Stephanie Cardoza-Cruz

Interim Director

My name is Stephanie Cardoza-Cruz and I am excited to be the Interim Directors for La Casa. I was born and raised in Central New Jersey where my close family still lives. I'm at midwest transplant having arrived in Champaign-Urbana in 2021 for my position as Assistant Director here at La Casa.  Growing up, I spent as much time as possible in the heart of Honduras visiting my familia in El Progeso & San Pedro Sula. My interest in working with students began during my undergraduate career at Rowan University where I became super involved across campus through Student Activities, Greek Life, and Res Life. 

Following my time at Rowan, I pursued my Masters in Higher Education at the Pennyslvania State University where I served as a Graduate Assistant within Student Activities and had multiple internships that allowed me to advocate for students. In my free time, I love to explore the areas around me, plan future travel opportunities, spend time with my friends and family, and keep my pup Theo out of trouble. I'm looking forward to working directly with and advocating for students, creating opportunities for students to thrive at Illinois, and being able to be a part of the legacy of La Casa!

Julio Velasco

Assistant Director

Hi, my name is Julio Velasco. I am very excited to be one of the new Assistant Directors for La Casa Cultural Latina. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL.

I recently worked at Central Michigan University as the Graduate Assistant for the Multicultural Academic Student Services. I oversaw most of the mentoring initiatives for Black Indigenous Students of Color, assisted with cultural programming for all our heritage months, and launched two retention programs for the Multicultural Advancement Scholars. I earned my Bachelor's in Sociology and my Master's in Higher Education Administration from Central Michigan University.

In my free time, I like to game, watch anime, design clothes, collect sneakers, and spend time with my partner and friends. I am looking forward to serving the students on campus, serving my community, and continuing to build on the legacy of La Casa.

Jennifer Philbeck

Office Support Associate

Hello! My name is Jennifer Philbeck, and I'm beyond excited at this amazing opportunity to be the new Office Support Associate for La Casa. My most recent position with the University of Illinois was working for the Intensive English Institute. I thoroughly enjoyed this position. After patiently waiting for my youngest to enter school full-time, I was finally able to receive my associates degree from Parkland College for Business Administrative Technology. I have lived in central Illinois my entire life, with most of that being in Piatt County. I adore small town living. 

When I'm not hard at work, spending as much time as possible with family and friends is my favorite thing to do. They're what makes my world spin. Other things I enjoy are cooking, trying new foods, traveling, helping others, and my dog Willow. My soon to be husband and I will be celebrating 13 years together this month, and are the proud parents of 3 sons. 2 are in high school, 1 has already left the nest. The 4 of us have lived on a farm just on the tip of McLean County for almost 5 years now. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone, serving all the smiling faces that will come through our doors, as well as learning and growing in this position. Proud to be a part of the La Casa family.