Dr. Arely Hernandez
Adjunct faculty
Dr. Hernandez serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Women and Gender's Studies at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). With a background in violence prevention and intervention programs, laws, and policies around family violence, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. Dr. Hernandez utilizes trauma-informed and inclusive practices to create spaces that prioritize safety, trust, and empowerment. She is passionate about engaging students through interactive learning and connecting course content to real-world contexts.
In addition, Dr. Hernandez currently serves as the Associate Director of Campus Advocacy at the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), where she oversees the daily operations of the Campus Program. Across her career, she has strengthened campus safety and survivor support by building cross-departmental partnerships, facilitating peer learning, designing assessment tools, and leading large-scale campus and community engagement efforts.
Dr. Hernandez contributes her expertise to statewide and regional efforts, including serving on the Texas Governor’s Sexual Assault Survivors Task Force (SASTF) Campus Working Group. She frequently presents at national and state conferences on trauma-informed practices, campus advocacy, coordinated community response, and survivor-centered approaches. A committed lifelong learner, Dr. Hernandez has completed extensive professional training in trauma, crisis intervention, motivational interviewing, cultural competency, Title IX, Clery compliance, and victim advocacy. She is also bilingual in English and Spanish.
Dr. Hernandez is a first-generation Latina college graduate who earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from UTEP, focusing on educational policy and assessment. Her research interest is campus-based advocacy, policy implementation in higher education, and strategies for supporting student survivors. She is committed to bridging theory, policy, and practice to strengthen campus responses to violence.
