Office Directory | Contact Us

Director/Department Chair

Call: 303-615-1996

Email:  [email protected]

Bio: Anahi Russo Garrido is an associate professor in Gender, women’s and sexuality studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She completed her PhD in Gender and Women’s Studies at Rutgers University, and postdoctoral fellowships at Carleton College and Brandeis University. Her research and teaching has focused on transnational sexualities, gender and sexuality in Latin America, queer and feminist theory and social justice organizing. More particularly, her current work investigates the transformation of intimacy in Mexico City in the lives of three generations of women participating in queer spaces. She is the co-editor of “Building Feminist Movements and Organizations” and has published articles on queer Mexico City in Women Studies Quarterly, NWSA Journal and the Journal of Postcolonial Cultures and Societies. She is the author of the monograph”Tortilleras Negotiating Intimacy: Love, Friendship and Sex in Queer Mexico City” (Rutgers University Press, 2020).

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Department Coordinator

Call: 303-605-5769

Email: [email protected]

Bio: Javonne Archibeque (she/they) graduated from MSU Denver in the fall of 2017 with an individualized degree in Social Justice and Identity in Literature and Media, and a minor in Genders and Sexualities. She joined GITA (formerly the Institute for Womens Studies and Services) in early 2018 as a part-time temporary administrative assistant, and then was hired on as the department coordinator in fall 2019. Javonne’s family has lived in the Denver area for generations, and she feels very connected to this city and the Auraria campus.

Associate Director

Call: 303-615-2036

Email: [email protected]

Bio: Eneri “Netty” Rodriguez received their MA in Women’s Studies from San Diego State University and their BA in Chicana/o Studies and English Literature from UC Santa Barbara.  They moved to Denver in 2008 and joined the MSU Denver Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy as Affiliate Faculty the following summer.  Netty also worked for Project PAVE, a non-profit organization in Denver whose mission it is to empower youth to end the cycle of relationship violence. Netty has a particular interest in representations in media and popular culture, with an undeniable love for horror movies!

Anti-Oppression and Academic Excellence Program Manager

Call: 303-615-2037

Email: [email protected]

Bio: Soj Sirivanchai completed their B.S. in Biology, minoring in Chemistry from The University of Colorado, Denver.  They then went on to complete a Master of Science in Microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley.  As the first person in their family to attend college, Soj is most passionate about increasing access to higher education for historically underrepresented folks.  Soj hopes to assist students in finding their own empowerment through holistic advising, community building, and advocacy.

Anti-Oppression and Academic Excellence Program Manager

Assists students with all levels of Academic Advising, declaring GWS Majors and minors, advocating to get their needs met when working with Faculty or staff on campus, and crisis support.

Call: 303-615-2037

Email: [email protected] *Best way to contact Soj*

Bio:

Soj Sirivanchai completed their B.S. in Biology, minoring in Chemistry from The University of Colorado, Denver.  They then went on to complete a Master of Science in Microbiology from the University of California, Berkeley.  As the first person in their family to attend college, Soj is most passionate about increasing access to higher education for historically underrepresented folks.  Soj hopes to assist students in finding their own empowerment through holistic advising, community building, and advocacy.

Academic Advisor and Retention Specialist

Assist students with Academic probation, General Studies Holds, and Freshman and Sophomore students with General Studies course scheduling.

Call: 303-605-5884

Email: [email protected]

Bio:

Alexis Magaña (she/her) is a proud, first-generation, alumna of MSU Denver. She graduated from the Department of Modern Languages with a concentration in French and Spanish. Alexis advices for History, Philosophy, and Modern Languages as well. You can contact her via email, by phone, or on Microsoft Teams. You can check her availability to schedule an advising appointment here.

Office Hours – 

Mondays: Plaza 339

9:00 AM-3:00 PM Appointments Only (both in-person and virtual appointments)

3:00 PM-4:00 PM drop-ins (both in-person and virtual appointments)

Tuesdays: Virtual

9:00 AM-3:00 PM Appointments Only (virtual appointments)

3:00 PM-4:00 PM drop-ins (virtual appointments)

Wednesday and Thursday: Central 211E

9:00 AM-3:00 PM Appointments Only (both in-person and virtual appointments)

3:00 PM-4:00 PM drop-ins (both in-person and virtual appointments)

Fridays: Virtual

9:00 AM-3:00 PM Appointments Only (virtual appointments)

3:00 PM-4:00 PM drop-ins (virtual appointments)

Assistant Professor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-605-7607

Bio: Assistant Professor Sonny Dhoot’s current research explores how the configurations of race, capital, gender, sexuality and normalcy shape the erotic lives of queers of colour. His current research and teaching interests include, queer/trans of color critique, decolonial/critical race feminisms, transnational and women of color feminisms, and queer erotics and sexuality studies. Sonny is also interested in anti-carceral community projects.

Associate Professor

Call: 303-556-2052

Email: [email protected]

Bio:

Assistant Professor

Email: [email protected] 

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Stephanie Dimatulac Santos is an interdisciplinary scholar who uses ethnography, computational humanities, and cultural analysis to examine gender and development issues in Southeast Asia. Her current book project, Filipina Women and Social Reproduction Theory, uses the Filipino concept of “kabuhayan” or life-making as a counter-narrative to examine how development instruments privilege Western ideas of labor and resource extraction. Her teaching and research interests include transnational feminisms, Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies, and feminist science and technology. Her next research project examines emerging forms of transnational digital labor in Southeast Asia.

Professor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2038

Bio: Dr. Gerakina (Arlene) Sgoutas is a Professor of Gender, Women, and Sexualities Studies, and at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her research and teaching interests include feminist interventions in global politics, international women’s resistance movements, and motherhood studies. She is co-editor with Tatjana Takševa of the publication by Demeter Press, Mothers under fire: Mothering in conflict areas (July 2015). She received the President’s Distinguished Service Award for faculty in 2014 and the Student Recognition Award for her commitment to serving students with disabilities. She has taught at MSU Denver since 2002 and served as Interim Dean for the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences from 2018-2020.

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Professor

Email:

[email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Dr. Judy Strathearn has been with MSU Denver since 2016 in the Department of Africana Studies and as Interim Coordinator for Supplemental Instruction. She is now a full-time lecturer at GITA. She earned her Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2017 where her dissertation investigated Gullah history and culture through the lens of gender and literature. Her research interests include Gullah Studies, Gullah Womanism and Black Feminism, and narrative strategies of Black women writers of the Diaspora. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in experiential education as a methodology to increase African Diaspora cultural knowledge and community contributions.

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio:

Instructor

Email:

Call: 303-615-1014

Bio: Dr. Bridgette Coble is currently the Director of Career Engagement in the Classroom to Career Hub at Metropolitan State University of Denver and has worked as a career professional for over 25 years. She earned her doctorate degree in Higher Education Program at the University of Denver with an emphasis in diversity in learning and her Master of Science degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Colorado State University. Her career spans the realm of private industry and higher education but has always involved diversity, equity and inclusion, career development, and student support. Her research interests include strategies for achieving Inclusive Excellence in Higher Education, Mentoring Programs for Students of Color and African American College Student Experiences.  She has also worked at Colorado State University, the University of Michigan and the Community College of Denver in the area of career services and six years leading human resource staffing initiatives at Hewlett-Packard and the spin off company Agilent Technologies. She is passionate about supporting students in their career planning journeys.

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio:

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio:

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio:

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio:

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

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Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio:

Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: dena harry saleh (they/them/theirs) was born in Denver to Palestinian immigrants in the late 1900’s. They attended public school until moving to New York City in the year 2000. They went to Eugene Lang College at The New School University and graduated with a BA in Writing, with a focus on Nonfiction and Fiction. They then moved back to Denver and was a teacher of Social Justice Studies for eleven years before beginning their college teaching career. They have an MA from CU Denver. They are an avid writer, reader, and cultural critic.

Instructor

Email: [email protected] 

Call: 813-368-3630 

Bio: Kara Sand, MS, CPTD® (pronouns she/her) has over 15 years of experience in corporate training and leadership development and holds a Master’s Degree in Communication. Her purpose is to empower and connect individuals, teams, and organizations by increasing their personal development and growth through effective communication skills.

Instructor

Email: [email protected] 

Call: 303-615-2052

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Instructor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

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Scholarship Tutor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Lexie (she/her) is a junior majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. She’s interested in research involving DEI work and social justice. Lexie is a life long learner, and is passionate about self-growth. Her second job on campus is being an orientation leader, and she enjoys supporting students in their transition into college. Lexie is dedicated to advocating and fighting for BIPOC and LGBTQ civil rights, and making the world a more equitable and accessible place. Some of her hobbies include reading, painting/coloring, and video games. And of course, she wants you to know she’s a Scorpio!

Academics and Outreach

Email: [email protected]r.edu

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Sadaf (she/they) is a junior transfer student working towards earning her degree in Computer Information Systems.  She started working for GITA in Summer of 2020 as a Scholarship Tutor and is now part of the Academics and Outreach team. Her work mainly focuses on GITA’s online presence by handling all social networks and the department website. She enjoys collaborating on events with her team and building new connections when working in office. Sadaf cherishes the safe space GITA provides and encourages others to experience it for themselves. Outside of GITA, Sadaf loves to spend quality time with her friends and family, look after her plants, go to live shows, explore new restaurants, work as a makeup artist, and build new relationships.

Scholarship Tutor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Hi friends! Annabel (she/her/hers) is a junior transfer student currently passionately working towards her degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Cultural and Linguistic Diversity. She believes strongly in the power of empathy and self-growth, which she makes strides to translate into her career and personal life. Her journey towards wanting to be a teacher is fueled by her mission to foster creativity and authentic diversity in the classroom. Her desire to advocate for herself as a first-generation, Korean American woman led her here to GITA, where she works as an enthusiastic Scholarship Tutor and Events/Marketing student staff member. Her second job is as an elementary tutor, where she thrives in the opportunity to guide kids in their educational journey with love and fun! Outside of work and school, Annabel loves to try new food, bullet journal, write poetry, and paint. 

Academics and Outreach

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Say hello to our new Academics and Outreach team member Kloe (she/her/hers)! She attends MSU Denver and is currently a senior. She is very passionate about psychology and aims to leave with a bachelor’s degree to pursue her dreams of becoming an art therapist for children. She believes that art therapy is a perfect form of self and emotional expression that goes beyond the bounds of language. She loves to paint, sing, write, and exercise! Her interests include the topic of self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and true crime. She is so excited to be here with us and add comfort and openness to our safe space. 

Scholarship Tutor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Hi everyone! Ari (He/They) is a Mexican-American First Generation University Freshman who has interests in Marketing, GWS Studies, and Music. He currently does not know his major or degree path, but most likely will be somewhere in GWS/Marketing with a Music Minor. He joined GITA under the CollegeWorks program and loved it so much he stayed with us and is now a Scholarship Tutor at GITA. Ari loves Hello Kitty, Sanrio, Video games, Pink things and plants!

Academics and Outreach

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2052

Bio: Brooke (she/they) is a transfer student working towards their degree in Gender, Women, and Sexualites with a minor in Social Work. She is a part of the academics and outreach team here at GITA. In the future, they hope to work in a field that advocates for and supports underrepresented individuals. She enjoys making connections and forming new friendships. Brooke was a frequent visitor at GITA space before joining the team, and formed amazing connections with the individuals within the community. Along with being a part of the student staff at GITA, she is going to be a learning assistant for the intro course to GWS for a second semester. In her free time she likes to experiment with makeup, go to concerts and hang with friends.

Scholarship Tutor

Email: [email protected]

Call: 303-615-2502

Bio: Hi Everybody! Daysi is a First-Generation Mexican American Senior student working on their degree towards Chicano/a Studies with a minor in Elementary Education. They are a firm believer that everybody’s story is worth sharing and that it allows for personal growth and understanding of others. Here at GITA, they are a Scholarship Tutor with the passion to help and connect with all students that they interact and work with. They are passionate about understanding the cultures and places that people come from in order to better understand those they come into contact with. Outside of work and school, you can find Daysi reading and picking up a variety of hobbies and exploring new foods and cultures.