Recognition for 100 Latina Women Leaders

Washington, DC – In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the organization El Poder de Ser Mujer will organize an event recognizing 100 Latina Women Leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Will be held at the Civic Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at 6pm.

We will recognize women who have enriched the Latino community through their leadership and achievement. We will recognize women who, day in and day out, through different areas of work, innovate, create, and lead, serving as examples and motivation for others.

El Poder de Ser Mujer is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Latina immigrant women and their families in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, by helping them to develop their full potential and talent through practical education programs and personal empowerment and inspiration.

Special Awards for Extraordinary Leadership:

• Rosalia Fajardo -Founder Multicultural Family and Education Center
• Kristi C. Whitfield -Director, District of Columbia Department of Small and Local Business Development

Political Leaders :

• Nancy Navarro – President, Montgomery County Council
• Elizabeth Guzman – Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
• Marice Morales – Founder of her Woman -owned Law
• Joseline Peña-Melnyk – Maryland State Delegate, District 21
• Deni Taveras – Prince George’s County Council Member
• Rocio Treminio Lopez – Mayor, Brentwood
• Jackie Reyes-Yanes – Executive Director, Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs
• Celina Benitez – City of Mount Rainier, MD Councilmember
• Karla Silvestre – Director of Community Engagement, Montgomery College

Educational Leaders:

• Taina A. Compagnet – International Welcome Center School Counselor Anne Arundel County
• Daniela Perez – Community Outreach Assistant, Prince Georges County Public Schools
• Guadalupe Silva-Krause – Parent liaison at Alexandria City Public Schools
• Aleida Blandon Getchius – Parent liaison, Fairfax County Public Schools VA
• Diana Avellaneda – Small Business Development Leader
• Maria Garcia – School Counselor, Montgomery County
• Arte Leaders in Arts & Culture:
• Sandra Granobles – Music Teacher, Marie Reed Elementary School, Washington DC
• Alexandra Arata – Artist
• Dayan Aldana – Singer and Founder, CAN Centro de Artes para Niños
• Marta Sanchez -Singer
• Sofia Pellegrino – Founder Pellegrino Productions
• Leaders of Non-Profit Organizations :
• Sindy M. Benavides – Chief Executive Officer, LULAC
• Lupi Quinteros-Grady – President and CEO, Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)
• Walkiria Pool -Founder, Centro de Apoyo Familiar
• Angela Neira – Director of Small Business Lending, Life Asset
• Monica Guerrero Vazquez – Executive Director, Centro SOL Baltimore
• Dilcia Molina – Gender & Health Program Manager, La Clínica del Pueblo
• Dinorah Olmos – Founding Executive Director, Latino Education Advancement Fund
• Cristina Caballero – President & CEO, Dialogue on Diversity
• Emma Núñez – Founder & President, Caobas Foundation

Business Leaders :

• Dendry Aguilar – CEO, Centro de Habla Hispana
• Veronica Cool – CEO, Cool & Associates LLC
• Lilian Castillo Harris – CEO, Workplace Management Group Ltd.
• Rosibel Arbaiza – Owner, Golden Scissors Beauty Salon
• Evelyn Brooks – Owner, Evelyn Brooks Designs
• Caro Campbell – Owner, CMMA Associates, LLC
• Zuraya Tapia-Hadley – Manager of Public Policy, Facebook
• Ariana Flores – Vice President & Regional Multicultural Banking Officer, BB&T Bank
• Laura Languidey Farina – Regional Latino Market Manager, New York Life
• Maria Martinez – Chief Strategy Officer, Project Enhancement Corporation
• Yasmin Portillo – Founder, Yasmin Insurance Agency LLC
• Marisol Madrid – Senior Agent, New York Life
• Corina Morga / President – Greater Baltimore Regional Chapter
• Mirna Girón – Owner, Girón’s Limousine Service
• Karla Hernandez – Founder Health and Beauty for Life
• Eloisa Guzman – Founder Sirenita Restaurant

Institutional Leaders:

• Gloria Lissette Nalvarte Simoni de Isasi -Consul of Peru in Washington DC
• Alicia Falwowski – Consul of Argentina in Washington DC
• Mariana Diaz Nagore – Deputy Consul of Mexico in Washington DC
• Susan Ostria Milan – Consul of Uruguay in Washington DC
• Erika Salamanca Dueñas – Consul General of Colombia in Washington DC
• Adriana Lee – Hispanic Community Services Specialist, City of Annapolis, Maryland
• Katina Rojas Joy – Latino Affairs Liaison, Prince George’s County, Maryland
• Barbara Ebel – Regional Labor Exchange Administrator, State of Maryland
• Leaders in Health and Wellness :
• Paulina Escobar – Founder, VIVA Wellness Solutions
• Claudia Campos Galván – Chief Programs Officer and Mental Health Director, Nueva Vida
• Jenny Osoria – Founder, DanzaTone Fitness
• Veronica Duran – Latino Community Outreach Representative,Baltimore City Cancer Program, University of Maryland

Leaders in Media :

• Sara Suarez – Director for the Northeast, Entravision Communications
• Tsitsiki Felix – Television Host, Univision
• Kenia Basilis – Journalist & CEO, Basilis Empire
• Arely Perez – Promotions Coordinator, Univision Washington DC
• Nelly Carrion – Founder, Washington Hispanic Newspaper
• Betty Valdez/ – Host Que Pasa Program, Montgomery Municipal Cable
• Silvana Quiroz-Zalles – Executive Director, Zoom Latino
• Rosy Demontesinos – Journalist, Sin Limites
• Milagros Meléndez-Vela – Journalist

Community Leaders:

• Ambar Pinto – Co-Founder, Dreamers of Virginia
• Milen Soto Zambrano – Founder, Mujeres del Sur
• Milagros Rivera Flores – Founder, Mujer Fuerza y Coraje
• Brendaliz Citron – Founder, Canastas de Amor
• Lenka Mendoza – Community Activist
• Carmen Hernandez – Community Leader
• Leni Gonzalez – Community Leader, Activist
• Antonia Peña – Organizer, National Domestic Workers Alliance
• Antonia Turcios – Community Leader
• Lucia Islas Mendoza – Community Leader

Executives Leaders:

• Nicole Quiroga – President, Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Marcie Castaneda – Community Manager, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
• Maria Rodriguez – Founder,MPR Business Solutions, LLC
• Elfy Amaya – Founder, Amaya Group Services
• Teresa Ramírez PhD – Program Manager, Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology

Emerging Entrepreneurs:

• Teresita Cardona – Founder, Cardona Networking
• Jimena Schmiedl – Owner, Beauty Fashion by Jimena
• Lia Michel – Founder, Gravity Cafe Catering LLC
• Maira Ruiz Luengas – Owner Maira’s Professional Cleaning Services
• Tania Pimentel – Tania Siles – Founders.T & T Multiservices LLC
• Blanca de Leon – Owner Hair N Things Salon
• Karla Reyes – Founder RB Party Decorations

Leaders in Community Relations :

• Mayra Bayonet – Senior Legislative Aide for Outreach,Montgomery County Council, Maryland
• Nydia I. Ocasio – Community Outreach and Engagement Specialist, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County, Maryland
• Blanca Vasquez – Regional Coordinator, Virginia Department of Health
• Blanca King – Hispanic Liaison, Montgomery County Police Department, Maryland
• Virginia Santiago – Retention & Data Validation Specialist, Employ Prince George’s, Inc., Maryland
• Vilma Aracely Sandoval-Sall – Program Coordinator /Prince George’s County Memorial Library System
• Claudia Marín – Special Programs Coordinator, Employ Prince George’s Inc., Maryland
• Maria Ingrid Torres – Community Resource Coordinator, Primary ,Care Coalition, Montgomery County, Maryland