Staff

Jordana Mendelson is the Director of NYU’s Espacio de Culturas @KJCC since September 2020. She is also Associate Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and affiliate faculty in the Department of Art History and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at New York University. Prior to coming to NYU, Professor Mendelson taught at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and served as a visiting professor at the Universidad de Navarra, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and in the independent study program of the Museu d’Arr Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA).

Marina Garde is the Assistant Director at NYU’s Espacio de Culturas @KJCC since August 2023. She holds an MA in Political Science from Universidad Complutense in Spain, pursued post-graduate studies at the Diplomatic School in Madrid, and completed a Certificate in International Relations from New York University.

Jimena Llamas leads Communications and Social Media at Espacio de Culturas. She holds a degree in Business and Management from The University of London and has also studied Spanish Literature at la UNED. With over six years of experience, she has helped shape the editorial and audience development strategies of prestigious publishers like Libération and Le Monde.

Currently an MA Scholar in the MFA in Creative Writing in Spanish, Jimena is writing her first novel while hosting the podcast Servicio Público, where she engages writers in discussions on humanistic issues that resonate with society at large.

Luisa Marinho is an artist and Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at GSAS/NYU. She has an M.A. in Performance Studies from the Tisch School of the Arts/NYU and an M.A. in Scenic Arts from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Shania Ingol is the Communications, Social Media, and Outreach Intern for the Fall 2024 Semester. She is a Junior double majoring in International Relations and Spanish with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Camila Tiburcio is this year’s Friday’s on the Patio coordinating intern. She is a senior studying Social and Cultural analysis with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She is also part of the accelerated Master’s program for Latin American and Caribbean Studies with a strong focus on the Spanish speaking Caribbean. For this year’s events she is looking to highlight student organizations on campus and women’s issues in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Cecilia (Cece) Gutierrez is the Administrative Secretary at Espacio de Culturas. They are a recent graduate of NYU Steinhardt, holding a B.S in Media, Culture and Communication. Cecilia has a plethora of experience in administrative roles, event planning and student engagement. While a student, Cecilia was President of Program Board, NYU's largest student-run programming organization. She is proud to have spearheaded many engaging events, ranging from large scale concerts to intimate community nights. Prior to her appointment at the Espacio de Culturas, she worked at the NYU History Department as a Student Administrative Assistant. Outside of her work at NYU, Cecilia works in live events production as a Stage Manager and Theater Technician at the Guggenheim Museum's Peter B. Lewis Theater. They are also a musician, participating in NYU Chorale and other ensembles as a bassist.