Maria Veronica Elias

Maria Veronica Elias is an Associate Professor of Public Administration at the College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), specializing in border governance and public administration theory.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Public Affairs, The University of Akron, 2008
• M.A. in Geography and Urban Planning, The University of Akron, 2003
• Graduate Certificate in Management and Preservation of Natural Areas, The International University of Andalusia, 1999
• B.A. in Geography, The National University of the South, Argentina, 2000

Research Interests:

Her work critically examines public administration epistemology through borderland governance frameworks, focusing on street-level bureaucrats' responses to political pressures in Latin America and human rights claiming at the U.S.-Mexico border. She employs interpretive methodologies drawing on Foucault and Habermas to analyze how nonprofit organizations navigate white supremacy culture while serving marginalized communities.

Publication Trends:

Her 2023-2025 publications reveal three dominant trajectories: (1) border governance during crises (e.g., COVID-19 migration management), (2) interorganizational dynamics in asylum seeker care, and (3) critical examinations of power structures in social service organizations. These works consistently bridge theoretical public administration with practical human rights advocacy.

Scientific Awards:

• International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior/Literati Awards-Outstanding Paper Awards (2021)

Advising and Grants:

No specific student advising records or grant funding details were documented in the source materials, though her extensive conference presentations indicate active scholarly collaboration.