Mackenzi is passionate about the Green Bay Packers, 16th and 17th century Spanish Literature, and learning languages. She speaks English, Spanish, French and Portuguese and hopes to learn Italian someday. She teaches beginning and intermediate level Spanish courses. She was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, IA and did her Bachelor’s in her hometown at Coe College. She completed a Masters degree in Spanish Language and Literature at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Her research interests include representations of otherness within Golden Age Spanish literature, specifically looking at black and morisco characters.