Women's Words of Wisdom Spotlight: Laura Valdez

Please join us, Wednesday Oct. 24^th at 7:30 p.m. at the conference hotel for the third annual Women's Words of Wisdom Dessert Reception. This event provides an opportunity for women in student affairs to socialize and hear from outstanding women in the field providing words of inspiration in the hopes of supporting our female colleagues at all levels of their career. Phenomenal women, we believe to be role models in the field, will provide a 5 minute prepared SA Speaks style presentation to participants about lessons learned, motivation, inspiration, or anything else she might feel would be beneficial in sharing with women as they make the journey of their career path. To showcase the women who will be speaking this year in Wichita, KS, we will highlight them leading up to the conference. For our final installment, we are thrilled to share with you Laura Valdez.

Laura Valdez is the director of University Advisement at the University of New Mexico. Prior to her current position, Valdez was the director of the University College Advising Center at UNM. Laura has more than 25 years experience in higher education, including several positions at the University of New Mexico. She has worked in Student Affairs, including for more than 10 years as director of New Student Orientation. While working with NSO, Valdez made a number of contributions. She created the Family Connection Program, made orientation mandatory for all undergraduates, moved NSO to an online registration system, and created online orientation programs to accommodate transfer and returning students. Laura has been with University College since 2010, and has been a part-time instructor since 2007. In her position as director of the University College Advising Center, she worked to decrease student wait time, while also improving advising quality.

Valdez has also been active in professional associations, committees, and other campus efforts. Laura co-founded the NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community (LKC) and chaired both the Program and Assessment Committees for the NODA Association for Orientation Transition Retention in Higher Education national conference. She has also been active in campus-wide student success initiatives and accreditation efforts.

Valdez has earned two degrees from UNM, including a Master of Arts degree in Communication and Journalism, with a concentration on intercultural communication and rhetoric, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication.

Join us in Wichita to hear Laura Valdez and 3 other incredible women at this year’s Women’s Words of Wisdom. Registration cost for this event is $15 per person which includes a drink ticket and dessert. Add to your registration prior to checking out!

If you have already registered and have applied payment, please contact events@naspa.org with your added session selection and it will be added to your existing registration.

For additional information feel free to contact Abby Vollmer abby.vollmer@doane.edu, Carla Stein Carla.Stein@frontrange.edu or Sara Mata sara.mata@ou.edu.