.:. HPNG .:.

LLC 2010

	Dora Maria Abreu National Board Member SHPE Dora Maria Abreu is an AVP at Credit Suisse in the IT Division. She is an avid technology professional with progressive work experience from Goldman Sachs & Co., NASA, NYCHA, Lucent Technologies (now Alcatel-Lucent) and IBM. A lifetime member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Dora Maria is the current Region IV Vice President and sits on the National Board of Directors. She is also a board member/advisor with CB12, NY Women Chamber of Commerce, Stony Brook Alumni Association, Girl Scouts STEM Task Force, Internet Society (ISOC); STEM Advocate and IETF The Internet Engineering Task Force (IGF). She is also a lifetime member of NSBE, SWE, NAACP and ALPFA. Building on her technology and education delivery skills, Dora Maria helps youth through programs, classes and mentoring through the United Way of Essex & West Hudson's Community Computer Resource Center, Youth Digital Divide Programs, FIRST Robotics and la Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha Sorority Inc, among others. She is also founder and creator of DMA Solutions, Inc. dedicated to youth, community and digital divide issues. Recent recognitions include Educator of the Year from NJIT HOST/SHPE Chapter – April 2010, selection as one of Maybelline's 10 most inspiring women - Empowerment through Education winners featured in People En Español Magazine for inspiring and contributing to community (Dec 2007 / Jan 2008 Edition). In 2006 she was listed in Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology Magazine's annual list of "100 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and Business" for 2006. Other recognitions include El Diario/La Prensa's 50 Outstanding Latina's of the Year 2004, the New York City Council Citation for Outstanding Exemplary Citizen (2003) and the Red Cross' 9/11 Teamwork Award. Dora Maria Abreu is a native New Yorker with BS and MS degrees from SUNY Stony Brook University and an M. Ed from the Teachers College at Columbia University. Her certificates include Intellectual Property Law from NYU and Conflict Mediator. She enjoys music, dance and poetry.
	Nicolas Aguzin Chief Executive Officer, Investment Bank Latin America JPMorgan Chase Nicolas Aguzin is Chief Executive Officer for the Investment Bank Latin America, responsible for overseeing all of the firm’s activities in that region. Prior to this assignment, Nicolas was head of Latin America Investment Banking Advisory, a role he assumed in 2002, and was head of the Latin America Mergers and Acquisitions group before that. Nicolas joined J.P. Morgan’s Buenos Aires Office in 1990 as a financial analyst covering Argentine clients. In 1991, he moved back to New York, where he worked in the Corporate Finance Services group, focusing primarily on cross-border mergers and acquisitions for U.S. clients. In 1992, Nicolas returned to the Buenos Aires Investment Banking unit where he participated in several privatizations, capital markets and advisory transactions. In 1996, he moved to the Mergers and Acquisitions Group in New York, with primary responsibility for the Latin America Consumer Industry Group. Nicolas is a member of the Board of Directors of the Latin American Agribusiness Development Corporation and the Council of the Americas. He also serves on the Board of Directors of several nonprofit organizations, including Pro Mujer International and Worldfund. Nicolas has a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
	Phyliis Barajas Executive Director Conexión Phyllis is the executive director of Conexión (www.conexion-all.org), a non-profit organization she founded to advance Latino leadership within the business, non-profit, government, and civic communities. Her consulting firm Barajas & Associates provides organizational, human resources and diversity consultation. She served as assistant dean for human resources at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed her as a deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington. After leaving government, she worked in Boston for Houghton Mifflin Publishing as its national director for human resources. Phyllis received recognition from The Boston Business Journal and Boston’s El Planeta as being one of the 2009 “20 on the Move” — an award given to Latino leaders making a difference. NSHMBA Boston recognized Conexión the 2009 non-profit organization for fostering Hispanic leadership and professional development. She holds a BA in education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Master’s of education from Boston University
	Kelly Bean Assistant Dean UCLA Anderson Executive Education Kelly Bean is the Assistant Dean of Executive Education for UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, where she oversees all facets of strategy, budget, design and implementation for educational programs that blend business and leadership theory, practice and application to meet client needs for executive development in top organizations worldwide. Previously, Kelly was Executive Director of Emory Executive Development at the Goizueta Business School and Director of Public Programs and Adjunct Professor of Management at the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business. An expert in general management, organizational design and development, talent management, process improvement and change management, Kelly has taught sessions to all levels of leaders from a variety of organizations and industries. She is a certified facilitator of The Birkman Method Assessment and consults to organizations such as The Home Depot and Ford Direct. Kelly has held officer and board appointments with Ovarian Cycle, Inc. and the Human Resource Leadership Forum and sits on the board of ASCENT, an organization focusing on the leadership development of multi-cultural women. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration and M.A. in Human Resources from the University of South Carolina.
	Peter Castillo Senior Director, Talent Acquisition McGraw-Hill Education, The McGraw-Hill Companies As Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, McGraw-Hill Education, Peter Castillo is responsible for leading the staffing function of one of the world’s top educational publishers, serving teachers and students across virtually every aspect of the growing global education market from pre-K through professional learning. Peter has spearheaded the challenging effort to identify top talent to meet the growth initiatives for McGraw-Hill Education, including developing recruiting strategies for marketing and sales for its testing and assessment services. Peter is a key member of the Corporate Talent Acquisition team and is instrumental in devising the Company’s diversity recruiting initiatives to build on the Company’s perception in the employment market as an “Employer of Choice.” Peter is intimately involved in developing the Company’s social media recruiting strategy, campus recruiting efforts and managing vendor relations. Peter works closely with the firm’s employee resource groups and Diversity Councils and leads many efforts to attend key industry conferences. Peter joined The McGraw-Hill Companies in 2005 after a successful tenure with Pitney Bowes as their head of operational recruiting. Prior to PB, Peter was the VP of International Staffing for ThruPoint, a management consulting firm specializing in network security. Working closely with the senior management team to build global business opportunities and strengthen its presence in existing markets, Peter’s recruiting assignments included Beijing, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, London, Ireland and Caracas. Earlier in his career, Peter was a national director of staffing at Ernst & Young, VP of Recruiting with Citicorp and Regional Recruiting Manager with General Electric. Peter graduated from Herbert H. Lehman College, C.U.N.Y, with a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration.
	Ray Celaya Interim President National Hispanic Corporate Council Ray Celaya, Interim President, National Hispanic Corporate Council (NHCC), joined the organization in November 2009. He is responsible for assisting the NHCC Board in developing strategies which deliver its mission. He works closely with member companies to identify best practices in Talent Development, Supplier Diversity, Hispanic Marketing and Community Outreach. Recently NHCC announced the creation of its corporate executive development program. The program will accelerate development of midlevel Hispanic managers into their initial corporate executive position. The program addresses cultural differences which act as barriers in leadership development. Southern Methodist University, SMU, in Dallas, Texas will host the program. Prior to NHCC, Celaya was an officer of Allstate Insurance Company where he launched strategic initiatives in Corporate Diversity, Hispanic Marketing, Multicultural Marketing and Supplier Diversity. From 1995 to 2001, Celaya and his marketing team more than doubled Allstate’s annual Hispanic market premium from $1.0 billion to $2.2 billion. In 2006, after 29 years, Celaya retired from Allstate. Celaya is a retired U.S. Army Major having served tours of duty in Vietnam, Europe and the Mid-East. He is a graduate from California State University, Hayward and from the University of the State of New York, Albany.
	Manny Correia Founder Inclusive Coaching With over 25 years of experience as a senior executive, consultant and coach, Manny drives exceptional performance by creating and fostering an inclusive culture that inspires individuals to fulfill their potential and contribute to superior business outcomes. By focusing on performance, Manny’s clients not only meet but exceed their goals. Manny recently started Inclusive Coaching which provides a range of services including career, leadership and management development coaching. Manny has had very successful outcomes working with individuals within all levels and types of organizations. Manny has a particular passion in assisting those from “traditionally” under-represented groups in business – women, people of color, LGBT, differently-abled and mature workers as well as new entrants to the workforce. In addition to the various coaching services, Manny also provides professional networking strategies, appropriate professional contacts and connections, slates of diverse candidates for Boards, the creation and implementation of diversity and inclusion initiatives for organizations, retreat facilitation, outsourced employee relations and critical presentation preparation (e.g. Board presentation). Prior to this, Manny was the Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer at Harvard Management Company, Inc. responsible for all corporate functions, including Human Resources, Education and Development, Budgeting, Accounting, and Facilities Management. Throughout his career and as the founder of the Financial Services Human Resources (FSHR) Group as well as his work with non-profit and professional diversity organizations, he has mentored and coached hundreds of professionals in various prominent companies. Manny has held leadership roles on numerous boards. Manny received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and an Associates Degree in Human Resources Management from Northeastern University.
	Mariela Dabbah Author/Consultant Latinos in College: Your guide to Success Mariela Dabbah is an award-winning, best-selling author of: “Latinos in College: Your Guide to Success”, “Help your Children Succeed in School,” “Help your Children Succeed in High School and Go to College,” “How to Get a Job in the US,” and co-author of “The Latino Advantage in the Workplace.” As a national speaker Mariela has presented at corporations and organizations such as General Electric, Citigroup, Chartis, Exxon/Mobil, HBO, Goldman Sachs, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, McDonald’s, ALPFA, the College Board, Harvard, Yale and NYU. She is a frequent guest on TV and radio shows such as: “Good Morning America” “Today in New York”, “All things considered” (NPR), “Despierta América”, “Noticiero Univision,” and numerous other local and national shows. She’s currently the education/career online coach for AOL Latino “Tu Voz” and contributes to numerous publications and websites. Mariela received her Masters degree in Philosophy and Literature from the University of Buenos Aires.
	Rosanna M. Durruthy CEO & Founder ÆQUUS Group Rosanna is an organizational consultant, executive coach and the founder of ÆQUUS Group, LLC. She coaches diverse, emerging leaders to achieve peak performance through “mastery of fit and mastery of influence” in any environment. ÆQUUS Group successfully combines social network analysis (SNA) with emotional intelligence, to provide clients the added advantage they need to lead powerfully and effectively. Our clients build and leverage social capital, sourcing and applying the knowledge, skills and experiences of others, to be influencers and game changers at work. Rosanna is a former chief diversity officer and human resources executive. She has presented at conferences including the 6th Emotional Intelligence World Summit, Brokering Change: a Wall Street Multicultural Women’s Exchange, and the Forté MBA Women’s conference. Rosanna attended Harvard College and presently serves on two national non-profit boards. In 2002, Hispanic and Hispanic Business magazines named her one of the country’s leading Hispanic women.
	Jorge Ferraez President Ferraez Publishing Group Jorge Ferraez is the Publisher of Latino Leaders Magazine and President of the Ferraez Publishing Group. Founded in 1987, the organization edits three successful magazines and one newspaper in two countries: Lideres Mexicanos, El Mundo del Petroleo and El Economista in Mexico and Latino Leaders in the U.S. Latino Leaders with the same concept as Lideres Mexicanos focuses on the most influential and significant Latino leaders in the United States. With nation-wide circulation, the magazine has become the most important Hispanic magazine completely devoted to interviews and articles on leaders. Jorge has also launched many TV and Radio shows, linked to the magazines, in both countries. He is also is a wine writer and writes two monthly and one weekly wine column in his publications. Jorge holds a BA in Communication Media by the Universidad Anahuac in Mexico City. He was born in Merida, Mexico and currently resides with his wife Veronica and children Nicolas, Sebastian and Victoria in the city of Plano, north of Dallas, Texas.
	Ruth Gaviria Vice President of Hispanic Ventures Meredith Corporation Ruth Gaviria is the Vice President of Hispanic Ventures for Meredith Corporation. Gaviria began her career with Meredith in January 2004. In the fall of 2005, she created and launched the lifestyle magazine, Siempre Mujer, targeting Hispanic women living in the U.S. She also oversees the continued development of Meredith’s Hispanic magazine portfolio including Ser Padres, Ser Padres Espera and Ser Padres Bebé; all re-launched and redesigned in 2008. Gaviria was most recently named one of Advertising Age’s Top Hispanic Media Players to Watch in 2005 and prior to that she was named one of Advertising Age’s Top 100 Marketers in 2000. In February 2007 she was appointed to the board of directors of the National Latino Children’s Institute. She is considered a leading authority in marketing to the U.S. Hispanic consumer. She holds an undergraduate degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and resides in Westport, Connecticut with her son, Mateo Gaviria
	Liliana Gil Co-founder and Managing Partner Acento Group Award-winning and industry-recognized Marketing Executive, Liliana Gil is the co-founder and Managing Partner of AG (Acento Group- member of the XL Alliance), a unique “Cultural Marketing” firm & agency under the leadership of “former corporate clients now serving clients”. She is commonly approached by business leaders to gain insights on how to prepare their organization and strategize to reach the fastest growing market segment in the U.S: the Multicultural consumer. Some of these organizations include: Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Diageo, GNC, Kroger, The Latin GRAMMY®, Wellpoint, Serena Williams, among others. Recently selected by The National Association of Professional Women as one of the country’s most accomplished business women 2009-2010, winner of the Business Woman of the Year Award in 2008 by the National Latin Pride Awards, selected by PODER Magazine as one of the Top 20 Leaders under 40 in the U.S- among others, Gil’s contributions to business, society and the community make her very inspirational. She is also a recognized media executive, speaker, TV presenter and known supporter of diversity and what she calls “Marketing inclusiveness”. Her thought leadership and presentations have been featured in places like the Harvard Business Review, ANA, AdvertisingAge, USA Today, HispanicAd, Produ, Revista PODER, among others. Prior to her entrepreneurial accomplishments, her strong track record was well established as Worldwide Director of Marketing Services for Johnson & Johnson where she pioneered the creation of the corporation’s Hispanic and Multicultural Marketing program and co-founded HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leadership & Achievement) an employee group that today has over 1,500 members in 4 countries. Originally from Colombia, Gil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Finance from Southwestern Adventist University. She has also completed foreign studies at Deakin University in Melbourne Australia, post-graduate studies at Rollins College (Crummer Graduate School of Business) and holds an MBA from the University of Colorado.
	Daniel R. Guadalupe, Esq. President & Co-Founder PRIMER Dan is an equity member of one of New Jersey's largest commercial law firms, Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus, with 150 attorneys in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Dan is a former President of the Hispanic Bar Association of NJ, a former General Counsel of the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the co-founder and immediate past President of PRIMER, an exclusive national network of 75 Fortune 500 executives, business owners and professionals. Dan is also an American Arbitration Association arbitrator and has served as legal commentator for MSNBC and Telemundo. Dan practices commercial law and litigation. Dan is a graduate of Columbia College '83 and the University of Pennsylvania Law School '86.
	Stuart R Jara Board of Directors National Society of Hispanic MBAs (SHMBA) Stuart R Jara moved from the U.S. to Venezuela at the age of nine, completing his elementary and high school education in an international school which were pivotal foundational experiences that have inevitably touched nearly all areas of Stuart’s career since. Currently, as the President of Taylor-Wharton (TW), Stuart is responsible for a global business with 4 facilities generating $100mm in global sales. TW manufactures and sale cryogenic equipment for industrial applications. Prior to joining TW in 2008, he spent 12 years in the Industrial gas business. Recruited by The BOC Group (BOC) out of his MBA program (earned in 1996 from the University of Michigan), he was recognized as a high-potential future leader and was promoted rapidly (six promotions in ten years) to senior executive management. His last role at BOC was as Business Unit Head of the Latin America, a $70 million business with 300 employees. BOC was acquired in 2006 by The Linde Group, a German-based world leader in the industrial gases industry with $19 billion sales and operations spanning the globe, and Stuart was not only retained but promoted in the resulting merger and reorganization to Vice President Americas of the Tonnage division, with responsibility covering multiple plants (valued at up to $1.3 billion each) in countries throughout the Americas, Stuart held full P&L responsibility for $1.2 billion annual revenues. Stuart’s accomplishments extend beyond his career to add value in the civic arena, also as the Chairperson for Linde’s United Way Campaign, Stuart spearheaded a new initiative to sponsor the building of a new Habitat for Humanity home in each new geography that Linde expands into. The first home built in Toledo was a huge success and produced the additional unexpected benefit of being a highly successful team-building exercise for Linde employees. Many more homes are planned with the continuous expansion of Linde. Stuart Jara began his career in 1991 at Westinghouse Electric Corp where he worked as a sales engineer for several years. Besides his M.B.A., he earned dual degrees from Lehigh University, a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.A. in International Relations.
	Roberto Llamas Chief Human Resources and Public Affairs Officer The Nielsen Company Roberto (Bob) Llamas is Chief Human Resources and Public Affairs Officer for The Nielsen Company. In this role, he is in charge of Human Resources strategy and processes as well as Public Affairs efforts throughout the organization, which includes our presence in more than 100 countries. Bob joined The Nielsen Company in June 2007 and is based in Wilton, Connecticut. Bob came to The Nielsen Company from The Cleveland Clinic, one of the top health care systems in the world, where he served as Chief Administrative Officer. He joined The Clinic in 2004, leading initiatives that increased satisfaction scores for patients and employees. He also implemented productivity processes that resulted in significant operating results. Bob began his career in 1972 with Southern California Edison, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in Human Resources. In 1976 he moved to TRW Inc. and held leadership roles in their electronic manufacturing and high tech defense businesses, becoming the number two HR executive for the 23,000-employee Space and Defense Sector. Bob joined General Electric, where he was a corporate officer, in 1993. His first assignment was HR Leader for GE Capital’s group of five consumer businesses. In May of 1995, Bob became the HR leader for GE Lighting, a highly globalized business with 43,000 employees, two thirds of which resided outside the US. He played a significant role in the implementation of successful productivity initiatives including performance management, labor relations, e- business and Six Sigma. Bob became the HR Leader for GE Employer Reinsurance in 1999 and helped lead a major initiative to improve performance culture, operating execution, and globalization. In 2000, Bob became the head of Human Resources for Lehman Brothers, where he was a Managing Director and member of the firm’s Operating Committee. During his two years at Lehman, Bob was instrumental in the successful implementation of programs in leadership development and workforce diversity. Bob had a key leadership role in helping the business and its people achieve their incredible recovery from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In late 2002, Bob retired early, relocating to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he managed a successful consulting business. He joined The Cleveland Clinic in November 2004. Throughout his career, Bob has been active in various community organizations and has also been on the board of several major non-profit organizations. In 2009, he was named one of the “Top 100 Influentials” by Hispanic Business magazine. Bob holds a BS degree in Marketing Management from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona and an MS in Organizational Development from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.
	Robert Martinez Manager of Diversity & Inclusion Princeton University Robert Martinez, as the Manager of Diversity and Inclusion, is responsible for helping to develop and advance diversity initiatives at Princeton University. Prior to Princeton, Robert was a Recruitment Specialist and Diversity Manager for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an Employee Relations Specialist and Recruitment Supervisor for UPS. He worked for 13 years as an International Regional Manager for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc. where he was responsible for strategic initiatives, employee relations, and training and development in Ecuador and New England. Robert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education and psychology. He is certified by the Ministerial Training School of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead as missionary and ordained minister, and holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification. Robert serves on various nonprofit boards and as a minister in Trenton and Hamilton NJ. He lives in Princeton NJ with his wife, two daughters.
	Frank X. McCarthy Founder Diverse Workplace Inc. Before he became involved in recruiting diversity executives, Frank McCarthy was a Catholic Priest for 15 years. During his first three years as a priest he was an Associate Pastor; a High School Teacher; and a Hospital Chaplain in Passaic, NJ. He spent the next six years as a Paratrooper Chaplain with the 101st Airborne and served tours in Korea and Japan. After his military service, he became pastor of an inner-city parish in Paterson, NJ, where he was involved in a variety of projects in the African-American and Latino communities. When he resigned from the active ministry in 1970, he taught at Dorchester High School in Boston for a few months and then joined the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity. He received an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. After 27 years in the executive search industry, he sold Xavier Associates, the company he founded in 1973. In 2004 he established Diverse Workplace Inc., (www.diverseworkplace.com) a diversity recruiting firm that assists clients to create and maintain a culturally diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters valuing difference at all levels of their organization.
	Mary E. Medina Executive Director of the Center for Trustee Initiatives Greater New York Hospital Association Mary E. Medina, a veteran of the Greater New York health community, is leading Greater New York Hospital Association’s diversity initiative as founding Executive Director of the Center for Trustee Initiatives. She is responsible for recruiting candidates to serve on the governing boards of hospitals and continuing care facilities, with a special emphasis on identifying individuals from diverse communities to enhance board composition and enrich the quality of services delivered by member facilities. Mary has been the recipient of numerous awards and was named “Top twenty-five women in healthcare,” by Modern Healthcare. She serves on the Boards of Health Care Chaplaincy, a not-for-profit organization, as well as the National Forum for Latino Healthcare Executives, and, Puerto Ricans in Executive and Management Roles. Mary is a graduate of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service.
	The Honorable Robert Menendez United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez’s story is a quintessential American story. He grew up the son of immigrants in a tenement building in Union City and has risen to become one of 100 United States Senators and a member of the Senate leadership. He has earned the reputation of a fighter for New Jersey families who puts their economic security and hometown security ahead of powerful special interests. A product of New Jersey's public schools and a graduate of the state's universities, Bob learned early on the importance of standing up for what's right, no matter how powerful the opposition. He first entered public service as a 19-year-old college student when he witnessed shortcomings in the public education system and launched a successful petition drive to reform his local school board. He stood up to corruption in Union City as a witness against the political machine in a Federal trail. He has served as a school board member, a mayor and a state legislator. Since 1993, he has been standing up for New Jersey families in Washington, where he rose to become the third- highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and has taken on a prominent leadership role in the U.S. Senate. In Congress, Bob is working to make a real difference in the lives of New Jerseyans. That includes working to achieve economic security for families by creating jobs, promoting clean energy development, providing tax relief, investing in education, making health care more affordable and protecting consumers. Bob was sworn in to the Senate on January 18, 2006, having been appointed by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine to fill the remainder of his term. Later that year, New Jerseyans elected Bob to serve a full six-year term as United States Senator. He currently serves on the Senate Committees on Finance; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; and Foreign Relations. Bob is also the Chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development; and the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection. In November 2008, Bob was chosen to head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, a top position of national leadership. His first book, Growing American Roots, was released in October 2009. It examines the deep influence of the Latino population on American society and, from his unique perspective as the only Latino member of the Senate, lays out his vision how for the Latino community can help America prosper.
	Carlos F. Orta President and CEO Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), a nonprofit organization, was established in 1986 with a mission to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in corporate America at a level commensurate with our economic contributions. Since joining HACR in April 2006, Orta has developed unique programs and initiatives instrumental in helping HACR accomplish its mission including the HACR CEO Roundtable, the HACR Corporate Directors Summit, the HACR Corporate Executives Forum, and the HACR Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers™ Program. Prior to joining HACR, Orta served in a variety of staff positions – external affairs, corporate foundation and government affair roles – at three Fortune 500 companies: Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Ford Motor Company, and Waste Management, Inc. A graduate of Barry University (Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies), Orta is a native of Cuba and currently resides in Arlington, VA.
	Hector Perez National President ALPFA Hector Perez is an Assurance Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in the Private Company Services Practice. Hector focuses on providing assurance and consulting services to private companies who are pursuing growth opportunities and have complex business issues. Hector has been with PwC for over 12 years. During this time Hector has had a diverse set of experiences including being a member of PwC's Transaction Services Group (TS) where he provided financial due diligence services for private equity firms and corporations both domestically and internationally. Prior to joining TS, Hector held a national role in the Office of the CFO and Vice Chairman, focused on driving strategic initiatives for PwC. Hector began his career in PwC's Assurance practice, providing assurance services to clients in the Capital Markets Group, primarily focused on clients in the alternative investment and brokerage space. Hector is the National President of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), a not-for-profit professional organization with approximately 14,000 members nationally. Hector is a former Trustee at the Health Care Chaplaincy, a not-for-profit organization, where he served as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. In 2009, Hector was recognized by the AICPA for his contributions to the accounting profession. Hector received his B.B.A. in Public Accounting from Pace University in New York. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in New York State and is a member of the AICPA and the New York State Society of CPAs.
	Maritza Puello Executive Editor NY1 Noticias Maritza Puello was the first person hired to oversee the launch of NY1's Spanish language newschannel NY1 Noticias in June of 2003. As Executive Editor, Puello hires and trains a staff of Spanish speaking writers, producers and reporters, and handles day-to-day operations of the newschannel. She came to NY1 from Starmedia.com where she was a project manager, working on all their Spanish language web products. Prior to that, she was a producer for Fox News Channel where she helped launch Fox NewsEdge. Among her accolades in November 2009, she received Defining Trends Magazine’s Latino Trendsetter award, also in May of 2009 El Diario La Prensa presented her with the Mujeres Destacadas Award. She also received a Groundbreaking Latina of the Year award from CATALINA magazine in October 2007. Puello, a native New Yorker, has lived on the Upper West Side her entire life. She is a graduate of Fordham University.
	Jean-Paul Renard President Distinctive Personnel Mr. Renard is a Chilean-American who is very active in New York's Latino community. One of his many accomplishments is also being the President and CEO of The Hispanic Employment Services. Jean-Paul's approach of treating all candidates and clients alike as "movie stars within their own movie" has built an underground loyal following of thousands of passive candidates that look for career guidance and new opportunities from Mr. Renard and the Distinctive organization. Recognized as one of New York's Top Staffing Executives, Mr. Renard's expertise is heavily pursued by CEOs of small and large corporations across the globe to assist in finding talent of diverse backgrounds. Mr. Renard is the author of the popular internet Blog "Attracting Diverse Candidates" on the ERE Network. His articles have created thousands of links regarding corporate recruitment strategies, ethical business practices and of course, attracting diverse candidates. Mr. Renard's articles populate many staffing publications across the country. We will discuss with Jean-Paul how to execute an effective job search, what he knows about the current hiring climate and what Latino entrepreneurs can learn from his success.
	Robert Rodriguez, PhD Director - Kaplan Center for Corporate Learning Kaplan University A leading expert on Latino diversity in corporate America. His book, Latino Talent: Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain and Develop Hispanic Professionals (www.latinotalentbook.com) is used by numerous corporations looking to more effectively tap into the Latino talent pool. Over 50 top corporations have sought his expertise to assist with their Latino recruiting efforts, Latino leadership development programs and their Latino employee networks. Dr. Rodriguez is a columnist for Diversity Executive Magazine and currently serves on the board of directors of several national Latino non-profit organizations. Dr. Rodriguez is the director of corporate learning at Kaplan University and he leads Kaplan's Latino initiatives. His PhD is in Organization Behavior and he is a graduate of the Latino Leadership Institute at UCLA. He resides in Chicago.
	Kenneth Arroyo Roldan, Esq. Chief Executive Officer Wesley, Brown & Bartle Company, Inc. As one of the country’s reigning experts on diversity, Kenneth Arroyo Roldan joined Wesley Brown & Bartle (WB&B) in April 1998 as a General Counsel and Managing Partner. With a BS from Cornell University and a law degree, Ken was appointed to the Civil Rights Bureau of New York State Attorney General's Office where he was instrumental in shaping and enforcing EEO legislation. As the first and only Hispanic CEO of a national executive search firm, he has partnered with top corporations such as Nucor, Microsoft, Tyco, BP, Target, Boeing, Nationwide, HP, Google, Bloomberg, OfficeMax, Computer Associates, The McGraw-Hill Companies, AstraZeneca, and Cox Communications in creating formal strategies to court and recruit talented minority professionals into the company. With a passion in diversity management recruitment for over a decade, Ken’s unique strategies in diversity staffing, succession planning and retention have made a difference to the ethnic, gender and cultural diversity in America's corporate structure. Considered an expert in minority hiring, Mr. Roldan has been interviewed by CBS News Sunday Morning, CNN, Fortune, ABC News, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, Crain's New York Business, Tavis Smiley, Black Enterprise and Hispanic Magazine. Mr. Roldan has expanded his audience by writing a book, Minority Rules: Turn Your Ethnicity Into a Competitive Edge, published by Harper Collins in fall 2006. Minority Rules helps minority professionals plan their careers, create strategic roadmaps for success, master mentoring and networking, handle corporate politics and strengthen their performance. Moreover, the book shows HR departments how to level the playing field and provide diverse professionals an equal opportunity to rise in the corporation. Ken is currently working on assembling an advisory council of notable Hispanic corporate executives with an underlying mission of increasing the representation of Hispanics on corporate Boards. In addition, he serves on the Board Development Committee for the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. Ken resides in Long Island with his wife and their two children.
	Juan Tornoe Founder and Senior Consultant Hispanic Trending Juan Tornoe has worked for more than 12 years on the media, agency and client sides of the marketing and advertising industry, with experience in copywriting, strategy development, media buying and consumer research, Juan is an expert marketer with a passion for serving the Hispanic community. He has worked with a wide range of businesses, from owner operated small companies to Fortune 1000s and has judged the AAAF's ADDY Awards. He is the owner and Sr. Consultant at Hispanic Trending, the leading Latino marketing and advertising blog, a national and international consultant and public speaker, has been published in several industry publications and newspapers, among them Marketing y Medios, LatPro.com, Latino Magazine, InteleCard Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, and FutureNow's GrokDotCom. Juan is frequently quoted in the news regarding his area of expertise, his insights appearing in The New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, The Associated Press, CNN, Los Angeles Times, NPR, BBC, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dan Rather Reports, ALMA Magazine, and Univision. He has a Bachelor's degree from Universidad Francisco Marroquin and an M.B.A. with emphasis in Marketing and Total Productivity Management from E.S.E.A.D.E., both in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
	Alfred J. Torres Vice President – Talent Management & Diversity Verizon Telecom and Business Al Torres is vice president–Talent Management & Diversity for Verizon Telecom and Business. In this role, he is responsible for developing and executing global talent management and diversity strategies including the sourcing, acquisition, retention, training and development of Verizon’s current and future leaders. Torres has received numerous awards and recognition, most notably, the Eagle Leadership Award presented by the National Eagle Leadership Institute. In 2009, he was named one of the Top 100 Leaders Under 50 by Diversity MBA magazine. Torres is on the Board of Directors for El Repertorio Espanol, New York City’s premier Spanish Language Theater Company and a member of the Talent Acquisition Council of The Conference Board. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the William E. Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.