Leadership

James Hollifield

Interim Director

jhollifi@smu.edu

James F. Hollifield is Ora Nixon Arnold Professor of International Political Economy in the Department of Political Science and Director of the Tower Center at SMU and Interim Director of the Texas-México Center. He also is a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, DC and a member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. Hollifield is a scholar of international and comparative political economy, and he has written widely on issues of political and economic development, with a focus on migration. Among his major works are Immigrants, Markets and States (Harvard UP 1992), L'Immigration et l'Etat Nation (L'Harmattan 1997), Pathways to Democracy (Routledge, 2000), Herausforderung Migration— Perspektiven der vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft (Lit Verlag 2006). Recent books include Understanding Global Migration (Stanford UP 2022) and Controlling Immigration 4th edition (Stanford UP 2022), Migration Theory 4th edition (Routledge 2023), and International Political Economy: History, Theory and Policy (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming). Hollifield has served as an advisor for governments around the world and for many international organizations on matters of migration and human and economic development, including the Inter-American Development Bank and the Organization for American States.

Astrid Galvan-Segura

Event and Marketing Manager

astridgalvan@smu.edu

Astrid Galvan-Segura has an extensive background in logistics, trade, marketing and international affairs. Prior to SMU, she worked in a Texas-based distribution company that imports and distributes Latino products to the United States of America, where she helped create brand awareness for products entering the U.S. market, expanded the company's CRM and helped create and implement new customer service systems. Prior to that, she worked for an international Mexican airline as their DFW representative, where she expanded their corporate market customer base. She also has over ten years experience in event management, having done events for both the Consulate General of Mexico in Boston and Dallas. Throughout her work experience, she has worked for organizations with an international outlook and has specialized in project management and streamlining processes.

Courtney Weeks

Assistant Director of the Texas-Mexico Center

weeksc@smu.edu

Courtney Weeks is an experienced academic leader and cross-cultural program manager with a passion for advancing U.S.-Mexico relations through education, research, and strategic collaboration. Originally from Utah, Courtney brings a dynamic international background shaped by four years of professional experience in Mexico, including three years in Mexico City and one year in Chiapas.

Before joining Southern Methodist University, Courtney served as the Academic Coordinator at the American School Foundation of Chiapas, where she developed a five-year academic improvement plan, supported faculty development, and oversaw global engagement initiatives. She also held leadership roles in virtual instruction at Elevate K-12, where she managed large instructional teams and earned recognition for student engagement.

Courtney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Education from Utah Valley University and an Executive Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.