Division for Equity and Inclusion

Lorena Blanco-Silva currently serves Diversity Programs Director for the Division for Equity and Inclusion at the University of New Mexico, where she has worked for over 10 years, 9 with DEI. Ms. Blanco-Silva has spent over 20 years working in higher education, particularly with issues regarding the recruitment, retention and attainment levels for Latino students and faculty. A first-generation college student, Blanco-Silva received her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and Communications from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a Public Management Concentration from the University of New Mexico. Her future plans include the PhD program in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies with a concentration in Educational Thought and Sociocultural Studies. She previously served as Executive Director of Development and Marketing for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.