Andiara Schwingel, Director
As Director of the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies, I work to strengthen connections between Brazil and Illinois through interdisciplinary scholarship, education, and engagement. I am a Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of Health and Kinesiology where I work closely with students, faculty, and staff, providing leadership in academic programs and administration. My research focuses on aging, health equity, and chronic disease prevention and management, particularly within Hispanic, rural, and Brazilian communities. My work in Brazil includes longstanding collaborations with communities to promote healthy aging. A central component of my research involves leveraging the Community Health Worker model (Agentes Comunitários de Saúde) to bridge gaps in care, promote culturally relevant interventions, and build sustainable community capacity. My connection to Brazil is also deeply personal, I come from a family of Italian and German immigrants in southern Brazil, and I love to cook and share meals with family and friends.
Carolina Rocha, Associate Director
Carolina is Associate Director of the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies. Together with the Director, she is responsible for the overall operation of the center, including program development, coordination with other units in the Illinois Global Institute (IGI), grants management, and alumni relations and advancement. Carolina is an experienced educator. She has a Master and PhD from the University of Texas Austin. At the University of Illinois, she worked at Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange as an embedded study abroad coordinator. Before that, Carolina was a Professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and where she served as Director of the Women’s Studies program (2019-2024). She specializes in contemporary Latin American literature and cinema and coedited New Trends in Argentine and Brazilian Cinema.
Elis Artz, Senior Program Coordinator
Elis Artz is the Senior Program Coordinator at the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She oversees the Center's programs and initiatives, working closely with the Faculty Director to advance its mission. Her work spans strategic planning, student and faculty engagement, and outreach efforts that enhance the Center’s impact on campus and beyond. Originally from northeastern Brazil, Elis is a psychologist with extensive experience in academic program coordination and international education. She has been instrumental in managing fellowships and grants, coordinating high-profile events, and fostering collaborations between scholars in Brazil and the U.S. Her leadership ensures seamless operations and meaningful programming that strengthens connections across academic and cultural communities.