National Hispana Leadership Institute has announced the fellows for its 2009 Executive Leadership Program. The Institute selected 22 women out of 150 applicants to participate in the intensive training program, which seeks to foster Latina leadership at the highest level of corporate, government and nonprofit management. The program this year focus on public policy, leadership, strategic management, team building and race, class and gender issues.
The Executive Leadership Program is held in conjunction with the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and the Center for Creative Leadership. The fellows gather for four one-week seminars, which occur in four cities over a period of nine months.
According to the institute, the 22 fellows were chosen because of the commitment they have demonstrated to the Hispanic community and community service. They come from a variety of backgrounds, including non-profit, government, entrepreneurial and corporate sectors.
This year's fellows were:
-- Christina Abreu, Nielsen Company
-- Deborah Aguiar-Velez, Sistemas Corporation
-- Guadalupe Alcala, State Farm Insurance Company
-- Sindy Benavides, Office of the Governor of Virginia
-- Gale Castillo, Portland Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber
-- Elviro Corey, Nike
-- Dr. Gloria Coronado, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Ctr.
-- Anabelle Escobar, Safe Horizon
-- Laura Esquivel, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
-- Sandra Gasca, Youthville
-- Belen Gonzalez, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
-- Inez Gonzalez, National Hispanic Media Coalition
-- Andrea Juarez, New Latino Visions
-- Michelle Minguez Moore, Mickey Ibarra & Associates
-- Lillian Plata, Fulbright & Jaworkski LLP
-- Maribel Quiala, Maribel Quiala LCSW
-- Lauren Rivera, New York Department of State
-- Sandra Rodriguez, College of Santa Fe
-- Teresa Alonso, Portland Community College.
-- Lourdes Sampera-Tsukada, Opening Latino Door, LLC
-- Rafaela Schwan, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
-- Dr. Madeleine Wallace, National Institute of Health
NHLI was created in 1987 in order to foster increased Latina leadership at the top levels of government, corporations and nonprofit. The organization was established in response to the U.S. Department of Labor's Glass Ceiling Initiative. Which found that minorities and women were making substantial gains in entering the workforce but were not equally represented at the mid- and senior-levels of public and private management sectors.
The NHLI is the only national leadership development program in the United States focused on future Latina leaders. According to the institute its goals include:
-- Ensuring that Hispanic women are in leadership positions and have the power to influence public policy and shape an equitable and humane society.
-- Enhancing and developing leadership abilities among Hispanic women.
-- Providing visible role models and mentors for Hispanic women leaders.
-- Improving services provided to the Hispanic community by local, state and national organizations.
