Cynthia Nayeli Carvajal, PhD, is a scholar and practitioner at the intersection of immigration and education. Originally from Zapopan, Mexico, Carvajal immigrated to East Los Angeles, California, at the age of five, where she navigated K-12 education as an undocumented immigrant. Her personal and professional goals are grounded in her experience as a formerly undocumented immigrant, student, and community member for twelve years of her life.

Carvajal currently serves as the inaugural director for Undocumented and Immigrant Student Programs at City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s largest urban public university. This position is the first of its kind in New York State and was created to support undocumented and immigrant students across all the CUNY campuses.