Hispanic Austin Leadership Class of 2008
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Selina Aguirre, Education Foundation Program Administrator
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Selina was born in
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Victor Alonzo, Principal His company is a professional services firm www.alonzoconsulting.com |
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David Ancira, Business Relationship Manager Born and raised in Austin,TX, a graduate from St. Edward's University in 2003 with a BA in Finance. He has been with Wells Fargo for almost 9 years, his current role is a Business Relationship Manager and responsible for soliciting and/or developing and maintaining profitable account relationships with business customers with gross sales of generally less than $20MM. |
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Selene Benavides, Finance Consultant at Dell
Selene participates in the Finance Rotation Program at Dell, Inc., the No. 27 company on the Fortune 500. She is assisting the Americas International group as a Team lead for the Financial Planning and Analysis group. Formerly, Selene was a Senior Audit Consultant also at Dell, Inc., a Senior Internal Auditor for Farmers Insurance Group, a Project Manager at BMC Software, and an Assistant Property Manager at Cousin-Stone, a Commercial Property Management Company. Selene received a B.S. in Mathematics from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and holds an MBA from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. For 6 years, she has been a board member of NSHMBA Austin Chapter. Selene also volunteers with Girlstart.
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Paula A. Camacho, Chamber Relations Director Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce
She was born in El Paso, Texas. Her family moved to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where she was raised and spent her childhood and adolescence. Paula moved back to El Paso in 2000 and enrolled in the University of Texas at El Paso. As a student at UTEP, she joined the American Marketing Association and also served the community of El Paso and Juarez as a member of the Rotaract Lideract – a Rotary International Club. Paula graduated on December 2005 with a Bachelor in Business Administration degree in Marketing and International Business. She plans to start her MBA in Spring 2009.
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Clarissa Campos, Community Development Department Housing Authority of the City of Austin
Born and raised in Round Rock, Texas, Clarissa graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2002 with a Bachelors of Social Work. Clarissa enjoys being involved in her community; she currently serves as the Vice President of the Amistad Women’s Organization as well as the recently chartered Round Rock LULAC Council. She began mentoring a student with Partners in Education in 2003 and continues today with the same student.
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Richard Castro, State Farm Insurance
Born and raised in Dallas, Richard graduated in 1989 with a BBA from University of Texas at Dallas. Richard is currently employed as a Property & Casualty Underwriter for State Farm Insurance. He works directly with State Farm Agents throughout the South Texas Region partnering with them in identifying and marketing commercial products to small business owners. He began his professional career as a Catalog Buyer for children's apparel for the J.C. Penney Corporation. He was responsible for the procurement and distribution of piece and finished goods for distribution centers located throughout the United States. In 1993 Richard joined a family owned business, a printed circuit board manufacturing concern in North Texas, that specialized in quick, turn-key prototype circuit boards for the electronics industry. He has served as past co-chair for State Farm's Affinity group, HERO (Hispanic Employee Resource Organization) and as a volunteer for Junior Achievement. Richard currently resides in San Antonio, Texas.
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Norma de Leon, New Home Consultant Lennar Homes
She has been active in the Austin Real Estate industry since 2001, having worked as a licensed Realtor until 2003. Norma is very passionate about assisting others acquire the American dream of homeownership. She is 2008 GAHCC Ambassador and has served a Treasurer of the Women’s Council of Realtors Austin. She has also held a number positions with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP Austin) serving as President, President-Elect and as Secretary. Norma has resided in Austin since 1991.
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Daniel Estrada, Senior Analyst Texas Legislative Budget Board
Daniel Estrada manages the budgets and/or performances of the Texas Health Science Centers and over $3.4 billion annual budgets. He started as a Fiscal Note Coordinator over ten years ago with the LBB and has been promoted several times during his tenure for the State of Texas. Originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, Daniel received his MBA in Management with a concentration in International Business from the Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi in December 1996 and his BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at San Antonio in May of 1994. More recently, he completed a BA in Economics in August 2002 from the University of Texas at Austin while working full-time for the State of Texas.
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Yvonne Fuentes, Assistant Director Volunteer/Service Learning Center University of Texas at Austin
Originally from El Paso, she received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from UT Austin. She is a community advisor for the Latino Leadership Council and is completing her term as President of the UTEP Alumni Association’s Austin Chapter, which she founded the fall of 2004. She served as Chair of the Alumni Relations subcommittee of Chavez Cesar Statue Planning Team and is the former UT President of the Hispanic Faculty/Staff Association. She is an honorary member of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc. and is actively involved with the Young Hispanic Professional Austin Association. She is the first in her family to attend college and is committed to assisting underrepresented students gain access to educational opportunities!
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Jaime Furtado, Account Executive for Univision Radio
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Eva Maria Garza, College Counselor Austin High School Austin Independent School District
She also serves the Austin community as a faculty member at ACC. She has developed and delivered college awareness training to AISD families, counselors and teachers, as well as at national and state conferences. In addition, she works closely to assist non-profit organizations guide low-income, first generation students in applying to college. Eva was recently admitted to UT’s doctorate program in Educational Leadership and intends to help reform the current state of higher education.
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Raquel Jaimez, Program Manager Marketing & Corporate Recruitment |
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Ronald Ledesma, Data Analyst in the Procurement Department Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Ron is the functional and technical support for the purchasing module of the enterprise resource planning system, providing guidance, training and support to end users throughout the organization. He has served as an evaluator of procurement proposals; worked for the Texas General Services Commission in the Office of Vehicle Fleet Management as the Program Administrator the state-wide fleet management system providing functional and technical support. His achievements include Capital Metro Leadership Award of the Quarter in 2008 and Capital Metro Employee of the Quarter in 2006. Ron has a Bachelor’s degree in Business/Information Systems and will earn his Master of Information Systems degree in June. Ron completed school while working full time and finding time for his wife of 19 years and 14 year old son. He is from Corpus Christi and relocated to Austin in 1996.
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Jose Macedo, Financial Representative Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
Originally from Freeport, TX a small city on the Gulf coast. Was born and raised there by the greatest parents in the word. After a couple years at a community college I left in 2003 there to attend Texas State University – San Marcos, TX. I graduated in December of 2006 with a degree in Finance. In the summer of 2006 I started an internship with Northwestern Mutual which has become a career upon my graduation from Texas State. I have been living here in Austin for 14 months and loving it. On my free time I enjoy spending time visiting my family, working out, Hunting and fishing.
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Maria Martell, Parent Support Specialist
Austin Independent School District |
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Linda Medina, Education Foundation Program Manager
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce At the GAHCC she spearheads all of the Education Initiatives. Prior to the GAHCC she taught 1st and 2nd grade students for six years with the Austin ISD. She is also the Founder and President of the Young Hispanic Professional Austin Association, www.yhpaa.org. YHPAA builds a foundation for their professional, community, and personal development. She is an Education Column Writer for the Austin Based Community Newspaper "La Voz." She was named one of Austin’s Top 25 Most Influential Latinos by La Voz Newspaper. She will be featured in the May 2008, Austin Woman Magazine! Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Linda received her Bachelor's from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 2001 and Master's in Education with Honors from Concordia University in 2005.
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Patty Mendoza, Communications & Information Referral/Training Instructor City of Austin 3•1•1
Austin 3•1•1 offers residents and visitors one easy-to-remember number to contact the City of Austin. In her role she is able to create promotional material for Austin 3•1•1 and conducts community outreach. Prior to her current position, she was a Communications Specialist for the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce. Born in Mexico City, Mexico; raised in King City, California. Patty now lives with her husband Chris and two daughters Emily and Natalie in Kyle, Texas. Patty has a BA-Double Major in Communications and Mexican American Studies from San Diego State University. She has recently received a Public Communications Strategies Certificate from The University of Texas at Austin Professional Development Center. She has served on the Mexican American Cultural Center Advisory Board and she is proud to be a member of the GAHCC Ambassador team.
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Guillermo Ponce, Engineer Manager
Applied Materials, Inc. During his 14 years with Applied, he has held responsibilities as a Custom Design Engineer, Project Manager, Supervisor and Manager. He has earned a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from St Edwards University. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Holy Cross of San Antonio High School, a member of Central Texas EWeek Steering Committee, a member of Applied's Education Committee, Champion of Applied's Texas A&M ACT Team, and a member of Applied's HiP Organization.
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Alicia Rascon, Co-founder and CEO,
Latinitas LatinitasMagazine.org is a nonprofit focused on cultivating the next generation of Latina media makers through empowering media enrichment programs for girls. She was born in Jalisco, Mexico and grew up in El Paso, Texas. Alicia has worked in the Austin Children’s Museum as the Communication Director; Court Appointed Special Advocates of Travis County; Production Assistant at National Public Radio’s Latinos USA, and as a Elementary Reading Specialist through Americorp in Austin ISD. She graduated with a Journalism Degree from the UT with a minor in Mexican-American Studies. She supports LULAC, Lone Star Girl Scouts Council, Hispanic Mother Daughter Program, and La Luz de Amistad. She is on the board of the Women's Fund of El Paso/Elevated Arts and has been recognized for her community service with a volunteer award from the National Museum of Mexican Art and the GAHCC!
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Jennifer Rivera, Counselor
Breakthrough Austin
Jennifer graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mexican American Studies and a concentration in Public Policy. She was hired on with Breakthrough, a six year non-profit academic program that works with students who will be first in their family to graduate from college. She works primarily with the 7th and 8th grade students to prepare for entering a rigorous college-prep high school. Jennifer’s long-term career goals are to return to graduate school and pursue a Licensed Professional Counselor’s certification.
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Guillermo “Will” Rodriguez, Manager of Human Resources
Superior Health Plan
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Debra Trevino Rodriguez, RN, CEN, SANE Clinical Manager of the Dell Children’s Emergency Department and a Coordinator of the Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program at Dell Children’s. Debra is currently a Director in Austin chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association. She began nursing career in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1985 and relocated to Austin in 1989. She has worked at Brackenridge Hospital ED which would later become a part of the Seton Family of Hospitals in 1990 and then transferred to the Children’s ED in 1999. |
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Matthew John Segura |
