Elena Alti

Chief Marketing Officer, Grupo Salinas / Grupo Elektra | Mexico City, MX

Elena Alti is currently Grupo Elektra´s CMO and member of its Executive Committee. Marketing and communications professional with more than 25 years of experience leading projects focused on strategic and operational marketing, brand building, customer experience and digitalization. Elena has an extensive global experience managing cross area teams in different companies and markets (Santander Group, NH Hotels, WPP, Interpublic Group and Omnicom Group). Chosen as one of the ten most relevant women in the European Marketing and Communication Industry ("Women to Watch Europe 2018") by the North American magazine AdAge and named one of the 10 best-valued professionals in Spain in 2019 according to the marketing consultancy agency SCOPEN. Elena has a degree in Information Sciences and a master´s degree in Corporate Communication, both from Complutense University (Madrid). Additionally, she has a master’s degree in digital marketing from The Valley Digital Business School, and another one in Digital Mindset &Strategy from Deusto Business School. She is also member of the Academic Advisory Board of the EAE Business School and part of the Steering Committee of IAB´s Inspirational Festival. Besides her family and travelling all around the world seeking for culture and knowledge, Elena loves to share her experience with other professionals, and she can do it being an accredited mentor of the Spanish Mentoring Association.
 

María Luisa Boyce

Vice President of International Policy for Global Public Affairs, UPS | Washington, D.C.

María Luisa Boyce is Vice President of International Policy for Global Public Affairs, bringing more than 25 years of experience and leadership in international trade, customs affairs and cross-border trade. In her current role, she is part of the team working on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C., United States, advocating for UPS’ priorities, she supports the company's government affairs efforts in Latin America, advocates for global policy impacting UPS’s Small Business Enterprise (SMEs) customers  and leads for the Global Public Affairs team the UPS Women Exporters Program which has trained over 17,000 women and small business owners over the past 3 years. In her professional career, Maria Luisa has held different positions and functions in both the private and public sectors of the United States, to include U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Border Trade Alliance.  She has worked in regional committees, and partner with multilateral organizations. This has allowed her to have a solid knowledge of cross-border trade, understanding of logistics and the challenges faced by SMEs around the globe.
Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, María Luisa holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia and has a Certificate from the  Harvard Kennedy School of Government for Strategic Management for Regulatory and Compliance Agencies.

Eva-Dina Delgado 

State Representative, Illinois General Assembly | Chicago, IL 

Eva-Dina Delgado has served as State Representative from the 3rd Illinois House District since November 2019.   She serves on the following House Committees: Appropriations-Public Safety; Public Utilities (vice-chair); Transportation: Vehicles and Safety, Consumer Protection, Education: Admin, Lic & Charters. Prior to joining the General Assembly, Eva-Dina was the Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas. She was the lead policy and strategy advisor to the president, implementing key initiatives, strategic and business planning, along with monitoring business performance.  She was promoted from Manager of Local Government & Community Relations.  In that role she designed and implemented the company’s community outreach and engagement strategies and served as the company’s chief liaison with the city of Chicago, portions of Lake County, and their elected officials. Eva-Dina also previously served as the Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA), the nation's second largest public transit system. Before that, Eva-Dina served as the Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the City of Chicago under Mayor Richard M. Daley. There, she developed and aggressively pursued a state legislative agenda to protect the interests of the city and its residents. Eva-Dina holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law and Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, Wellesley College. She is an active member of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and the House Democratic Women’s Caucus and serves as a board member Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation. She was named a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow in 2010; Chicago Police Board 2016-2019; “Rising Star” by the Women’s Energy Summit in 2016; Who’s Who in Latino Business by Negocios Now in 2019. She lives in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood along with her husband and daughter. 

Lisa Duarte

President & CEO, Point of Difference Strategies

Law Partner, Croke Fairchild Morgan & Beres | Chicago, IL 

Lisa Duarte has spent her career at the intersection of law and government. Prior to establishing Point of Difference Strategies and joining CROKE FAIRCHILD MORGAN & BERES as an Equity Partner, Lisa served as the First Assistant Deputy Governor for Budget & Economy in the JB Pritzker Administration. In this role, Lisa oversaw 17 agencies involving budget, economy, economic development, and regulation and more than 170 boards and commissions. Prior to joining the Pritzker administration, Lisa was a Partner in the Government Affairs practice group at a boutique Chicago law firm, where she served a diverse client base on a broad set of legislative and regulatory issues in Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County.  Lisa also worked with the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office where she served as Legislative Counsel to former Mayor Rahm Emanuel representing the City of Chicago before the Illinois General Assembly, state agencies, and executive offices. Outside of work, Lisa devotes time to her civic and philanthropic issues with a focus on helping the Latino community.  She is a Founding Board Member of the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus Foundation Leadership Academy which focuses on developing a pipeline for the next generation of Chicago’s Latino business and civic leaders. She is also a member, and previous Secretary, for the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation which awards scholarships to Latino students attending Illinois universities.  Lisa mentors Latino and other minority students informal and formally, through programs including the DePaul University College of Law’s 1L Diversity Mentoring Program. Lisa received Negocios Now’s 2018 and 2019 National 40 under 40 award as well as the 2019 40 under 40 Award from the Hispanic National Bar Association.  In 2020, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois bestowed upon Lisa the honor of receiving the Mercedes Luque Rosales Government Lawyer of the Year Award.  In 2021, the National Latino Education Institute acknowledged Lisa’s commitment to the ongoing education of Latinos with its Emerging Leader Award.  

Yoselin A. Genao Estrella

Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services  | Brooklyn, NY

Yoselin Genao-Estrella is a dynamic and spirited change-maker who, for the past 20 years, has been a champion for vulnerable Queens County families. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, Inc. (NHSQ), a HUD housing Counseling organization that promotes affordable housing and community development. Thanks to her leadership, NHS of Queens has successfully transitioned to an independent 501c3. The budget of NHS of Queens has increased by 58% by expanding services to serve the community's needs, such as a robust rental, financial counseling well as workforce development programs. Her team has secured over $5 million from public and private partners, helped 120 families become first-time homebuyers, saved 75 families from foreclosure, organized housing expos for over 1000 people to learn about homeownership, and crafted NHSQ's strategic vision and communication agenda to secure the interest of local and statewide media and elected officials. Prior to joining NHS of Queens, she served as chief of staff for City Council Member Julissa Ferreras Copeland. As the Senior Advisor, she drafted policy and negotiation strategies to address the community needs. She currently serves in the board of directors for Urban Health Plan, a network of federally qualified health centers, and serves as the community advisory for Sterling National Bank. Yoselin was born in Licey in the Dominican Republic and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She subsequently earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from William Smith College. She currently lives with her husband in Canarsie, Brooklyn, where she enjoys event planning, upcycling, traveling, and dancing.

Denice Garcia

Chief of Staff, Sup. Nora Vargas, San Diego County Board of Supervisors | San Diego, CA 

Denice was born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in San Diego, California. Growing up in a dynamic border town had a strong influence on her desire to pursue a career in government and international relations. Denice received her master’s degree in Public Administration as a National Urban Fellow at CUNY in New York City. She is also a graduate of San Diego State University, with a degree in International Business, an emphasis in Latin America and Spanish, and a minor in Psychology. She studied at the Universidad de Salamanca, Spain. Before joining the Office of Supervisor Vargas, Denice served as the Director of International Affairs for the Office of the Mayor for the City of San Diego and Deputy Director of the Department of Government Affairs. Denice’s portfolio included U.S. – Mexico relations, International Affairs and Immigration Policy. She led the Welcoming San Diego Initiative with a steering committee, and through this initiative she secured the first Immigrant Affairs position for the City of San Diego. She previously served as Director of Community Outreach and Economic Development for the San Diego City Council District 5, helping to establish a new bi-national focus for his office. She also worked, in the Office of Mayor in the City of San Diego as Director of Boards and Commissions and Protocol/Binational Affairs. Currently, Denice serves as Board Member of the San Diego Downtown Partnership, Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties, the New Americans Museum, Create Purpose, and SIMNSA Fundacion A.C. She also serves as past Legislative Chair and Honorary President of the National Latina Business Women Association, San Diego Chapter, a graduate from Advance (2019), LEAD San Diego's IMPACT program (2010) and a graduate of the H.O.P.E Leadership Institute (2009), from Hispanas Organized for Political Equality. She is a recipient of South County EDC’s 2017 Binational Endeavor Award and in 2016 received the Bridge Builder Award from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Melissa Cabello Havrda

 Councilwoman, City of San Antonio | San Antonio, TX

Melissa Cabello Havrda was elected as the District 6 Councilwoman on June 8, 2019.  Councilwoman Cabello Havrda is the Chair of the City’s Public Safety, Transportation and Mobility, and Municipal Court Committees. She also serves as a member of the Governance, Investment, and Municipal Utility Committees. Additionally, she serves as Chair-Elect of the Alamo Area Mobility Planning Organization (AAMPO) and the San Antonio Fire and Police Pension Board. Councilwoman Cabello Havrda is a proud native of District 6 in San Antonio, Texas. Councilwoman Cabello Havrda attended Taft High School in the district and earned her B.A. majoring in political science from St. Mary’s University, a Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s University School of Law, and an MBA from UTSA. While working on obtaining her degrees, Councilwoman Cabello Havrda served her community by working as special assistant to former Mayor Ed Garza. She then served as project coordinator to Mayor Emeritus Lila Cockrell and former Councilwoman Bonnie Conner at the San Antonio Parks Foundation. Councilwoman Cabello Havrda has also taught Business Law and Criminal Court Systems at Northwest Vista Community College. She is a practicing attorney, real estate agent, and proud small business owner. Prior to serving on City Council, Councilwoman Cabello Havrda served on numerous boards including the Magik Children’s Theater, MOVE Texas, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, UTHSC Center for Aging, and Transplants for Children, among others. Councilwoman Cabello Havrda has been married to Jason Havrda for over twenty years and they are the proud parents of three children.

María Isabel Salazar Herrera

Chemical Engineer, Founding Partner & CEO, Punto Circular  | Nuevo León, MX

Ms. Salazar has 14 years of experience working on strategic and business management issues on sustainability, energy, climate change, circular economy, and management systems in the automotive, chemical, manufacturing, and recycling industries. In 2019 she participated as a Research Fellow in the ISA program of the BZM in Germany regarding the SDGs, where she elaborated a series of guidelines for the development of Circular Cities Roadmap and circular projects. She participated in the third edition of Global Leadership Program on the Circular Economy 2020 organized by the Circular Economy Alliance Australia. She is a founding partner of Nuwa Soluciones Sostenibles, a Mexican consultancy firm that focuses on transforming the way companies, governments and third-sector organization work to create shared value and reach sustainable development. Nuwa is a company led by women. It seeks to co-create strategic solutions in line with human-centered design, systems thinking and gender perspective principles. Also, she is leading the conformation of a Cluster on Circular Economy in Mexico, an initiative to accelerate the transition for cities and industries towards a Sustainable Circular Economy model. She is a Chemical Engineer (ITESM, 2007). She has a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering (UANL, 2011) and got a master’s degree in Renewable and Sustainability Energy (UB, 2017). She is Mexican and loves traveling around the world and meet new cultures, people, and different ways to see and enjoy life. She like outdoor activities such as hiking camping & yoga and enjoy life with her family and friends.

Denise Landman 

Commissioner, City of Aventura | Aventura, FL

At the age of 11, Denise Landman emigrated from Buenos Aires to Aventura with her family. Finishing at the top of her class in Miami-Dade’s public schools, Denise was a Miami Herald Silver Knight Winner in the Foreign Language category. Recruited by the University of Florida as a Hispanic Scholar, Denise graduated with a double major in Political Science, Public Relations, and a minor in French. Denise returned home to South Florida after graduating from UF, where she started a job in public affairs in the transportation and infrastructure industry. In 2014, Denise joined the Miami-Dade County Public Schools team as Director of Public and Media Relations. She has now been promoted to Director of Marketing, Executive Director, and District Director to serve in various capacities, particularly to oversee the Strategic Educational Marketing department, the Translation Services team and the Citizen Information Center in the Office of Communications and Community Engagement. In addition to her professional work, Denise is an active member of her community. Passionate about building a stronger City of Aventura, Denise was elected to serve its residents as a City Commissioner for a four-year term in November 2014 and re-elected without opposition in 2018.

Veronica Ortiz Ortega

Attorney and Political Analyst, El Heraldo | Mexico City, MX

Ms. Ortiz Ortega is a Mexican lawyer, political analyst, speaker, columnist and TV host. She was CEO of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI) until early 2021 and is currently a member of the Regional Council of Citibank in Mexico (Citibanamex). She is also a member of the National Consulting Committee for the Mexican Institute of Finance Executives (IMEF) and the advisory board of the Private Sector Economic Studies Center (CEESP). She started her legal practice with the international firm Baker & McKenzie, and then worked as a legal counsel in public service and and as a political consultant for private corporations. From 2008 to 2012 she was a consulting partner with GEA, Grupo de Economistas y Asociados. She writes a bi-weekly column for El Heraldo de México newspaper. As TV anchor she co-hosts along with journalist Leonardo Curzio the series “Incursionando” for the Mexican Congress public network. Ms. Ortiz graduated from Law School at the Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City and pursued graduate courses on Law and Society at Oxford University. She is fluent in Spanish, English and French. She lives with her husband between Mexico City and Washington D.C. They have three sons.

Mary Rabago

President  & CEO, MR Productions | Phoenix, AZ

With a career spanning over 25 years in various media companies nationally and internationally, Mary Rábago has become a very well-known and respected public figure, a multi-award winning journalist. Born in Sonora, Mexico, Mary Rábago was the main news anchor of Univision Arizona as well as Univision California. Serving as correspondent for national shows as “Noticiero Univision” and “Primer Impacto”. She is one of the “Top 10” Hispanic women with more media presence on both sides of the United States and Mexico border. With a long list of regional and national awards for her career, she has displayed great versatility embracing every role from journalist, news anchor, reporter, producer and writer. For the last 9 years Mary Rábago has taken on a new role, that of entrepreneur, opening “Mary Rabago Productions” a multimedia company that has already garnered national attention for their creative solutions. She has been recognized by Latina Style Magazine as Entrepreneur of the year, Cox Communication as entrepreneur of the year and Outstanding Women in Business by the Phoenix Business Journal in her short career as an entrepreneur. In addition, she continues promoting family values, sharing her experience with “Sí se puede” (Yes you can) with families in Arizona providing support to those in need exhibiting a strong commitment with the Latino community in Arizona on important issues such as education, health, politics and finances on her social media platforms as an influencer, marketing opportunities and productions based on storytelling, Mary Rabago’s passion to tell stories and educate the community has set her aside from traditional journalism. 

Laura Elena Rubio 

Director of Deposits and Debit Cards, Banco Azteca | Mexico City, MX 

Laura Elena Rubio serves as the Director of Deposits and Debit Cards at Banco Azteca. With more than 20 years of experience in a variety of sectors, including finance, manufacturing and education, Laura has a proven record of being a high performance executive. She has a solid track record as CEO and VP of Hispanic markets, having worked for companies such as Grupo Financiero Bital, Condumex, Grupo Carso, VISA, IXE -Banorte, Education First and Nacional Monte de Piedad. In all of them, she reached positions of high responsibility until three years ago, she came to Banco Azteca as Director of Foreign Exchange and after a successful performance, she assumed her current position in which she is responsible for defining the sustainable strategy for deposits and debit cards, while contributing to the prosperity of Banco Azteca’s clients. Laura holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Administration from the Universidad Autonoma de México (UNAM). On a personal level, she has great achievements including running and completing 6 marathons. 

amanda Sandoval

Councilwoman, City of Denver | Denver, CO

Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval is a proud lifelong resident of Northwest Denver. In 1975 her parents opened a well-known area restaurant, La Casa de Tamales, now called La Casita and located in the Highlands neighborhood. Her dedication to Northwest Denver is rooted in the relationships she forged from serving others in the family restaurant, which remains a community gathering place. Through serving as aide to several former Denver Councilmembers, Sandoval developed the skills crucial to successful leadership, including challenging the status quo and forging diverse partnerships to affect real change. As Councilwoman for District 1, she has been a leader in her passions of land use, development and zoning. Her genuine compassion has been integral to addressing issues both large and small and creating a community where both current and future generations will thrive. Amanda and her husband, Michael, have two children, Isabella “Bella” & Alexander “Alex”; a Goldendoodle named Winston, and a Jack Russell mutt named, Jack. Bella currently attends the Community College of Denver, while Alex is a student at North High School. The Sandoval-Encinas family resides in Northwest Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood.

Jamie Torres

Councilwoman, City of Denver | Denver, CO

Councilwoman Jamie Torres took office as the Denver City Council Member representing District 3, Denver’s westside, on July 15, 2019. She was elected to the leadership role of Pro Tem of the Denver City Council in 2019 and is a member of the Land Use, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee as well as the Safety, Education, Housing & Homelessness Committee where she is also Vice-Chair. Jamie’s roots are directly in the west Denver community where she and her husband currently call home. She is a third generation Denverite, her grandmother was born in a small house in the Curtis Park neighborhood and grew up in the old Auraria Neighborhood and her grandfather grew up in Sun Valley. Her family moved to Villa Park in the 1960s where Jamie has now lived for over 30 years. It is her home and the community is her inspiration. Jamie is a community advocate and community connector to her core. Prior to being elected, Jamie spent 18 years in the Human Rights & Community Partnerships Agency (HRCP) in the City and County of Denver where she helped ensure Denver is focused on the civil rights, human rights, and social justice needs of its residents. Jamie was both Deputy Director of the Agency and Director of the Denver Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs, an office she started in 2005 because she saw a need for greater immigrant inclusion. Over the years in working for local government, Jamie worked directly on issues of poverty, equity, food insecurity, community and civic engagement, immigrant integration, and approaching innovative ways of direct leadership development in underrepresented communities.