Dr. Chadrhyn A. A. Pedraza is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Leadership and Administration department of the School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, and Leadership (TPAL) in the College of HEST. She holds a BA in Psychology from UCLA, an EdM in Risk and Prevention from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration from NMSU.

With nearly two decades of experience in both academic and field settings, Dr. Pedraza has worked with students from diverse academic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. Her extensive professional journey has deepened her commitment to creating inclusive spaces that leverage students' strengths while addressing their unique challenges. She is passionate about contributing to initiatives that foster these supportive environments.

Dr. Pedraza’s research interests focus on the higher education experiences and identity formation of Asian/American and Pacific Islander (A/API) students, the deconstruction of monoracialism, the historical role of A/API communities in higher education, and mentorship, particularly for women in academia.

Fun Facts: Outside of her academic work, Dr. Pedraza is an avid participant in the performing arts. Her past performances include "Reclaiming Cunt" in The Vagina Monologues, playing "Joseph" and "Reuben" in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (a production cut short by COVID-19), and singing alto in Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall. When not with her husband and three children, she enjoys reading murder mysteries set in the Regency/Victorian Era or the Gilded Age, especially those featuring female protagonists and watching horror and cheesy holiday movies.

Dr. Chadrhyn A. A. Pedraza

Interim Director, Asian Pacific Islander Program