CiCi Rojas
Board Chair
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CiCi Rojas
Board Chair
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Grace Ramirez
Board Vice Chair
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Mark Madrid
Board Treasurer
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Sergio Fernandez de Cordova
Board Secretary
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Lili Gil Valetta
C.E.O. and Co-Founder
Cien +
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Luis Cancel
C.E.O.
Entrepreneurial Cultural Consulting
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John Leguizamo
Director
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Antonio Argibay
Managing Principal
Meridian Design Associates
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Claudia Romo Edelman
Founder
We Are All Human
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Luis Spinola
Director
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Dr. Betty Uribe
Executive Vice President
California Bank & Trust
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Angélica Fuentes
Businesswoman
Impact Investor
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Abraham Enriquez
Founder and President of Bienvenido US
Mariana Atencio
Journalist and Author
Go Like
Ryan Adrian Morfin
C.E.O.
Lowndess Square
Adriana Martinez
Director of Partnerships and
Certification Programs
Equitable Food Initiative (EFI)
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Nelson Albareda
President & CEO, Eventus and Former NMAL Commissioner
Irma Aguirre
Restaurant Owner of El Sombrero
Thaddeus Arroyo
CEO, AT&T Business
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Former Congresswoman
(FL-27)
Juan Carlos Benitez
President Washington Pacific Economic Development Group
Rudy Beserra
Former SVP Coca-Cola and Former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan
Al Zapanta
President/CEO of US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Former Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, Retired Army Major General
David Cotter
Dir., Major Giving, Army Museum
Sean Reyes
Utah Attorney General and Former NMAL Commissioner
Luis Fortuño
Former Governor of Puerto Rico
Omar Franco
Becker & Poliakoff
Lorraine Garcia-Nakata
Former NMAL Commissioner
Dan Garza
President, The Libre Initiative
Camille Solberg
Former Federal Drug Free Communities Commissioner
Carlos Gutierrez
Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Former CEO of Kellogg Company
Jacquelyn Puente
Executive Director, External Affairs, Comcast
Estuardo Rodriguez
President & CEO
Alyssa McMurty
Associate
Carla Pierre
Director of Government Affairs
Rosa Elias
Associate
Diana Fernandez
Director of Events and Programs
Congresswoman
Nicole Malliotakis
(R-NY-11)
Congressman
Adriano Espaillat
(D-NY-13)
Senator
Ted Cruz
(R-TX)
Senator
Bernie Moreno
(R-OH)
Senator
Alex Padilla
(D-CA)
Senator
Catherine Cortez Mastro
(D-NV)
Senator
Ben Ray Luján
(D-NM)
Senator
Ruben Gallego
(D-AZ)
Congresswoman
Mónica de la Cruz
(R-TX-15)
Congressman
Joaquín Castro
(D-TX-20)
Congressman
Carlos Gimenez
(R-FL-28)
Congresswoman
Catherine Cortéz Mastro
(D-NV)
Cici Rojas
Partner and President
Tico Productions, LLC | Sports
CiCi Rojas is an accomplished C-Suite Executive turned entrepreneur, having built enterprises both in for profit environments, and for economic, political and social change. After three decades of leading organizations dedicated to advancing key population growth segments, in 2017, she decided to transfer development skills, and extensive network to co-lead Tico Productions and Tico Sports LLC, a company established by her and her husband in 2013. The enterprise is a full-service multi-media production and bilingual marketing company, that developed a Spanish language broadcast and community engagement platform, for professional sports teams. Her first partnership was formed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, and has produced broadcasts for several other NFL, MLS, and Collegiate sports teams.
In her Executive career, CiCi most recently served the Kansas City business community as President and CEO of the Central Exchange. Prior to Central Exchange, she served as Vice President of Community Engagement for Truman Medical Centers (TMC) in Kansas City, Missouri. Her executive roles include leading two Hispanic Chambers of Commerce as: President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Greater Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and Vice President of Strategic Alliance with the Washington, D. C.-based United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
CiCi has been recognized for her business and community achievements with the following awards and recognitions. Of particular note are; Latino Leaders Magazine “100 Leading Latinas”, 2024 State of Missouri Women of Achievement, 2022 Kansas City Business Journal “Women Who Mean Business”, 2018 Nuestra Latina Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016 “Women Who Have Changed the Heart of the City”, 2013 Greater Missouri Women’s Leadership Foundation, Woman of the year, 2013 KC Magazine Class of Influential Women, 2011 NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award.
Rojas is active in civic organizations on the local, national, and international levels. Nationally and internationally, she serves as Chair, Friends of the America Latino Museum, Immediate Past Chair, YMCA National Board of Trustees, and World Council Executive Committee Officer, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Chair-elect, Guadalupe Centers, Past Chair, Visit KC and Kansas City Ballet, board member Arvest Bank, and Stowers Research Institute.
Chef Grace Ramirez
Culinary Innovator, Entrepreneur and Cultural Advocate
Grace Ramirez is an award-winning chef, entrepreneur, humanitarian, educator, author, and TV personality who has become a global leader in celebrating Latin American cuisine and culture. With a career that seamlessly blends culinary expertise, business innovation, media presence, and social advocacy, she has established herself as a powerful voice for representation and inclusivity. Grace is deeply committed to shaping the future through food, education, and cultural preservation.
As an entrepreneur, Grace is the visionary behind La Latina Cocina, a food concept that lives inside 85+ universities across the country, bringing authentic Latin American flavors to students in food halls nationwide. Her dedication to food and education drives her mission to make culturally rich and nourishing meals more accessible to the next generation.
A champion of education and community engagement, Grace was appointed to NYC’s Chefs Council, where she develops healthy, culturally relevant recipes for the New York City Department of Education, impacting millions of students. Her passion for social advocacy extends to her work with Aid for Life, where she supports workforce development initiatives to uplift underserved communities.
Grace’s humanitarian efforts have earned her widespread recognition, including the “Excellence in Philanthropy” Award at the 2023 Grace Awards by St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction. She has been named one of Cherry Bombe’s 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality, recognized as one of People en Español’s Most Powerful Latinas, honored as a COVID-19 Hero by the City of New York, and awarded the Distinguished Latina Star Award by the Puerto Rican Bar Association for her volunteer work with World Central Kitchen.
Her commitment to amplifying Latino culture led her to co-create Times Square’s largest cultural event to date—the first-of-its-kind Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration, where thousands gathered to experience traditional altars, music, and art in the heart of New York City.
In addition to serving on the board of Aid for Life, Grace is now a proud Co-Chair of the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino, furthering her mission to celebrate, elevate, and preserve latino heritage for future generations.
Honorable Mark Madrid
C.E.O. and Founder Breakthrough Mavens, LLC
The Honorable Mark L. Madrid is the CEO and founder of AI-powered Breakthrough Mavens, LLC, serving corporate America, small business owners, senior executives, boards, and nonprofits. Mark and his team prioritize fractional C-Suite services and tech-forward, accessible, profitable and actionable breakthroughs. A dynamic keynote speaker and #1 best-selling author, Mark is known for his energy, discipline, and grit and his series, Self-Fueling Excellence. In 2025, Mark launched his national podcast, Small Business is Big Business with Mark L. Madrid at Super Bowl LIX. The podcast is powered by the C-Suite Network and C-Suite Media, which is a testament to Mark’s Leadership in the C-Suite Network Hero Club.
Raised by migrant farmworker parents in a Texas Panhandle farming community, Mark’s journey exemplifies resilience and living the American dream. Graduating valedictorian from his high school, he earned a full scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin, which led to a successful career on Wall Street and significant executive roles in corporate banking, nonprofit leadership, academia and public service.
Mark served as a Presidential Appointee at the U.S. Small Business Administration and as CEO of the Stanford University Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. His leadership has supported millions of small businesses, fostering entrepreneurship, measurable scale, and innovation.
Named the 2019 Silicon Valley Nonprofit CEO of the Year, Mark’s accolades include the Jefferson Award for public service and the Latino Leaders Maestro Award. He holds a BBA with honors from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business and a Master’s Cum Laude in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.
An AI futurist and recent collaborator on the pioneering book Interview with AI: How to Eliminate Homelessness, Mark is a Visiting Scholar for the Clinton Public School of Service at the University of Arkansas and Entrepreneur-In-Residence at NMSDC. He serves on the board of the McCoy Family Foundation at Texas State University, executive board of Friends of the Museum of the American Latino. He is an Honorary Colonel of the United States Army.
Mark treasures his faith and the beauty of life. He is a competitive runner, embodying the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Sergio Fernandez de Cordova
Founder of PVBLIC Foundation
Sergio is a global leader in public-private partnerships, multilateral diplomacy, and technology-driven solutions. As Founder of PVBLIC Foundation, he has led initiatives impacting over two billion people, shaping policy, investment, and governance models that drive economic resilience and sustainable development.
His entrepreneurial journey began at 12, setting the foundation for a career built on innovation, impact, and leadership. He has worked across government, diplomacy, and private sector engagement, bridging policy, technology, and sustainable financing.
For one year, he served as UN Ambassador & Permanent Observer for OIJ, representing 22 member states and advocating for youth participation. His diplomatic role strengthened multilateral cooperation, working with heads of state, UN agencies, and global institutions to create scalable, technology-driven impact.
Through PVBLIC, he has pioneered next-generation financing and governance models, mobilizing capital, data, and innovation for global development. His leadership has driven major initiatives, including the SDG Data Alliance, Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity (DBRP), PVBLIC One, SDG Media Zone, SIDS ABAS Center of Excellence, and Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD). These efforts help governments and private stakeholders harness data as an asset, drive investment, and implement sustainable economic strategies. He has also supported platforms like the SDG Fund’s Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG).
His career spans entrepreneurship, investment, and public-private governance, having led ventures that collectively raised close to $1 billion. As co-founder of Fuel Outdoor, he led the American billboard industry into the digital era, modernizing regulatory frameworks before exiting in a landmark sale to Van Wagner Communications. He later co-founded P3 Global Management, shaping global smart city policy and urban innovation, leading to a successful exit to Portobello Capital.
Since 2007, his leadership has been consistently recognized worldwide for advancing global diplomacy, multilateralism, and sustainable development. He has received international honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, knighthoods from Spain and Ethiopia, and recognition from His Holiness Pope Francis for his commitment to economic inclusion, policy innovation, and public-private cooperation.
He holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Rutgers University, completed the Birthing of Giants® program at MIT, and earned executive diplomas in International Law and Diplomacy from UNITAR.
Lili Gil Valletta
CEO
CulturIntel and CIEN+
Lili is a recognized cultural intelligence® expert, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and an award-winning entrepreneur. An immigrant from Colombia, Lili came to the U.S. at the age of 17 without speaking English and managed to become a recognized corporate executive turned business owner and tech innovator.
After a successful corporate career including a 10-year tenure at Johnson & Johnson, Lili co-founded CIEN+ and CulturIntel. Her firm, headquartered in New York City with offices in Colombia and Mexico, is a recognized expert in big data market research, business consulting and cross-cultural marketing helping Fortune 500’s to successfully tap into diverse markets and turn cultural trends into profits. Her proprietary methodologies of Cultural Intelligence and innovative application of AI and leading big data tools to mine and turn open-source digital discussions into insights, have been presented at numerous conferences, news outlets, the United Nations and universities like Harvard University, Princeton, Cornell, Auckland University of Technology, among others.
She is a regular TV commentator seen on Fox News, Fox Business and CNN en Español, and has been featured by Forbes, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, The NY Daily News, MM&M, among others. She is also the recipient of many awards including 2018 Hispanic Businessperson of the Year by the USHCC, 2019 Top 10 Innovation Catalyst by MM&M, Top 100 Most Powerful Women of New York, PODER’s Top 40 Under 40, Top 50 Healthcare Influencers by PRWeek, Most Influential Latinos, among others.
Lili serves as a board member of the Harvard Women’s Leadership Board, National Board of Directors of the YMCA USA, mentor to the Stanford Latino Entrepreneur Leaders Program and was appointed by Governor Cuomo as a member of the New York State Council on Women and Girls and was appointed in 2018 by Mayor Bill de Blasio as a Member of the NYC Technology Leadership Advisory Council.
Luis R. Cancel
Artist, arts administrator, and distinguished public servant
Harvard University – Master of Arts in Public Administration, 1990
New York University – Master of Arts in Art Administration, 1987
Pratt Institute – Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1975
Luis R. Cancel – artist, arts administrator, and distinguished public servant has a distinguished 30- year career as the head of various not-for-profit and public agencies. Until recently he served as the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of San Francisco, appointed to that position by Mayor Gavin Newsom in January 2008. In that capacity, he oversaw the San Francisco Arts Commission (www.sfartscommission.org) until July 2011 when he resigned after Mayor Newsom was elected Lt. Governor of California. While serving in San Francisco, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Mr. Cancel to the National Museum of the American Latino Commission (2009-2011), established by Congress and the President to study the potential creation of such a museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution.
From 2005 until December 2007 he was Executive Director of the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center in New York City, where he raised $14.04 million in capital renovation grants. He has served as an independent curator and consultant in the areas of institutional development and strategic planning for various foundations and government agencies (see ECC below). In 2009, he became a founding member of Rio Cidade Criativa (Rio Creative City www.cidadecriativa.org/en/), a decade-long initiative based in Rio de Janeiro to foment the arts and community development in the city that is being impacted by hosting the World Cup (2014) and the Olympics (2016).
Formerly, Mr. Cancel was Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (www.nyc.gov/html/dcla/html/home/home.shtml). Appointed by Mayor David N. Dinkins in December 1991, Mr. Cancel became the first Latino ever to hold that position as the fifth Commissioner in the agency’s history. During his tenure (1991-1994), he worked closely with Mayor Dinkins to raise the level of city support for the arts and sciences, increasing the agency’s operating support budget from $69 million to $89 million, making it the nation’s third largest public agency supporting arts and culture. In addition, Mr. Cancel oversaw the Capital Improvements budget of $100 million. As Commissioner, Mr. Cancel worked with leaders from all of the arts disciplines to document the economic contributions of the arts to New York City’s economy.
In 1978 he was named Executive Director of the Bronx Museum of the Arts. He was the youngest Museum Director and the only Latino in the country to direct a county museum. During his tenure (1978-1991), he was responsible for the Bronx Museum becoming one of the most respected and innovative cultural institutions in New York City. He guided the Museum’s expansion from the Bronx County Courthouse to a 42,000 square feet (3,902 square meters) permanent building and successfully oversaw a $6.5 million capital campaign and renovation project. Under Mr. Cancel’s direction, the Bronx Museum subsequently developed a master plan for a second physical plant expansion of $22 million and Mr. Cancel secured municipal capital support of $18.75 million for that project.
While Directing the Bronx Museum, Mr. Cancel received a Museum Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts to research Latin American art. He traveled extensively throughout Latin America and established important contacts for the Museum with major collectors, galleries and museums. He also curated several major exhibitions including: the First, Second and Third Emerging Expressions Biennials: The Artists and the Computer; Devastation/Resurrection: The South Bronx; Krishna Reddy, a Retrospective; and the highly acclaimed Latin American Spirit: Art and Artists in the United States, 1920-1970.
The Bronx Museum received extensive national and local media coverage for its exhibitions and public programs. Mr. Cancel has conducted numerous print and broadcast interviews on a wide variety of topics and has been featured as the cover story for the Sunday Arts and Leisure Section of The New York Times (September 25, 1988).
He was President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Council for the Arts (ACA is now known as the Americans for the Arts), having been appointed to that post in April of 1994. ACA was a national membership organization, founded in 1960, whose mission then and now is to promote public policies that advance and document the contributions of the arts and artists to American life. During his tenure, Mr. Cancel helped ACA to focus its activities and become an arts information provider. In 1994 he conceived and established ACA’s pioneering Internet Web site, ArtsUSATM (www.artsusa.org).
Mr. Cancel has maintained an active consulting practice via Entrepreneurial Cultural Consulting (ECC), which he originally founded in 1995 as Esperanto Internet Services (EIS) to facilitate network communication between individuals of diverse nations and cultures. EIS positioned itself to benefit from the growing need to translate information over the Internet. This information technology company provided multilingual, Web site design; quality translations in English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish; and proofreading services. EIS assisted clients with the design and development of those multi-lingual Web sites and EIS sold its domain name www.esperanto.com to the International Esperanto Society in 2007.
Since then, Mr. Cancel has used ECC to undertake selective cultural consulting projects involving strategic planning, fund raising and institutional development for numerous clients including The Rockefeller Foundation, The US-Mexico Fund for Culture and in 1998 he conducted a feasibility study for the establishment of a Museum of the Americas for the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC. Other consulting clients include: Thor Equities (NYC); Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro; Instituto Tomie Ohtake (São Paulo); the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Fundación Eugenio Mendoza (Caracas), The Quipus Cultural Foundation (La Paz), Lord Cultural Resources (Toronto), The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts (Utah).
As a member of the Smithsonian Council (1990-1997), he headed up a review of the Smithsonian Institution’s publishing and electronic projects. As a consultant, he conducted a feasibility study for the establishment of a Museum of the Americas for the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC. In 1999, he was a consultant to The Rockefeller Foundation, assigned by the Foundation to provide technical assistance to Latin American arts groups.
Mr. Cancel has been a guest lecturer at several prestigious national and international museums and universities including Yale, Harvard, Princeton, The Aspen Institute, and Central University of Caracas. He has maintained an active interest in both the arts and sciences and he has been at the forefront of urging cultural organizations to utilize the Internet and New Media to reach new audiences. He hosted a weekly 2-hour Internet radio Podcast, Loisaida Cultural Wire, on www.eastvillageradio.com, and in San Francisco, he establish and co-hosted CultureWire, a weekly cable TV and Internet-based television program. (www.sfartscommission.org/category/video/)
Mr. Cancel entered Pratt Institute in 1970, where he studied painting and printmaking with a minor in Anthropology. After earning his B.F.A. from Pratt in 1975, Mr. Cancel received a study fellowship from the American Friends Service Committee to research 20th Century Puerto Rican Art. When this research ended, he became the Gallery Director of the Cayman Gallery, the first Latin American art gallery in SoHo, New York. During his 1975-1977 tenure, Mr. Cancel began his continuing affiliation with most of the major Hispanic cultural institutions, including Taller Boricua, El Museo del Barrio, and The Mexican Museum (San Francisco and Chicago).
In 1987 he received a Master of Arts degree in Museum Management/Arts Administration from New York University. During the 1989-1990 academic year, he went on an academic sabbatical from the Bronx Museum, and in 1990, received his second Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Mr. Cancel also studied educational software design and interactive CD-ROM production at the Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Visit Luis’s website www.LuisCancel.com
John Leguizamo is an Emmy-winning, Golden Globe-nominated actor. He recently received critical acclaim for his role in the Ava DuVernay mini-series When They See Us, for which he was nominated for an Emmy and Critics Choice Award, among many others. Leguizamo has starred in, written, and produced a number of notable films, Broadway productions, and TV series, including the Tony Award-nominated one-man show Latin History for Morons, highlighting the near total absence of Latinos in American history classes.
At the age of four, Leguizamo immigrated to Queens, New York from Colombia with his family, where he began his successful career in the entertainment industry.
Antonio Argibay
Managing Principal
Meridian Design Associates
Tony is the Managing Principal and a founder of Meridian Design. As such he has spearheaded the development of the firm’s Integrated Design Methodology. With his skillful balance of design vision and detail orientation, Tony leads the conceptualization and design of all of the firm’s projects. He is also an accomplished furniture and industrial designer and has led the firm’s efforts to explore the humanization of the workplace. In addition, he leads the firm’s Quality Management, Cost Estimating and Production Technology processes. Prior to his career in architecture he followed his passion for art and painting and to this day remains active and productive in this area. Tony’s diverse past project experience includes design and construction administration of a broad spectrum of projects, including: media and entertainment, network operation centers, New Media spaces, as well as commercial interiors (offices, restaurants and cultural facilities) and residential spaces (modular, single-family and multi-family apartments). Other aspects of his practice include a cultural center, educational facilities and research projects. Education: Bachelor of Architecture, Pratt Institute, 1976; Masters of Architecture, Pratt Institute, 1980.
Claudia Romo Edelman
Founder, We Are All Human
Claudia Romo Edelman is an advocate for the inclusion equity and representation. Her mission is to use her voice to build bridges and remind us that we are all human.
She is a Special Adviser for the We Are All Human Foundation; she is also the Co-Host of ‘Global GoalsCast’, a podcast distributed by CBS News Digital, which highlights global progress through the stories of champions making a difference. Claudia is the Editor at Large of Thrive Global and it was recently announced that she will step into the role of Editor in Chief of Thrive Hispanics.
Prior to this, the Mexican-Swiss diplomat was seconded to the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to lead communications and advocacy for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Claudia is the former Chief of Advocacy of UNICEF. While living in Europe for 25 years, she successfully led public relations and brand and marketing for global organizations including the World Economic Forum, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB & Malaria.
A frequent public speaker on development and humanitarian affairs, Claudia holds degrees in Communications, Philosophy and Photography as well as a Masters of Political Communications from the London School of Economics. Claudia is married and has two children. She enjoys sports and speaks six languages.
Luis Spinola is President and CEO of Azteca-Omega Group, a general contracting and construction corporation he founded more than 40 years ago. As a dedicated advocate for the Latino community, Spinola has spearheaded internship and mentorship programs for Latino and Latina students in engineering and construction and was honored by the Dallas Cowboys with the Hispanic Heritage Leadership award for his community involvement.
Born and raised in Mexico City, Spinola immigrated to the US in 1983.
Dr. Betty Uribe
Executive Vice President at California Bank & Trust
For over two and a half decades Dr. Betty has been transforming business, culture, and people, making her an award-winning business turnaround expert. She blends academic models with her own experience, strategic intellect and humanitarian endeavors to impact change. Her entrepreneurial and corporate experience has given her a unique universal understanding of various industries and businesses within the U.S. and international markets.
As a C-level executive for Fortune 500 national and regional banks, she has affected business turnarounds, with her most recent, a $6 Billion-dollar turnaround, achieving pre-tax profit YOY increase from 3% to 37.5% in a four-year period, with significant improvements in key financial metrics (ROA, ROE, Efficiency Ratio, top line revenue growth, expense management, risk, audits, and compliance). Under Dr. Betty’s leadership, California Bank & Trust — a Division of Zions Bancorporation — was named the “Best Bank in Orange County,” six consecutive years, as voted by readers of The Orange County Register; a bank few knew about prior to her arrival.
She has led mergers & acquisitions, as well as DeNovo strategies, with the roll out of over 100 new business & retail locations in under 3 years, resulting in record 18-month accretion on average while maintaining sound, sustainable business practices.
A serial entrepreneur, Dr. Betty has owned and operated businesses in the industries of manufacturing health and furniture products, automotive, logistics, transportation and real estate. She currently owns four companies, focused on providing T.E.A.M.S.: Tools, Education, Access to Capital, Mentoring and Social Responsibility to small and middle market businesses in the United States and Europe.
Dr. Betty has worked with leaders from every walk of life building bridges and tearing down walls. She is often featured as the subject matter expert in leadership and business turnarounds. Her values-based leadership style has presented Dr. Betty with opportunities to engage with international influential organizations such as The World Bank, the United Nations, Luxembourg business community, The Hong Kong Maple Society and business community, and the like. She has been invited to speak at The World Peace Conference in The Hague (fall, 2020), The United Nations (2019 & 2020) and in DAVOS (2021). Her work has been published in business and news publications & trade journals globally.
Author of International Best-Selling book: Values: The Secret to Top-Level Performance in Business & Life, Dr. Betty’s work has been featured in international, national and local English and Spanish media – television, radio and print. Endorsed by The Vatican as “a book every reader in the world must read,” and the Forward by the Pentagon, her book Values was named among the Top 60 Best Business & Leadership Books Written by Women in Inc. Magazine.
Among many honors bestowed upon Dr. Betty are: Fortune Magazine and ALPFA’s Top 50 Most Powerful Latinas in Business (2019, 2018 & 2017); Global Woman Award (London, 2019); First Woman in History to be inducted into the Rose Bowl Legacy Board; The Most Prominent Latina in Los Angeles, Most Influential People in Los Angeles (2019, 2018); Top 25 National Corporate Elite; Special Commendation by the President of Colombia, South America, Pepperdine University’s Distinguished Alumna Award (2018, 2019); Commencement Speaker at Pepperdine University 2018; Commencement Speaker St. Mary’s University 2019.
She holds four advanced degrees, including a Doctorate (Honors) and Master’s degrees from Pepperdine University and an advanced degree from University of Virginia (Honors). She was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from St. Mary’s University (2019).
Dr. Betty actively serves as on several boards and advisory boards of directors in the US, across different sectors: Technology, Innovation, Finance, Business, Education and Social Responsibility.
A native of Bogotá, Colombia and a mother of three, she and Mr. Uribe reside in Southern California.
Angélica Fuentes
Businesswoman and Impact Investor
Angélica Fuentes is a Latin American businesswoman and impact investor. Equity, women empowerment, education and ESG investments have always been a priority in all her endeavors. Angelica’s entire career has been fueled by a strong and enduring commitment to the cause of women.
Angélica was appointed CEO of Grupo Imperial in 1992 at the age of 29. She quickly positioned the company as a top player in Northern Mexico’s energy sector. She served as President of the Mexican Natural Gas Association from 1996 to 2000, and as President of the Business Energy Network of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Agreement (APEC) from 2002 to 2004. From 2007 to 2015, she served as CEO of Grupo Omnilife-Angelissima-Chivas. Under her leadership, the company became one of the top 100 corporations in Mexico.
In 2014, she founded the Angélica Fuentes Foundation dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Latin America. In 2019, she founded Muvop, a microfinance institution that targets those who lack access to credits and provides an e-learning platform focused on personal empowerment and financial education. Angélica is an active investor at Banqu, a software technology company on a mission to connect the world’s poorest to the global economy.
Her work in this field has been recognized by numerous honors and awards. In 2015, UN Women gave her the WEP´s CEO Leadership Award; she was the first female CEO to receive this award for championing gender equality in the private sector. In 2016, PVBLIC Foundation, Ismael Cala Foundation, and the United Nations gave her the award for Latin Woman Empowerment. In 2017, she received the Corporate Social Responsibility Award from The Maestro Cares Foundation.
Abraham Enriquez
Founder and President & BIENVENIDOS USA
embodies a passionate commitment to empowering Hispanics in America through the
advocacy of individual liberty, free enterprise, and sound policy.
In just five years, Abraham has transformed BIENVENIDO into a formidable
force with a presence in key states such as Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, and
Pennsylvania, positioning it as one of the nation’s premier organizations for
conservative Hispanic outreach. His leadership was instrumental in forging
strategic alliances with the White House in 2019, catalyzing impactful policies
and strategic messaging that uplifted the Hispanic community during the Trump
administration.
During the pivotal 2020 elections, Abraham spearheaded an unparalleled voter
outreach initiative, orchestrating a robust coalition of grassroots leaders and
organizations to amplify Hispanic voices and significantly increase voter turnout
nationwide. His visionary efforts earned him recognition as the RNC’s Rising Star
Award.
Under Abraham’s stewardship, BIENVENIDO has evolved into a thriving hub,
uniting Hispanic Faith, Student, Policy, and Business leaders in a shared mission
to preserve the timeless American Values cherished by Hispanics across the
nation.
He is a commentator on national networks including FoxNews, Fox Business,
MSNBC, NBC News, Fox & Friends, CNN, CNN Español, Telemundo,
Univision, Newsmax, and The Hill, Abraham’s insights resonate widely, shaping
public discourse on critical issues.
A testament to the American Dream, Abraham, as the son of immigrants, blazed a
trail as the first in his family to graduate from a four-year American University.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and business administration
from Abilene Christian University, with a minor in Spanish and a concentration
in Pre-Law.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Abraham dedicates his time to serving as a
volunteer minister at his local church, embodying his unwavering commitment to
community and compassion.
Mariana Atencio
Award Winning Journalist
Mariana Atencio is a Peabody award-winning journalist, author, 3-time Tedx speaker, television host, producer and media founder.
Originally from Venezuela, Mariana came to the United States on a scholarship to study at Columbia University’s Journalism School.
As a former news anchor at Univision and national correspondent at NBC, she traveled the world to report on some of the most important stories of our time, in places like Haiti, the Syrian border and China.
Mariana has interviewed Pope Francis, President Biden, President Trump and the King of Spain. For her reporting, she has been honored with a Peabody Award, Gracie Award, three national Emmy nominations and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Presidential Award.
Throughout her career in media, Mariana focused on covering stories authentically. She gave a TEDx talk on authenticity titled “What Makes You Special?” that went viral in 2017, consolidating her prominence as an expert on authenticity. To date, it has over 25M views and has been translated into 13 languages.
Delving deeper into her message, she wrote “Perfectly You” and “Perfectamente Tú” in both English and Spanish and narrated the audiobook in two languages. Mariana’s books were selected by AppleBooks, Audible’s Editor Picks and the American Library Association.
Mariana left network television to launch her own media content house, GoLike Media, an award-winning, female-led content media house that creates authentic stories for global leaders and change makers.
She released the true crime investigative podcast series “Lost In Panama” about the disappearance of two tourists in Central America, retracing their steps in the jungle, and tackling the issue of missing women and girls in the region. The show made Apple Podcasts top #10 list.
During the 2024 presidential election, Mariana co-hosted and co-produced “Presente” with actress and philanthropist Eva Longoria, talking to Latina voters nationwide, which aired on Telemundo. She was on the air for Amazon Prime’s first ever ‘Election Night Live’ with Brian Williams.
In 2025, Mariana launched “Startup Series: Latam”, a podcast and digital series on Latino entrepreneurship and her own daily news show on YouTube called “The Mariana Atencio Show”.
Mariana is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and board-member and spokesperson for the American Latino Museum in D.C.
Ryan Morfin
C.E.O. of Lowndes Square
Ryan Morfin is the CEO of Lowndes Square (“LSQ”), an asset management firm investing on behalf of several family offices in non-correlated asset classes such as commercial real estate, private equity and venture capital. Throughout his career, he has held several executive management roles, including at U.S. and international portfolio companies owned by clients of well-known PE firms and family offices.
Immediately prior to his LSQ role, Mr. Morfin was the founder and CEO of Wentworth Management Services, a holding company that acquired 10 wealth management businesses over a 5-year period creating the 20th largest independent US wealth management firm by revenues. Under his leadership, Wentworth grew revenues by 20x to over $200mm in five years and the platform had over 2,200 financial advisors that managed over $300Bn of AUM. In July 2022, the business was sold to a strategic investor at an all-time high valuation for broker dealer businesses delivering a 15x to his initial investors.
He is currently the host of the Non-Beta Alpha podcast, where he has insightful conversations with thought leaders like Jocko Willink, Dr. Oz, General Flynn and General McChrystal among many other asset management and wealth management CEOs. Ryan does national and local media speaking about economics and capital markets issues as well. Season 4 starts in Q2 2023.
Ryan is also the founding partner of IronGate Capital Advisors, a defense technology investment platform that focuses on funding innovation in the defense department and in the intelligence community. The fund has invested in over 150 companies in the last 5 years and is in the process of launching its second closed end fund.
Mr. Morfin was a founding partner of Maroon Capital Group, a NYC based merchant bank which focused on PE investing. Previously, at Countrywide Merchant Banking, he established and scaled the firm’s expansion into private equity, creating the business plan as well as sourcing, evaluating, and underwriting the group’s investment opportunities. Mr. Morfin began his career at Morgan Stanley as an analyst in the CMBS/CRE CDO group, later becoming an Associate in the firm’s Merchant Banking division. In that role, he worked on the team that made principal investments for various MSRE fund vehicles on behalf of institutional clients.
Ryan is politically engaged in education policy, national security policy and Hispanic political outreach. Mr. Morfin also sits on the Board of Directors for Voz Media, IM Financial Services, Vega Wealth Technologies and Albers Aerospace. Mr. Morfin holds Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from the University of Chicago.
Adriana Martinez
Director of Partnerships & Certification Programs
Equitable Food Initiative (EFI)
Adriana Martinez is passionate about increasing socio-economic and educational opportunity for lower-income individuals and families, including marginalized populations. This lifelong mission stems from her childhood as the proud daughter of hard-working Mexican immigrants. Adriana’s professional career spans the corporate, government, non-profit, and small business sectors, always guided by this goal. Prior to joining Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Certification Programs, Adriana served as a consultant to diverse clients on various community and economic development initiatives. She was appointed as Director of Outreach for the Governor of California’s Census 2020 ‘Be Counted’ campaign. Prior to that, Adriana was Director of External & Public Affairs for AT&T, during which she launched various community impact programs across California. Adriana served under two City of Los Angeles Mayors as Assistant Deputy Mayor of Economic Development in the early 2000s. Adriana began her career in Washington, D.C. as Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, during which she founded the region’s first traditional Mexican folklorico dance company and children’s program.
Adriana earned an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and a BA in International Relations from Stanford University. She is also a graduate of the CORO Fellows Program in Public Affairs. Adriana is from Boyle Heights in the heart of the City of Los Angeles and lives in Southern California with her husband and two children. Among her civic involvements, Adriana serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the American Latino Museum and Advisory Boards of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Dream Academy of the Salinas Valley.
Dan Sanchez
Director of Warner Brothers Discovery
Mr. Sanchez has been a director of Warner Brothers Discovery since October 2024 (where he recently joined the Audit Committee); a director of Liberty Global since March 2022; and a director of Liberty Latin America since December 2019 (where he chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee). He was a director of Starz from January 2013 until December 2016, when it merged with Lionsgate Entertainment Corp. He continued on the Lionsgate board and its Audit Committee until 2021. He was a common stock director of Discovery from May 2017 to April 2022, where he served on the Finance Committee.
Since December 2022, Mr. Sanchez has been a director of Rocketship Public Schools, a multi-state operator of public charter schools, where he also serves on the Business Committee. In 2024, he became a director of Ensemble Learning, which seeks to improve educational outcomes for non-English learners, where he also serves on the Strategy Committee. He was a 2022 Fellow of Latinos for Education. In June 2024, he became a director of the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation.
He holds a B.A., Art History and Philosophy; a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in law; and a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) degree in federal taxation. In 2020, he retired from the private practice of law.
