Natalia+Avila

Natalia Avila, VP Internal Relations[[image:Nueva imagen.png align="right"]]

 * Year:** 2nd Year Ph.D. Student
 * Research Focus:** Rhetoric & Composition, Genre, Writing Program Administration, Technology & writing
 * Program**: Teaching and Learning, specializing in Language, Literacy, and Composition Studies with an interdisciplinary emphasis in Applied Linguistics
 * Contact**: navila@education.ucsb.edu

**Bio:**
I am an international student from Chile. Back in my country, I worked as a writing adjunct professor and developed some of the first writing programs of the region. I have a M.A. in Linguistics and a double B.A. in Education and Spanish Linguistics. My current research aims at developing and strengthening the teaching of writing in my country from a theoretically informed and situated perspective.

**What I hope to accomplish as the GSAE VP Internal Relations:**
My interest in joining the GSAE was to work in creating resources to better support our learning experience as graduate students. One of my main focuses is academics, as the liaison to the Dean's office. I am also interested in representing the international students in our community and, overall, working to make our school a more vibrant, multicultural space. Finally, my job also includes addressing issues of equity and discrimination within the community, by connecting students to University resources and events.