Maritza Concha

Maritza Concha, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida's College of Community Innovation and Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from UCF, a master’s in Latin American Studies from the University of Miami, and a bachelor’s in International Relations from Florida International University. Her work focuses on program evaluation for non-profits serving Latino/a immigrant communities and at-risk populations like human trafficking victims and refugees.

Dr. Concha’s research explores acculturation stress, community-based interventions, and collaboration among service organizations. She has published in journals such as the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health and Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, with recent studies addressing AI applications in participatory research and Venezuelan return migration in Peru. She is affiliated with the Advancing Collaborative Evaluation (ACE) Network and the American Evaluation Association.

Her professional service includes evaluating projects for South Florida non-profits, emphasizing culturally responsive approaches. Key themes in her work include Latino health equity, fatherhood programs, and the impact of religious coping mechanisms among immigrants.