Cindy Chavez Swenson

Cindy Chavez Swenson is a Lecturer in the Department of English at Santa Clara University's College of Arts and Sciences. A first-generation academic from Santa Clara, CA, her research focuses on urban education and medical humanities, with particular emphasis on feminist disability theory and trauma studies. She holds a doctorate in Urban Education Leadership from the University of Southern California and a graduate degree in Cultural Studies from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid.

Her work examines how societal structures impact marginalized groups through the lenses of thinkers like Trinh Minh-ha and Jacques Derrida. With over 17 years of international teaching experience in first-year composition, she integrates her research on cultural narratives and embodied experiences into her pedagogy.