denver Public Schools. He has also worked in the private sector, developing equity and advocacy initiatives. Montoya served as manager of diversity and engagement for the City and County of Denver at the Denver International Airport and most recently as west regional manager for the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) for Race Forward, the country’s largest racial justice organization. In August 2021, Montoya was appointed to the newly created position of chief educational equity officer for the Colorado Department of Higher Education.
  • Panelist – Luis Murillo is an assistant superintendent at Alamosa School District, a small rural school district in Alamosa Colorado. Alamosa is a small agricultural community serving a large population of LatinX families who have immigrated from México and Guatemala. Luis is the perfect fit to serve this community because he knows what the students and families are experiencing. Luis was born and raised in Guadalajara, México until the age of 12. At that time he and his family immigrated to the United States, settling in Oxnard, California. From a young age, he watched his dad work several jobs in order to provide for his family. He offered to help his dad in the strawberry fields in order to help support the family but his dad told him no; that his job was to get an education so that he never had to resort to hard laborious work like his father. Luis graduated from Channel Islands High School in Oxnard California with the opportunity to play football at several division one universities. Being that Luis was going to be a first generation college student and not having support from his guidance counselor Luis passed up those opportunities, unaware of what he had just passed up. Instead, Luis played football for Ventura Junior College near his hometown. After two years there, Luis decided to follow his older brother to Alamosa, CO where he attended Adams State University and finished his football career playing for the Grizzlies. Luis double majored earning a Bachelor’s degree in both Spanish and psychology and went on to pursue his degree in school counseling. Luis earned his Master’s in Counselor Education in 2008 and began his career as a school counselor and Spanish teacher at Ortega Middle School in Alamosa, CO. After serving the students of OMS for 7 years, he applied and was hired as principal of Skoglund Middle school. Luis served as principal for seven years and truly made a difference in the lives of his students in Center. His work and beliefs in equity and access for ALL have been a key driver to his successes. He believes that every child, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status deserves the best education possible and the opportunity to follow their dreams. Luis now serves the Alamosa community as assistant superintendent. At the state level, Luis is a co-chair of CO-ALAS and has speared headed a southwest conference in order to seek and connect LatinX leaders across the state. Nationally, Luis is a member of ALAS and a most recent graduate of SLA cohort 9. Luis has planted his roots in the San Luis Valley and has truly shown his love for education and community. Luis has also a doctoral candidate at American College of Education. Luis aspires to become superintendent in the very near future and knows that he wants to position himself to be the best candidate. He has the passion an grit to be a champion for all kids.
  • Panelist – Gloria J Solis is originally from the city of Durango, Dgo. México. She came to the United States in 1999. She moved to Alamosa, Colorado, along with her husband, Daniel Solis, and raised four kids; Danielle Solis, Andrew Solis, Ammi Solis, and Matthew Solis. Gloria is a graduate of the Benemerita y Centenaria Escuela Normal Del Estado in Durango, México with a Bachelor of Preschool Education. Gloria is also a member of the School Board of Education in the Alamosa School District. Gloria is a teacher at Alamosa Migrant Seasonal Head Start. Her priority is her family, educational quality, and equality.
  • Panelist – Aaron Miltenberger joined the Boys and the Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley as President/CEO in April of 2018. A long time advocate for historically underserved and marginalized youth, with 30 years of working in student and youth development programs. Mr. Miltenberger has worked with foster homes, environmental education programs, youth corrections, wilderness therapy programs and with social services. He was a three-year employee at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley working in the Intel Computer Clubhouse. Most recently, Mr. Miltenberger was the Director of Student Life & Recreation at Adams State University, where he worked for 10 years. He received his Master in Higher Education Administration and Leadership from ASU in 2012. He serves on several local and state Boards focused on youth development,
• 11:00 Break
• 11:15 Las Comanches presented on the campus green – Keynote and Dance
  • • Gregorio Gonzales, Ph.D. is Comanche and Genízaro from New Mexico, and joins the Department of Anthropology at New Mexico State University as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Native American & Indigenous Studies for the 2022-2023 academic year. He has also completed postdoctoral fellowships with The Ohio State University, Colorado College, and the University of California, Santa Barbara, while teaching courses in American Indian studies, Anthropology, Borderlands studies, Comparative studies, Race, Ethnicity, and Migration studies, and Southwest studies.
      A dues-paying anthropolocote, educator, and researcher, Dr. Gonzales earned his Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology from The University of Texas at Austin in 2017, his M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico in 2012, and his B.A. in Government from New Mexico State University in 2010. His work has been featured in the Taos News magazine Tradiciones: Raíces, High Country News, the New York Times, and on NPR’s All Things Considered, among others; his writings have also appeared in publications including the New Mexico Magazine, RED INK: International Journal of Indigenous Literature, Arts, & Humanities, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, and Trickster. Additionally, his research and scholarship have been supported by fellowships with the School for Advanced Research, the Institute for Critical Social Inquiry at the New School, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
      Outside of academia, Dr. Gonzales joined other Indigenous educators, scholars, tribal leaders, and governments in supporting the successful passage and adoption of NCAI Resolution #PDX-20-001 (Tribal Citizenship Policy and Protection Task Force), an unprecedented effort calling on the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) executive leadership to establish the Tribal Citizenship Policy Task Force in support of sound tribal citizenship policy development across Indian Country. He also continues his collaborative work with the Albuquerque-based national urban Indian nonprofit, Americans for Indian Opportunity.

• • Los Comanche de la Serna, a group of singers and dancers from Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, are the descendants of Indian captives (genízaro people) of the Comanche who were traded

    

    to the Spanish ranchers who founded Ranchos de Taos in the early 18th century. The captives, many of them children, came from a variety of Indian tribes, and were brought up with Spanish surnames.Despite growing up as captives and eventually learning to speak Spanish and generally adopting Spanish ways, the genízaro retained the Comanche language also remembering their dances and songs that had been handed down from their forefathers.Today, Los Comanche de la Serna performs on New Year’s Day, commemorated as Emanuel’s Day, and St. Paul’s Day, January 25. On these two days, from sunup to sundown, drummers, singers and dancers go from house to house in Talpa and Llano Quemado singing and dancing. They remember thirty-six songs and twelve dances from the “old days.” Their oral tradition says their tribes also included Navajo, Utes and Apaches. The present leader of Los Comanche de La Serna is Francisco Gonzales, who is a descendent of both the genízaro people and the early settlers of Ranchos de Taos. His passion is to keep this unique Comanche culture perpetuated for future generations. He keeps these traditions alive by being faithful to its roots and holding them in very high esteem. Through his efforts the group has continuously performed in Taos and at several universities, Village Fiestas of New Mexico and was invited to perform at the Capitol of Washington DC for the 1975 National Folk Festival. Many Genizaros still reside in the ruggedly beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado, where you will experience 200-year-old adobe houses, hornos and other cultural traditions and values.

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