HTI Staff
Joanne Rodríguez
Executive Director
Rev. Dr. Joanne Rodríguez is Executive Director of the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA. Since 1999, she has worked collaboratively with students, faculty, deans, directors of non-profit educational programs, and presidents to ensure that HTI doctoral students complete their doctoral studies and become leaders who make an impact in theological and religious education as well as in the larger landscape of education. Rev. Dr. Rodríguez holds an honorary doctorate from the Iliff School of Theology, where she also served as the Commencement Speaker for the class of 2024; ThM and MDiv degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary; and a BA from Pace University. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) honored her with a 2024 Women in Leadership Trailblazer. She is a teaching elder at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Trenton, New Jersey.
Email: Joanne.Rodriguez@ptsem.edu
Ángela Schoepf
Associate Director for Operations
A native Colombian, Ángela joined HTI in 1999, after a career working for multinational companies. The transition required a bit of adjustment, but soon Ángela developed a deep passion for HTI’s mission, through the stories of the now more than 160 scholars she has worked for. Ángela is a graduate of Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca and Institución Universitaria Politécnico Grancolombiano, with Bachelor’s degrees in business and languages and computer sciences. She sees in each one of the graduates a role model for her daughter.
Email: Angela.Schoepf@ptsem.edu
Vanessa Ríos Valentín
Assistant Director for Programming
Vanessa Ríos Valentín is a Humanist Chaplain & Celebrant with over two decades of experience as an educator, conference speaker, and training instructor. Additionally, she has worked as a hospice chaplain as well as a crisis counselor. Vanessa received her B.A. in psychology from Montclair State University; M.Div. with specialization in Chaplaincy from Claremont School of Theology; and is currently a Ph.D. student in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Vanessa aspires to carry out HTI’s mission of cultivating Latine leadership with a holistic approach in the areas of community, education, and mental health.
Suzette Aloyo
Office Coordinator
Suzette Aloyo, a descendent of Puerto Rican parents, grew up in the Bronx, New York. The majority of Suzette’s career was spent in the legal field. First as a paralegal in corporations then 13 years in a prominent NY law firm working on trusts & estates, corporate and labor law. Moving to the Princeton area in 2000, Suzette has been aware and a part of the Princeton Theological Seminary community through her husband, Rev. Dr. Victor Aloyo, Jr. Over the past seventeen years, Suzette has also served as administrative assistant and office manager at a couple of area organizations. She looks forward to bringing to HTI her talents and skill set to further the objectives of the program.
Email: Suzette.Aloyo@ptsem.edu
Noreen Santos
Database Research Assistant
Noreen Santos, who is Puerto Rican, was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Graduating with a BS in Business Administration, Noreen worked as a programmer/analyst, 13 years in NYC’s Financial District. Always involved in church from young, she accepted God’s calling on her life to enter Princeton Theological Seminary obtaining her MDiv in ’02. Afterward, she served the Presbyterian Church of the Redeemer of East Brooklyn as pastor for 16 years. As the church experience ended, seeking God’s guidance brought her back to familiar ground, Hispanic Theological Seminary where she worked as a student aide while enrolled at PTS. She looks forward to working with the HTI in meeting their goals.
Email: Noreen.Santos@ptsem.edu
Isabel Gonzalez
Communications Liaison
Email: Isabel.Gonazalez@ptsem.edu
Jasmin Gonzalez
Student Aide
Jasmin Gonzalez is a Senior in her MDiv program at Princeton Theological Seminary. She was born and raised in the Central Valley of California and attended Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. Jasmin has her BA in Biblical Studies and Theology and hopes to continue in higher education through research and teaching. She aspires to bridge her context, including her Hispanic heritage, with the world around her and is excited to acquire new skills for doing so while working at HTI.
Josh Jimenez
Student Aide
Josh Jimenez is a first year MDiv student at Princeton Theological Seminary. He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish from Rollins College. Josh recently spent a year as a church volunteer in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where he worked in a K-12 academy. He looks forward to furthering his theological education and supporting HTI’s efforts during his time at PTS.
Sergio Rodriguez
Student Aide
Sergio Rodriguez is a Master of Divinity candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was raised in Gainesville, Georgia in a Salvadoran immigrant household. He received his bachelor’s degree in Theology with a concentration in Pastoral Leadership from Vanguard University in Southern California. Sergio graduated magna cum laude and was honored with the Outstanding Student in Pastoral Leadership award. Driven by his passion for service, creativity, and education, Sergio strives to serve as a bridge of empowerment for those in marginalized, overlooked, and underserved communities. His goal is to be a voice for the voiceless and a listening ear for the unheard. Sergio plans to pursue a PhD and he is excited to work with HTI in empowering current and future scholars, as they pursue their service for the mosaic of humanity.