Before joining the staff of El Centro de la Raza in June of 2007, Christopher Smith-Lopez earned his BA in Fine Arts at UNM in 2000.  Much of his work with El Centro has been hands-on experience working with many student-based activities including internships, mentorships, and cultural components for Latino, Hispano, and Migrant students.  Christopher also participated as a co-team lead with the UNM Service Corp in 1999 at Santa Barbara-Martinez Town where he served as a mentor for school-aged children.  He subsequently returned to his hometown of Espanola and worked as a Career Educator and Educational Advisor at Northern NM College.  By participating in the fellowship program Christopher hopes to improve his leadership skills while contributing his knowledge as an educational and career advisor.  He’s also excited about the opportunity to network and collaborate with various departments.