Erica Cabrera is a Central Valley native and HOPE Leadership Institute Alumnus, Class of 2013. She currently works for Pacific Gas & Electric as a Central Coast-Central Valley Local Government Affairs Manager servicing Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, & Tulare Counties. Erica earned a Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Fresno Pacific University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University, Fresno. She has 10 years of experience working in local and state government; which includes serving as District Director for former Assemblymember Henry T. Perea.

As the CEO of HOPE for 23 years, Helen Iris Torres has strategically built a Latina leadership and advocacy infrastructure in California, composed of thousands of civically engaged Latina leaders serving in elected and appointed office, as business, philanthropic and community leaders. She has created robust pathways to leadership for Latinas in high school to Latinas across the United States, resulting in over 1,600 leadership positions being filled by Latinas. Helen was raised by a single mother outside of Detroit, Michigan. She is a first-generation college graduate. Her passion to fight for women’s rights stems from witnessing the sexual and racial discrimination her mother faced daily.

Maribeth Annaguey’s practice involves class action defense, real estate disputes, Talent Agencies Act disputes, and matters involving breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, fraud, securities violations, and defamation. Prior to her current role as Managing Partner at Annaguey McCann, she was Partner at Ellis George Cipollone O’Brien Annaguey where she lead the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Under her leadership, the firm initiated cultural events and educational programs. She also strategized ways to respond to the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Call to Action Challenge of promoting the advancement of women.

Nora Dominguez has served University of Laverne for the past twenty-one years as Regional Marketing Director, Admission &Corporate Education Specialist, Associate Director of Recruitment, and currently as Regional Campus Director for the Kern County Campus in Bakersfield. Dominguez earned her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership at University of La Verne. She is a graduate of Leadership Bakersfield and The HOPE Leadership Institute. She and her husband own two small businesses and support several non-profits. She currently serves as a member on several Boards and as President of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Kern County.

Anabel Giron is the director of investments at Cal Wellness, responsible for overseeing the foundation’s endowment with a focus on aligning the investment strategy with the foundation’s mission. Before joining Cal Wellness, she spent seven years as director of investments for the California Community Foundation. Currently, Giron is board chair of DIY Girls and an advisory member of the Hispanics in Philanthropy Investment Committee. Giron earned a Bachelor’s in Finance from Cal State Northridge and a Master’s in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Columbia University.

Lennies is the Principal and Owner of LMG Consulting & Strategies, a bay area consulting firm focused on public policy, community engagement, advocacy and leadership development. She previously served as Director of Government Affairs for Comcast, representing the South Bay and Southern Peninsula and earlier worked in the California State Legislature. She currently serves on the boards of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, Chamber San Mateo County and the PAL Center in Redwood City.  She is a graduate of University California at Davis and Lorenzo Patino Law School of Sacramento.  She is an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and HOPE Leadership Institute alum.

Sandra Magaña Cuellar is the Director of Government Relations for the Inland Empire at Charter Communications. She oversees federal, state, and local government regulations in addition to community efforts and political outreach. Sandra has donated her time on the boards of organizations such as the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Riverside Chamber of Commerce, and Congressman Ken Calvert’s Science, Technology and Education Partnership (STEP). Sandra received her master’s degree in Communications Management with an emphasis in Telecommunications policy from USC.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Lifeline Community Services, Lisette Islas is a transformational leader with an extensive track record spanning more than twenty-five years of experience working in the fields of community and economic development. She has dedicated her career to furthering the economic and social strength of the San Diego region, while developing innovative strategies that uplift individuals, families, and communities. Lisette is recognized for her exceptional ability to build strategies, forge relationships among diverse groups, and develop innovative and impactful programs. Her expertise is sought after by organizations seeking to engage hard-to-reach populations, build partnerships across sectors and drive organizational change. Previously, she held the position of Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer at MAAC, a nonprofit that has offered programs and services throughout San Diego County for nearly 60 years.

Elsa Valay-Paz is vice president of gas acquisition for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), a Sempra regulated utility. She is responsible for procuring natural gas for SoCalGas’ and San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E) residential and small commercial customers and delivering it to the utilities’ system. Previously, Valay-Paz served as director of supply management for SDG&E, also a Sempra regulated utility, where she oversaw supply management, supplier diversity and logistics. Before that, she was director of origination and energy supply and dispatch for SDG&E, where she directed the energy procurement department. Valay-Paz serves as the board secretary of the Reuben H. Fleet and Science Center in San Diego and is a board member of the American Heart Association in Los Angeles. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and a master’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University.

Karla Diaz Sayles is vice president of Local Public Affairs, responsible for community and government relations at Southern California Edison, one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. Sayles leads the company’s strategic engagement efforts with local governments, community leaders and regional stakeholders across Southern California. Her portfolio includes licensing for infrastructure development and grid modernization projects, wildfire recovery and rebuild, and emergency preparedness, while cultivating meaningful partnerships with communities to advance SCE’s key initiatives and priorities.
Most recently, Sayles worked in the governor’s office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) as deputy director of the California Film Commission overseeing film permitting, tax incentives, location resources and on-location production support. Previously, she served as director of public affairs at Warner Bros. Discovery, managing public affairs strategies and stakeholder engagement. Before that, she was the health deputy for Los Angeles County’s second supervisorial district and held positions at various public affairs firms.

Sayles maintains her commitment to building strong communities through service on several nonprofit boards, including LA Mayor Karen Bass’ Entertainment Industry Council and the advisory board for Zócalo Public Square. She is a member of the Junior League of Los Angeles (president 2018-2019) and is an alumna of HOPE Leadership Institute.

Sayles holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies from Northwestern University.

Lourdes Castro Ramírez is a nationally recognized housing and community development leader with a distinguished career spanning federal, state, and local government. Throughout her tenure, she has consistently driven large-scale policy initiatives and operational excellence to expand affordable housing and bridge the gap between policy and practice. As the President and CEO of HACLA, the second-largest public housing authority in the United States, Castro Ramírez leads an agency serving over 200,000 residents and manages a budget of $2.4 billion. Her leadership focuses on a “people, place, and pathways” framework, aimed at scaling affordable housing production and enhancing economic mobility for families.

Key Areas of Impact & Expertise:

* Federal Leadership: Appointed by President Barack Obama, she led the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Public and Indian Housing, managing a $26 billion budget and overseeing programs that housed millions of families nationwide.

* State Policy: As Secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency under Governor Gavin Newsom, she directed 12 state entities and 40 boards to streamline homelessness solutions, safeguard civil rights, and accelerate housing preservation across the world’s fifth-largest economy.

* Local & Regional Strategy: Before returning to HACLA, she served as Chief Housing and Homelessness Solutions Officer for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, where she was instrumental in fast-tracking affordable housing and forging the regional partnerships necessary to address the city’s homelessness crisis. She continues to serve as a strategic advisor to the Mayor.

A practitioner at heart, Castro Ramírez’s career also includes transformative executive roles at the San Antonio Housing Authority and the University Health System Foundation.

She holds a Master of Arts in Urban Planning and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Chicano Studies from UCLA, a foundation that informs her lifelong commitment to building equitable, resilient communities.

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Xiomara Peña is a passionate mission-driven leader with over a decade of experience and a keen interest in power building efforts to restore power to community members who have been locked out of wealth building opportunities through policy and programmatic interventions. As Vice President of Innovation & Community Engagement at HOPE, Xiomara works to lead and inspire a team to achieve organizational goals. Her role provides strategic insight in collaboration with the CEO and other senior leaders to execute HOPE’s strategic plan, inclusive of overseeing national and regional expansion of HOPE’s programs. She develops targeted engagement strategies for various stakeholders including community leaders, funders, partners, elected officials and others. She’s recognized as an effective public speaker having been invited to over 500 conferences, panels, and presentations. Xiomara has nearly 250 media mentions in national, state, and local media markets including the Wall Street Journal, Univision, Telemundo and many others. She serves in an advisory capacity to several thought partners promoting a level playing field for POC and marginalized communities.

Diana Amaya oversees the implementation of HOPE’s flagship leadership development programs and the design of new programs with the goal of preparing Latinas for civic and career leadership. Diana and the programs team train over 170 women annually through the pipeline of leadership programs that serve Latinas at various stages in their lives. Under Diana’s leadership, HOPE formalized college initiatives into the HOPE College Leadership Program, a national training hub for first-generation Latinas. Diana describes her work as Latina power building, and her passion for it stems from her upbringing, having been raised by a single mother and witnessing the struggles and triumphs of immigrant women in her working-class community.

Johanna provides strategic leadership across key administrative functions to ensure HOPE’s day-to-day operations run efficiently while building organizational capacity and scaling operations. She drives cost-effective solutions in support of HOPE’s mission and develops innovative systems that enhance team productivity. As Director of Administration, Johanna oversees Human Resources and Organizational Development, Fundraising Operations, Finance and Budgeting as well as serving as the principal liaison for IT strategy and support.

Before joining HOPE, Johanna served as Director of Business Operations at the American Red Cross for the Los Angeles Region, where she led a team to support operations across the region’s five chapters. She managed human resources and administrative functions including initiatives such as strategic grant planning, process improvement, and partnerships for service delivery across diverse worksites.

A proud first-generation college graduate and Golden Eagle, Johanna earned both her Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Los Angeles. In her free time she enjoys riding her motorcycle, spending time with her family, and raising her two boys.

As Senior Program Manager Lea Gonzalez is responsible for HOPE’s Leadership Institute and the organization’s adult programs. She is a professional with over 10 years of civic engagement, governmental relations, and political experience. Lea has demonstrated her commitment to the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles by working for a variety of non-profit organizations and elected officials. A lifelong resident born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Lea graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Central American Studies with a devoted passion to improve the community she was born in. In her spare time, Lea loves to travel.

Monica is a first-generation college graduate, born and raised in the Los Angeles area and the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. She has served in various roles in nonprofit organizations working to empower communities and further develop leaders. She is passionate about mentorship, advocating for her community, social justice, and the political process. Prior to HOPE she was at IGNITE where she helped empower young women to use their political power and at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) where she helped provide professional development opportunities for Latino Elected Officials to strengthen their leadership. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and a minor in Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, rollerblading, running and spending time with friends and family.

Lauren Salaiz is a Senior Manager at HOPE, where she manages the organization’s regional advocacy and leadership training programs. Most recently, she worked on the design, launch, and facilitation of the inaugural HOPE Regional Leadership Institutes and Hubs based out of Los Angeles and San Diego. In her role, Lauren leads program strategy, curriculum design, and community partnerships that equip Latinas to advocate for positive change at the city, county, and school board levels and to pursue elected and appointed leadership positions. Before expanding HOPE’s regional programming, Lauren managed HOPE’s high school and college leadership programs, which engage more than 150 Latina students annually on a national scale. Through forming impactful partnerships with high schools in California, university leaders from across the country, and renowned speakers, she worked to expand the reach and influence of HOPE’s youth-serving initiatives. Lauren received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA. She was born and raised in San Diego, California.

Fernanda Santiago Maxwell is a Senior Manager for HOPE. In her role, Fernanda focuses on building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, community leaders, and elected officials throughout California. Fernanda is working on growing leaders through a tri-county effort, launching our Regional Leadership Institute in the Central Valley. She spearheaded HOPEs work around appointments, building and maintaining an online tool to connect leaders with opportunities to increase their civic engagement. Fernanda has a background in philanthropy and campaign work. She earned her B.A. in political science from UCLA and proudly serves on board of the Central Valley Bruins Alumni Association.

Natalie is dedicated to overseeing the organization’s core administrative functions, ensuring streamlined operations, effective financial and grant management, and successful execution of HOPE’s individual giving program. She also plays an instrumental role in providing effective human resources practices, maintaining accurate and consistent CRM databases, and managing the organization’s internship program.

Driven by a sense of purpose and a passion for optimizing processes and operational efficiency, Natalie is deeply committed to organizations with a mission to advance communities at the local and global levels. As a first-generation, college graduate with a B.A. in International Development Studies and a minor in Entrepreneurship from UCLA, she brings a comprehensive skill set to the organization, blending strategic thinking with hands-on experience.

Outside of HOPE, Natalie loves to dance, try new things, and stay active.

As a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a concentration in marketing, Anahi brings a solid foundation in marketing strategy and data analytics. As a marketing expert who has grown her career working in the nonprofit sector working with diverse groups, she has displayed her leadership and creative skills in solving problems within fast-paced work environments that promote cultural diversity. Anahi’s experience includes being brand strategist, analytics enthusiast, event promoter, and social media master.

Natalie Aguilar serves as the Communications and Research Manager at HOPE. As a first-generation college graduate from Southern California, Natalie is fueled by her passion for sustainability and social impact. She earned a master’s degree in International Affairs from UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy, specializing in international environmental governance with a focus on Latin America, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from UC Irvine’s School of Social Sciences. Her experience includes data analysis and interpretation, community engagement, digital and content marketing, business development, and energy policy analysis.

Kimberly “Kim” Salinas leads all the logistics and administrative work for HOPE’s leadership programs. She also leads HOPE’s Pop-Up Coach, a web-based online mentoring program created to connect first-generation Latinas with working professional Latinas. She is a first-generation college graduate and earned her B.A. in Business from Cal State Fullerton.

Karla Barrera is a first-generation college student at California State University, Fullerton, majoring in Communications with a concentration in Journalism and a certificate in Digital Media. Now in her final year, she is passionate about storytelling and amplifying underrepresented voices. As a Latina who grew up in Mexico and now lives in California, she is especially inspired by the stories of women she can relate to. Through her internship, she hopes to highlight and celebrate these stories in meaningful ways across digital platforms.

Madison Salguero is a fourth-year student at California State University, Fullerton, double-majoring in Sociology and American Studies. Her research and academic interests include social inequalities and community welfare, and she hopes to pursue a career in public policy after graduation. She is incredibly inspired by those who work in political advocacy and hopes to uplift her community through advocacy.

Angelica Rodriguez is pursuing a master’s in history at Cal State University, Northridge. Her interests center on community history, civic engagement, and Latina leadership development. Through her internship, she looks forward to supporting HOPE’s leadership pipeline programs that empower Latinas at various stages of their lives.

I am a fourth-year student at California State University, Northridge, pursuing a degree in Political Science and History. As the first in my family to attend university and the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, I am committed to uplifting the Hispanic community through political advocacy. After college, I hope to attend law school and pursue a career in immigration law, where I can advocate for immigrant communities and advance social justice.

Nicole Crúz is a first-generation, fourth-year student at California State University, Fullerton, majoring in Criminal Justice and American Studies. She is deeply interested in issues related to immigration, law, and social justice. After graduation, Nicole plans to attend law school and pursue a career as an immigration lawyer.

Jazmine Moran is a first-year student at the University of Southern California pursuing a degree in International Relations and French. She has an interest in foreign and local affairs and policies. After college, she hopes to work within these fields as well as attend law school.