Veronica Barela
CEO, NEWSED CDC
Denver, CO
Veronica Barela has served as the Director of NEWSED Community Development Corporation since 1978. NEWSED C.D.C. is a non-profit, community-based organization that provides a holistic approach to rebuilding the community and whose main focus is the revitalization of Denver's near westside community and its commercial strip Santa Fe Drive. Ms. Barela is recognized for her skills in community based economic development, community organizing, retail and housing development, events, arts and culture and civil rights work. Ms. Barela has served and now serves on several boards, commissions and committees and she has received numerous awards. She holds a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver.
Roberto Barragan
CEO, Valley Economic Development Center
Van Nuys, CA
Roberto Barragan is the President of VEDC, where he manages the largest small business development non-profit organization in Los Angeles. With an annual budget of $4 million and 45 employees in 7 offices, VEDC serves over 5,000 businesses yearly with financing, training and direct business assistance. He has over 20 years experience managing non-profit organizations, including the last sixteen involved in community economic development, technical assistance to for-profit and non-profit entities and financial resource development. Mr. Barragan is a nationally recognized expert on loan funds and microlending. Mr. Barragan earned his MBA from University of Califorina and his BA from Princeton University.
Vanessa Calderón-Rosado
CEO, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción
Boston, MA
Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), a Boston-based community building nonprofit organization founded in 1968 to develop low- and moderate-income housing, provide support services to families, and promote and preserve Latino artistic expression. During her tenure, IBA has completed a dramatic financial, operational and programmatic turnaround, which has resulted in increased funding that has brought the organization out of deficit and into budget increases for the past three years. Dr. Calderón-Rosado has implemented a non-profit business strategy that has resulted in solid fundraising and a stronger organization that is now poised to take a more active role in public policy issues affecting Latino children in Massachusetts. Under her leadership, IBA has expanded the Pathway Technology Campus, a joint venture with Bunker Hill Community College that created a technology-infused satellite campus in Villa Victoria (IBA's affordable housing community); and has increased IBA's art and culture programs anchoring it as New England's prime Latino arts hub.
Larry Garcia
Executive Director, El Paso Affordable Housing Credit Union Service Organization
El Paso, TX
A native of El Paso, Texas and has a BBA and MBA from the University of Texas--El Paso. He has extensive training and experience in Financial Education Homeownership, Real Estate, and Mortgage Lending. Currently President of El Paso Credit Union Affordable Housing---a Credit Union Service Organization (AHCUSO) formed by eight credit unions. Larry has been active with the Credit Union movement for twenty nine years. Prior to his current position, he served as President of a mortgage company specializing in the Hispanic & Low- to-Moderate Income & affordable home market.
Rose Garcia
Executive Director, Tierra del Sol Housing Development Corporation
Anthony, NM
Rose Garcia is the Executive Director of Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation, a premier affordable housing and community development organization devoted to the region of New Mexico, west Texas and southern Arizona. Since 25 years, Garcia manages housing development, direct services and has completed 6,000 affordable housing units to assist residents that earn low to moderate income of several communities. She was recruited in 1996-99 as founding Executive Director to implement the El Paso, Texas Collaborative for Community & Economic Development. Garcia served in various leadership roles to advance the affordable housing and community development movement in the Southwest United States and Mexico international border.
Luis Granados
Executive Director, Mission Economic Development Agency
San Francisco, CA
Luis Granados has served as the Executive Director for the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) for the past seven years. During his tenure, he has worked to increasingly make asset building the focus of the organization. At the same time, he has worked to increasingly make low- and moderate income individuals, particularly Spanish-speaking Latinos, the primary constituency for the organization. In this regard, he has led the development: of a business development program, whose services focuses on the long-term sustainability of local-serving businesses; a first-time homeownership program that focuses its efforts on improving the financial standing of working class families who have the goal of owning their home; policy program which seeks to increasingly address the issue of asset development from a legislative perspective. Combined these programs provide asset development services to over 1,000 families per year. Mr. Granados has a Masters of City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelors of Science from the University of California at Davis.
John Herrera
Chair of the Board of Directors, Latino Community Credit Union
Durham, NC
John Herrera, Chair of the Board of Directors, Latino Community Credit UnionJohn Herrera, Chairman of the Board of Latino Community Credit Union. He is Vice-President of Latino/Hispanic Affairs for Self-Help, a statewide CDFI. One of LCCU's co-founders, he is responsible for supporting LCCU's external relations and overall strategic planning. LCCU has become a national banking model for new immigrants. LCCU provides accessible and affordable homeownership, retail banking services, and peer financial education to new immigrants. LCCU has become the fastest growing credit union in the US. It serves over 50,000 owner-members. Mr. Herrera is also the founder of El Pueblo, Inc., a statewide Latino policy organization and a founding board member of El Centro Latino, a community-based organization. He is also a board member of the N.C. Minority Support Center, a statewide CDFI Intermediary, and is an Alderman in Carrboro, N.C. He is also a Commissioner on the NC Credit Union Commission. Mr. Herrera is a former Eisenhower Fellow. He holds an M.S. from N.C. State University in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, with a concentration in Community Development and a B.S. from the University of Delaware. Mr. Herrera is native from Costa Rica and he is the proud father of 3 wonderful children.
Edmundo Hidalgo
CEO, Chicanos Por La Causa
Phoenix, AZ
Edmundo Hidalgo serves as President & CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. Prior to being appointed President & CEO, Edmundo had served as the agency's Chief Operations Office since 1999. He has more than 20 years experience in community development, having developed, financed, or sold more than $320 million in single- and multi-family affordable housing. An accomplished and progressive senior executive, Edmundo has spearheaded the development of retail and commercial centers, as well as the development of subdivisions for affordable housing. Under his management, Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., acquired the largest portfolio-valued in excess of $83 million--of multi-family housing by a non-profit. In 2004, his expertise garnered a $15 million allocation of New Markets Tax Credits for CPLC in partnership with the City of Tempe, Arizona. Edmundo has a B.A. in Economics and earned his MBA from Arizona State University in 2000. He has been married for 20 years to his wife Rosanna and has two sons, Jonathan and Matthew.
Fernando Lemos, Secretary
Executive Director, Mi Casa, Inc.
Washington, D.C.
Fernando Lemos serves as the Executive Director of Mi Casa, Inc., a non-profit developer of affordable housing serving the District of Columbia . Mr. Lemos has over twenty years' experience working in the D.C. non-profit housing and economic development sector. He has been trained in architectural design, and is also certified as a home inspector. Originally from Paraguay , Mr. Lemos is bilingual and has extensive experience working with the Latino community. In addition to his work with Mi Casa, Mr. Lemos serves on the Board of Directors of several area organizations, including District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Cornerstone, Inc., and the Council of Latino Agencies (CLA). He was recently nominated to serve on the Board of Directors for the DC Housing Production Trust Fund.
Ramón León
Executive Director, Latino Economic Development Center
Minneapolis, MN
Ramon Leon is the founding President/CEO of Latino Economic Development Center, an ethnic based CDC serving the Twin cities area of Minneapolis St. Paul and Greater MN. He has been an entrepreneur and business owner from a young age, in both Mexico and the United States. He has been an active social justice leader in his community, and was one of the early faith-based Latino organizers in the Twin Cities through "Interfaith action" and "Isaiah." He is also one of the pioneers of the economic development movement in Minneapolis and was the first president of the founding board of directors of "Cooperative Mercado Central", an economic justice, community based cooperative project that-sparked the revitalization of Lake Street in Minneapolis. He has served on several non-profit organization boards and government committees to represent immigrant communities; such as Whittier Community Development Center, Neighborhood Development Center, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, the Charities Review Council, and the MN Council of OIC's.
Sonia Martinez
Founder, Latino Economic And Development Center, LEAD Idaho
Idaho Falls, ID
Sonia Martinez is the founder and board member of the Latino Community and Economic Development Center (LEAD) located in eastern Idaho. The LEAD center provides financial education, small business training, operates a micro-loan fund, and provides expert small business consulting. Sonia has worked toward the advancement of Latinos in Idaho for over 15 years in the areas of housing, education, and workforce development. She has a Bachelors degree in Organizational Communications from Idaho State University, and is a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer. Sonia serves on several non-profit boards and is currently the Chair of the Women of Color Alliance (WOCA). She was honored in 2007 by Boise State University Women's Center as a "Woman Making History in Idaho" for her efforts in assisting Latina entrepreneurs.
Bernardo Ramirez, Treasurer
Executive Director, Hispanic Economic Development Corporation
Kansas City, MO
Bernardo Ramirez is the Executive Director of the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) in Kansas City, Missouri. Established in 1993, HEDC is a non profit corporation that exists to improve economic opportunities for the greater Kansas City area with an emphasis on Latinos. Bernardo is responsible for the daily operations of the agency including program planning that follows a strategic vision measured through accountability. He has over 20 years experience working with community-based organizations and advocating on behalf of Americans of Hispanic descent. Mr. Ramirez was the Deputy Vice President of the Office of Technical Assistance and Constituency Support in the National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) Washington, DC headquarters. Mr. Ramirez managed and coordinated the programs of NCLR's five regional offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Washington, DC. Prior to that he served as the Director of NCLR's Midwest Regional Office in Chicago providing training and technical assistance to 50 NCLR Midwest affiliates and other Latino organizations. Most recently Ramirez was the Associate Director at the Guadalupe Center, Inc. in Kansas City. Mr. Ramirez has a master's degree in business administration from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri.
Raul Raymundo, Chair
CEO, The Resurrection Project
Chicago, IL
Raul Raymundo is Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of The Resurrection Project (TRP), a non-profit community development corporation. Founded by a coalition of six Catholic churches in 1990 with a seed capital of $30,000, TRP's mission is to build relationships and challenge people to act on their faith and values to create healthy communities through organizing, education and community development. Since its inception, TRP has leveraged more than $161 million in community reinvestment through the development of affordable housing, community facilities and economic development initiatives. TRP has also received numerous awards for its accomplishments, including the Sara Lee Spirit Award (1999), BP's Amoco Leader Award (1999) and the Fannie Mae Foundation's Sustained Excellence Award (1998) for its outstanding accomplishments in affordable housing and community development. Mr. Raymundo has a B.A. in Sociology from Carleton College. Prior to joining TRP, Mr. Raymundo completed one year of graduate studies in Public Policy at the University of Chicago and worked as a community organizer for the Interfaith Community Organization (the precursor to TRP).
Bea Stotzer, Immediate Past Chair
Chair of the Board of Directors, New Economics for Women
Los Angeles, CA
Beatriz Olvera Stotzer, CEO of NEWCapital, is a nationally recognized business leader and family advocate who has devoted her life to creating economic solutions for poor families. Bea is also Board President of New Economics for Women (NEW) through which she leveraged an initial $97,000 United Way grant into a successful $170 million economic development corporation. Bea's extensive business and community development work in the greater Los Angeles area have been invaluable to setting the vision for several organizations to establish economic programs for families.
Rafael Torres, Vice Chair
Executive Director, Azteca Economic Development & Preservation Corporation
Laredo, TX
Rafael I. Torres is Executive Director of Azteca Economic Development & Preservation Corporation, a community development corporation working in the Azteca neighborhood of Laredo, Texas. Azteca Economic Development & Preservation Corporation owns and manages multi-family rental housing in the neighborhood. He worked on border economic development issues and immigration policy for the Mexico-US Border Program of the American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia. Mr. Torres is a graduate of Texas A&I University at Laredo and the Development Training Institute (DTI) in Baltimore, MD. He is past President of the National Low Income Housing Coalition in Washington, DC; he is a member of the Texas Border Community Development Collaborative.
