People

Faculty in the Latina/Latino Studies Department represent diverse fields of teaching, research interests and multidisciplinary approaches. They are among the thought-leaders in their specialties, and they provide creative, collaborative and hands-on learning environments for our students. Our faculty often organize and participate in local research projects and community and public service activities — and they encourage and provide opportunities for their students to take active roles in these activities as well.

In addition, our faculty produce numerous research, scholarship and creative works that are important and valuable contributions to the general foundation of knowledge worldwide. Meet each of our faculty members and learn more about their teaching, research interests and more!

Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty

Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty serve as major advisors in the Latina/Latino Studies Department. In other words, we are here to support you throughout your studies in our department. We guide you through our degree programs, department events and special opportunities and, more generally, the academic field beyond the classroom. 

Students can choose their major advisor based on shared interests and focus. Students should inform the Department of their choice of advisor; alternatively, if a student does not have a preference, the Department will assign an advisor based on the student's expressed academic interests

Lecturer Faculty

Staff

Gabriela Segovia-McGahan
Administrative Analyst Specialist
gsegovia@sfsu.edu
(415) 338-6160

Faculty Emeriti

The following distinguished retired Latina/Latino Studies faculty have conferred the title of Emerita/Emeritus. Please note that the Emeritus faculty’s service to the University does not include serving as academic advisors or chairs of a student’s thesis committee.

Tomas Almaguer
Title: Professor Emeritus
Appointment: 2000
Emeritus Since: 2018
Research Interests: Sociology, race and ethnicity, sexuality studies, Latino history, women and gender studies.

Carlos Cordova
Title: Professor Emeritus
Appointment: 1974
Emeritus Since: 2021
Research Interests: Traditional Indigenous Shamanism and Medical Practices in Mexico and Central America. Latin American and Latino Art and Muralism. Traditional Afro-Caribbean Spirituality.

Jose Cuellar
Title: Professor Emeritus
Appointment: 1990
Emeritus Since: 2009
Research Interests: Coming soon.

Felix Kury
Title: Lecturer Emeritus
Appointment: 1989
Emeritus Since: 2020
Research Interests: Mental health policy issues facing Latinnas/Latinos in the U.S.

Alejandro Murguia
Title: Professor Emeritus
Appointment: 1977
Emeritus Since: 2021
Research Interests: Currently researching early texts of exploration in California, Portola, De Anza, and others like Pedro Font, to write about their interactions with Indigenous communities they first encountered. Using these primary sources, I’m writing a series of poems about this encounter between two very different societies.

Belinda Reyes
Title: Associate Professor Emeritus
Appointment: 2006
Emeritus Since: 2023
Research Interests: Demographics, education, immigration, urban economics, opportunity youth, and the social and economic progress of Latinx in the United States. Her work explores the intersection of demographic change and policy to examine institutional policies and practices that limit opportunities and perpetuate unequal outcomes for people of color.

Roberto Rivera
Title: Professor Emeritus
Appointment: 1970
Emeritus Since: 2011
Research Interests: Cultural studies, discourse theory and the foundations of social science.
In Memoriam: In Memory of Roberto Rivera | College of Ethnic Studies (sfsu.edu)