Latino Recruitment Series: Featuring BMO Harris Bank

Speaker

Zoraida Sambolin

NBC News Today
Weekday Co-Anchor

Zoraida Sambolin, an Emmy winning journalist, is the Weekday Edition co-anchor of NBC 5 News Today. She rejoined the morning team in March of 2013 after spending two years as co-anchor of CNN‘s Early Start.

While at CNN Sambolin covered numerous breaking news stories including the Colorado Theatre shootings, the Boston bombings and the Cleveland kidnappings, and she field-anchored the Newtown Connecticut school massacre. In April of 2012, Sambolin was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to return to her hometown of Chicago explaining to her colleagues and viewers at CNN that “tomorrow is not promised.”

Sambolin returned to the familiarity of the station where she began her career. She originally joined WMAQ in the summer of 2002 and began reporting for Telemundo the following year. As the first Chicago on-air broadcaster to work at both English and Spanish language stations simultaneously, she broke new ground for Latinos in the No. 3 market in the country.

She has served as host of Un Buen Doctor, a weekly Spanish language medical series airing on cable stations worldwide and has won numerous awards for work on two parenting programs created for cable distribution.

Sambolin volunteers for numerous organizations and has an special interest in raising awareness about breast cancer in underserved communities. Returning to NBC5 News has been “like coming home,” Sambolin has said. She is happy to return to her morning show seat and the Chicago viewers she missed. Sambolin lives in Chicago with her husband Ken Williams and her 2 children Nicolas and Sofia.

Speaker

Andres Tapia

Korn Ferry Hay Group
Sr Client Partner/Solution Lead

Delivering results for clients

Mr. Tapia is a Senior Client Partner and Solutions Leader for the Workforce Performance, Inclusion and Diversity Practice in Korn Ferry’s Chicago office.
Mr. Tapia has been one of the leading voices in shaping a contemporary, next generation approach to diversity and inclusion. The approach is global, deeply integrated into talent systems, and focused on enabling marketplace success.
Mr. Tapia joined Korn Ferry Leadership and Talent Consulting from Diversity Best Practices, a diversity and inclusion think-tank and consultancy, where he acted as President and was responsible for the organization’s overall vision, strategy, and outcomes. Prior to his tenure there, he acted as Chief Diversity Officer and Emerging Workforce Solutions Leader for Hewitt Associates and was responsible for shaping and leading that organization’s internal diversity transformation as well as its diversity consultancy.

Expertise
Mr. Tapia, the author of a groundbreaking book, “The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity,” is a frequently sought after speaker globally on the topic of diversity and inclusion. He has been published in major dailies throughout the U.S. and Latin America primarily through his writing for the New America Media wire service as well as on the Huffington Post. He is the recipient of numerous leadership and diversity awards and has served on a number of boards, including currently serving on the editorial board of Diversity Executive Magazine, the corporate advisory board for the Bentley University Center for Women and Business, and Ravinia Arts Festival.

Academic and Professional background
Mr. Tapia received a Bachelor’s degree in modern history from Northwestern University in the Chicago area with an emphasis in journalism and political science. He grew up in a bilingual/bicultural home in Lima, Peru.

Speaker

Lourdes Gonzalez

Primera Engineers
SVP

Ms. Lourdes M. Gonzalez is a Licensed Architect and LEED Accredited Professional at Primera Engineers, one of the largest Hispanic design and consulting firms in the city. With over 25 years of experience in the building industry, Ms. Gonzalez helped conceive and currently leads the Sustainable Design group at Primera, which includes managing the Architecture and Construction Management side of the business. Ms. Gonzalez has played an instrumental role in Primera’s growth over the past decade. She leads the firm’s sustainability efforts and helped position Primera as an innovator in the green building movement.

Ms. Gonzalez is committed and dedicated to Primera’s mission of providing exceptional expertise with superb service to our clients. This means she has served as a dedicated problem-solver, and finds innovative solutions to all our clients’ issues. Internally, she is a strong proponent of professional development and encourages continuous education among Primera’s diverse staff and the industry abroad. One of the ways she has done this is by providing energy training of the Advanced Residential Energy Code to several municipalities in the Chicagoland area. This training, funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Association of Regional Councils (ILARC), helped support the implementation of high-performance residential building energy efficiency codes, which translates to energy and cost savings for owners.

Ms. Gonzalez currently serves on the Uhlich Children’s Advantage Network (UCAN) Governing Board serving on the Property and Finance Committee. UCAN is a multi-faceted social service organization building strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education and empowerment. The meaningful programming UCAN provides meets the critical needs of Chicago’s must at-risk populations. The organization just opened a new 200+ bed Residential Youth Home in North Lawndale. The committee help’s guide the organization of over 500 employees and 2000 youth and families every year.

In addition to her work at UCAN on the Property and Finance committee, Ms. Gonzalez also served as the Fine Arts Booster President at Maine East High School for 5 years, an extremely diverse High School located in Park Ridge. The group supports and strives to improve the fine arts program in the school and Ms. Gonzalez selflessly gives her time to help with the activities, fund-raisers and special projects for the benefit of the school and its students. She was awarded Parent of Year in 2013 by Maine Township High School 207 for her efforts.

Professionally, Ms. Gonzalez has been a past president of the Chicago Chapter of The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and currently serves on the National Sustainability committee. This group’s mission is to promote the Construction Management profession and the use of qualified Construction Managers on capital projects and programs. Ms. Gonzalez has a passion for helping others and she takes pride in contributing her skills and expertise wherever possible for the betterment of the Latino community.

Speaker

Dr. Teresa Ramirez

American Society of Human Genetics
Genetics and Education Fellow

Teresa Ramírez, Ph.D., is currently the American Society of Human Genetics/ National Human Genome Research Institute (ASHG/NHGRI) Genetics and Education Fellow.

She was a post-doctoral research fellow at the National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where her research project focused on how aging and chronic alcohol played a role in inducing alcoholic liver injury and finding ways to prevent it. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in General Biology from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2004. As an undergraduate student, she was part of the Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Program that helped paved the way to her research interest, thanks to her research advisor Dr. Laura Robles. Dr. Ramírez also participated in a post-baccalaureate program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Frederick, MD. She has been a member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/as and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) for seventeen years. She obtained her doctorate degree in Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology degree from Brown University in May of 2014 and in 2012, she was the founder/first president of the Brown University SACNAS Chapter. Dr. Ramirez was selected as a 2009 Ford pre-doctoral fellow and received the Minority Access, Inc. Student Role Model Award (2009) & the mentor award in (2016). She is part of the NIH SACNAS Chapter and is currently the president. Dr. Ramirez has been part of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) MARC Peer Mentoring Program since she was a graduate student. Dr. Ramírez participated and graduated from the Mujeres de Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) third DC cohort, “Las Emprendedoras” in August of 2016. This was a pivotal program that not only introduces her to new opportunities but has connected her with other amazing and powerful Latina leaders from various careers in the MD, VA and DC area. She then applied and was selected as co-chair for the Mujeres de HACE DC alumni board. She is a Latina scientist leader who is passionate about sharing her love for science and mentoring students from various backgrounds.

Dr. Ramírez is first in her family to graduate from college and obtained a doctorate degree. Therefore, she firmly believes in the importance of mentorship and how it can create a positive impact in the lives of others as it did on hers.

Speaker

Diana Alvarez

Hyatt
Sr Occupational Health Manager, Co-Chair of Hyatt Latino BRG

Ms. Alvarez is currently responsible for directing key workers’ compensation initiatives for Hyatt Hotels Corporation for the Midwest Region. Diana works through many lines of business with a particular focus in human resources. With human resources, Diana partners with the teams to strategize on the management of worker’s compensation claims including those relating to return to work challenges, cost containment and oversight of medical management. She also supports Hyatt’s hotels throughout the United States to ensure compliance with federal and state OSHA rules in addition to many ongoing safety initiatives. In 2015 she took on the role of Chairperson for the newly formed Latino Diversity Business Resource Group.

Prior to joining Hyatt in 2004, Ms. Alvarez utilized her Nursing skills in various settings that included an inpatient Oncology unit, managing a Maternity Clinic, Occupational Health Nurse for a candy manufacturing plant, field case management for a large insurance carrier and medical office duties in a spine surgery practice.

Diana is currently on the Board of Directors for various organizations including the National Hispanic Corporate Council, the Illinois Self Insurers Association, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Medical Fee Advisory Board and is actively involved with both the Illinois and Chicagoland Chambers of Commerce in the Employment Law Group.

Speaker

Marco Lopez

Element L2
Co-Founder & President

Marco López is co-founder and President of elemento L2. He leads the strategic vision of the company, new business development & the creative and planning departments.

elemento L2 is the creative agency, that drives word of mouth and consumer engagement. Marco’s primary job is to make elemento L2 the agency of choice amongst brands who need a partner to navigate the new and ever changing consumer landscape. Elemento L2 focuses on 5 key areas: Experiential, Digital, Public Relations, Multicultural and Shopper Marketing, all pillars are strategically grounded and filtered through its award winning Creative, Planning and Logistics teams.

elemento’s Headquarters is in Chicago, serving Coca-Cola, Target, Barcel, Brown-Forman, Get Covered Illinois, Wilson, Disney, and World Business Chicago, amongst others.

Prior to elemento L2, Marco joined Relay in 2006, later becoming PBJS the creative suite within MSL Group (Global Public Relations Agency of Publicis Groupe) and Marco was promoted to Sr. Director of Multicultural Marketing leading Experiential, PR, Creative & Diversity inclusion.

Marco was responsible for the group’s account services, operations planning and creative across all client accounts, which included Coca-Cola, P&G, Beam Global, Mazola, PayPal, Budweiser, AT&T, amongst others.

Prior to Publicis’ PBJS/MSL Group, Marco worked as Marketing Brand Director for Tribune’s Hoy Newspaper’s three daily editions (Los Angeles, New York and Chicago).

Lopez’ beginnings in Brand Marketing, began at SBC Communications (now AT&T), where he was the Director of Diversity Brand Marketing for the Wireless Divisions, which included several brands at the time (Pacific Bell, SBC, Cellular One & Ameritech).

Marco is a board member of AHAA, the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, and Urban Initiatives. He is a Chicago native, yet spent most of his childhood in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. He posses a Bachelor’s Degree from DePaul University’s SNL program in Marketing Communications. Adding now to his experience the title of serial entrepreneur, with an internal incubator at elemento and successfully launched two more companies in the low-tech and social enterprise areas. Marco is pursuing the Executive MBA at Kellogg – Northwestern School of Management.

Speaker

Ilka Rodriguez

CIA
Chief of Hiring Division and Directorate of Support

Ilka S. Rodríguez-Díaz, a New Jersey native, joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1985, having recently graduated from New York University with a B.A. in French and German. Ilka began her career supporting covert action programs in 25 countries on four continents. She then refocused her professional interest and began work in human and organizational development. She has numerous Exceptional Performance Awards, including the following: an Intelligence Commendation Medal for her leadership at CIA University’s Language Institute, a Mission Achievement Award from CIA University for excellence in human resource development, and a Directorate of Support award for leading the design and implementation of the CIA’s new employee orientation program, Access CIA.

Ms. Rodriguez-Diaz was instrumental in establishing CIA’s Hispanic Advisory Council, has remained an active participant since its inception in 1990, and continues to develop CIA’s leaders as an adjunct faculty member of its Center for Leadership Development. Ilka has been a student at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and L’Institut Catholique de Paris and has an M.A. in Human Resource Development from The George Washington University.

Ms. Rodriguez-Diaz served as the Chief, Support Hiring Division as the senior hiring official for the business and support professionals that staff the Directorate of Support. She is currently the Deputy Chief, CIA Talent Acquisition Group, where she works with the Chief to oversee the world wide effort to recruit new hires and students into the Agency.

Speaker

Paco Lebron

ProdigyTeks Inc.
Founder

Paco Lebron, ls the founder of ProdigyTeks Inc., an IT consulting firm/computer repair shop. ProdigyTeks opened July of 2013 in the West Loop of Chicago specializing in a wide range of services including; tailored computer services, solutions for residential customers and start-up businesses. Over the past 10 years, Paco, an ambitious IT professional, has demonstrated the ability to outshine at his expertise with his leadership skills, analysis and operations management skills. He builds infrastructure support, handles SQL database management, and serves others with their computer requests. His bachelor’s in Computer Engineering Technology from DeVry University has helped pave his pathway of success in the IT industry.

Paco is presently a co-host on both the Computer Business Marketing Show on Facebook Live and Computer Repair Live Show on YouTube. Sharing his knowledge and educating others on how to take an IT business to the next level. On the show, Paco has shared tips, ideas and philosophies on his journey in building his very own company ProdigyTeks.

While business success is important to Paco, he is also passionate about giving back. A product of Humboldt Park, he has spent years being a bridge of support to the youth of the neighborhood with various enrichment programs, community service events and community resources. Paco serves on HACE’s Young Professionals Board, providing a technical perspective on the goal of creating a pipeline of Latinos for the workplace. Paco and HACE share the same vision of a world where Latinos reach their full potential for themselves and their communities.

Speaker

Yahaira Guzman

Ventas Inc.
Human Resources Generalist

Yahaira Guzman currently chairs the HACE Young Professionals Board. The HACE Young Professionals Network (HYPN) was established to support the work of HACE through ambassadorship and fundraising. The board participates in leadership and professional development, plans networking and fundraising events and empowers young professionals through HACE’s mission. Yahaira was recently named Chicago’s Top 40 under 40 by Negocios Now.

Through her leadership, HYPN has exceeded fundraising goals and collected $14,000 between 2015 and 2016. Prior to being chair, Guzman participated as a volunteer at University Leadership Network activities, served as Secretary for HYPN, and is a recent alumna of the Mujeres de HACE Leadership program. She attributes her leadership to a lineage of fearless Puerto Rican women.

Guzman currently works as a human resources generalist for Ventas Inc., a leading real estate investment trust, and she serves as the company’s HR liaison for its Diversity Network. Formerly, she worked as a senior employee relations specialist at JLL and has a diverse background supporting HR initiatives. Her employee resource group involvement at JLL led her to serve as the National Membership Chair for the Latino Employee Resource Network’s Advisory Board, increasing membership for the ERG in her tenure. She also previously served as a community ambassador for domestic violence and sexual assault victims throughout Kane and Cook County.

Guzman earned both her Masters of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from DePaul University. She is a member of Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority, Inc., where she served as the undergraduate chapter president and helped to establish the first alumnae chapter in Chicago.

Speaker

Maria Castro

Comcast
Regional External Affairs Manager

Well-versed in both multi-cultural and mainstream event marketing and community outreach, Maria has over two decades of special events/promotions, communications, community/public relations, corporate social responsibility and marketing expertise. Her roots stem back from the radio industry, having represented the national sales forces of Lotus Hispanic Networks and Cabellero Spanish Media. Later broadening her sales & marketing expertise in the retail industry as the Director of Marketing for a one-million square foot shopping center (Brickyard Mall) on Chicago’s North Side, Regional Marketing Manager for Equity Properties and Development (one of the largest real estate developers in the country), Regional Operations Manager for Passage Events and currently serving as the Regional External Affairs Manager for Comcast.

Lending her talents outside of work, Maria currently serves on the Telemundo Community Action Board, Chair for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Chicago Chapter, appointed in 2014 by Governor Pat Quinn to the Illinois Conservation Foundation Board, Women’s Business Development Center’s Advisory Council, and formerly served on the following boards: Seguin Services in Cicero, DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville, Aurora Study Circles, Greater Chicago American Red Cross’ Disaster Preparedness committee, LULAC of Aurora (League of Latin American Citizens) and Sarah’s Inn in Oak Park. Maria has received numerous awards for her community service in the Greater Chicago Region; YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, People with Disabilities Champion, Quad County Urban Leagues Community Service Award as well as a proclamation of Maria Castro Day in the City of Aurora (10-10- 09) for her service and leadership in that city. She resides in Riverside with her husband Martin, has two sons Martin and Phillip and three grandchildren, Savannah, Martin (MJ) and Amaya Castro.

“Building a better tomorrow for everyone, today”

Speaker

Gabriela Gonzalez

Intel
Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs Group

Gabriela A. González is the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs in the the U.S. informing K12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and Women & Girls STEM strategies. Ms. González engages and collaborates with multiple stakeholders across Intel as well as external partners in academia, government, industry and non-profit agencies to drive and influence meaningful STEM education outcomes. Prior to this role Ms. González was a program manager for Intel Labs and managed Intel’s strategic corporate relationships and academic programs with top U.S., Europe and Latin America research universities. In this position, Ms. González was responsible for advancing university programs and curriculum development in key strategic areas worldwide. Throughout her career, Ms. Gonzalez has held several engineering roles at Intel, as a Process Engineering Group Manager transferring the latest microprocessor technology from development to high-volume manufacturing and as an Industrial Engineering Manager responsible for equipment capacity, labor and operational productivity. Ms. González began her professional career at Xerox Corporation where she held various manufacturing, engineering and management positions.

Ms. Gonzalez is a leader, role model and active member of her community, the Intel Latino Network and Women at Intel Network and is driving to change the future for underrepresented students in STEM. Ms. Gonzalez co-authored and originated the engagement model for “Hermanas: Design Your Future” Conference, a series of annual Intel-sponsored events aimed at high school and middle school students in Phoenix, AZ, Portland, OR, and Guadalajara, Mexico. The mission of this conference is to increase the number of underprivileged girls choosing to go to college and considering majors in engineering and technology. Over the last 12 years, Ms. Gonzalez’s efforts have reached over 6,000 students in grades 4-12 thereby increasing their knowledge of higher education and awareness of technical careers. She continuously mentors young engineering professionals and students in their educational and career development. Between 2005 and 2008, she represented Intel as a corporate member of the Arizona executive board of Chicanos Por La Causa and was a member of the executive advisory board for De Colores, a domestic violence shelter for women in the Phoenix area. Ms. Gonzalez also served on the Arizona State University Motivated Engineering Transfer Students (METS) Center Industry Advisory Board.

Ms. González holds a Master’s degree in Engineering and Manufacturing Management from Clarkson University and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology at Arizona State University. She is presently a resident of Chandler, Arizona.

Speaker

Dasha Arias

Google
Sr Account Manager of Global Solutions

Dasha Arias is a Sr. Account Manager in the Global Business Organization at Google. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, helping them achieve their brand and performance objectives by consulting on digital marketing strategies and solutions. Outside of her core role, Dasha also leads Google’s Hispanic Googler Network at the global level, with a focus of helping minority-owned businesses grow online and closing the gap of minorities in STEM-related fields.

Dasha graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Communication Studies, Dance & Business Institutions, with a certificate in Undergraduate Leadership. She is currently working on launching a computer science and dance summer camp for underserved youth in Chicago. Dasha lives in Chicago with her husband, who was her high-school sweetheart, and Rottweiler puppy, Xuxa.

Speaker

Rosa Nunez

Omnicom Media Group
Associated Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Rosa Nunez is responsible for leading and executing Omnicom Media Group’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy for the U.S. Rosa’s efforts are focused on positioning Omnicom Media Group as a great place to work, employer of choice and a thought leader in the space of Diversity & Inclusion. Rosa joined Omnicom Media Group in 2014 from Accenture, were she had an 11-year career and a proven track record of successfully designing and implementing award-winning, global-scale Diversity & Inclusion programs. Rosa was named a Champion of Inclusion by NV Magazine in 2015 and in 2016 was highlighted in multiple media channels as a “trailblazer” in the space of Diversity & Inclusion.

When she is not hard at work, Rosa dedicates her time giving back to the community as a member of the 4A’s Diversity Steering Committee, The Advertising Club of NY I’mPART Steering Committee and the Manhattan Early College School of Advertising Committee.

Rosa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts Management and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Speaker

Robert Renteria

Civic Leader/International Award Winning Latino Author

Mr. Robert Renteria came from humble beginnings, sleeping in a dresser drawer as a child living in the armpit of the barrio of East Los Angeles. Abandoned by his alcohol & heroin addicted father, Robert was homeless as a teenager. He dropped out of high school and was in the middle of a truly dysfunctional life style and eventually started running the streets surviving in the sub culture of gangs and violence. Robert decided to make a radical change and turn his life around.

He went back to school and received his GED, joined the army and honorable served our country as a non-commissioned officer for over seven years and ultimately spearheaded the reactivation of the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

He then came to Chicago in 1990 with $200.00 and a duffle bag, and after six long years of working hard… he became the International Executive Vice President of a publically traded company on the NYSE-New York Stock Exchange.

Now, Robert has dedicated his life to giving back and changing the lives of our youth. He has written the books “From the Barrio to the Board Room, Mi Barrio and Little Barrio” which are being taught to students in classrooms across America.

Robert was recently appointed the Chair of the Youth Committee for the WBC – World Boxing Council and the WBC Cares representing and mentoring boys and girls, ages eight to eighteen in 165 countries around the world.

Robert travels across the country speaking to schools about overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles.

To contact Mr. Renteria and to bring him to speak and to inspire your students please visit: www.fromthebarrio.com

Speaker

Alberto Ortega

Senior Director of Strategic Account Management
Sodexo

Alberto develops and sustains relationships with clients, assesses clients’ needs, and crafts solutions to retain existing clients impacting revenues of $100M+. He utilizes a customer-centric approach to leverage resources essential for designing strategies and solutions to enhance portfolio management. Alberto engages a variety of client stakeholders in the areas of corporate social responsibility, diversity & inclusion, human resources, sustainability, procurement, and supplier diversity to enhance client engagement.

Alberto adds value to Sodexo by bridging access to leaders in business, community and government. He builds partnerships with stakeholders in the areas of education, health and wellness and workforce development to “create shared value” in Chicago’s communities and promote the corporate brand. Alberto holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Loyola University Chicago and a Master’s Degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago.

Speaker

Michael McGrew

Constellation
VP, Corporate Communications

Mike McGrew is Constellation’s vice president, corporate communications reporting to Tom Kane, chief human resources officer. In this role, Mike is responsible for developing and executing internal and external communication strategies designed to enhance the company’s reputation with key stakeholders and support the company’s business strategy. These activities include executive and internal communications, media relations, issues management, crisis communications, brand public relations and corporate social responsibility.

Constellation Brands is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. Constellation is the third-largest producer and marketer of beer for the U.S. market and the world’s leading premium wine company.

Mike joined Constellation Brands in 2014 as senior director, communications for the company’s beer division, where he was responsible for all internal and external communications. He was promoted to vice president, communications for the beer division in 2015, and in 2017 assumed expanded responsibility as vice president, corporate communications for Constellation Brands.

Preceding his tenure at Constellation Brands, Mike held a number of roles in corporate communications with increasing responsibility at Grainger, Alliant Foodservice and Morton International. He is a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, and serves on the Board of Directors for Urban Initiatives.

Speaker

Michael Alicea

Nielsen
Executive Vice President of Global Human Resources

As Executive Vice President of Global Human Resources, Michael Alicea is responsible for all Human Resources activities across Operations, Technology, Entertainment, Business Development, Global Commercial Teams and Acquisition Integrations.

Michael possesses a strong background in a broad range of human resource disciplines including employee relations, performance management, training, and corporate initiative fulfillment. He began his career at Nielsen in 1995 as Manager of Human Resources for the Media Information Group and he has held a variety of leadership roles within the company, both in HR, communications and operations.

Prior to his current role, Michael was Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Global Product Leadership and Nielsen Business Media, (including our former trade shows and publishing assets such as ShowWest, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Backstage and AdWeek among many others). Before that, he served as Vice President of Operations at PERQ/HCI. In 2001, Michael advanced to Vice President of ACNielsenHCI where he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. During his tenure there, he created the first online surveying tool for campaign tracking within the pharmaceutical industry.

Before joining Nielsen, Michael held several HR positions in compensation, employee relations and labor within a large non-profit organization in New York City.

Michael has a BBA in Human Resources and Organizational Management and has completed graduate coursework in Business Policy at Baruch College. In 2010 he also completed Nielsen’s Global Leadership Program in Bangalore, India.

Michael is presently the Co-Chair of Nielsen’s External Advisory Board and serves on the Board of Directors for the Emma Bowen Foundation which is dedicated to preparing minority youth for careers in the Media Industry.

In January 2015 Michael received the Arthur C. Nielsen Chairman’s Award for outstanding achievement. He was also honored in 2014, 2015 and 2016 by the Imagen Foundation as one of “The Most Influential Hispanics in Media”.

Favorite Leadership Quote:

Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.

-Vince Lombardi

Speaker

Karl G. Gouverneur

Northwestern Mutual
VP, Chief Technology Officer

Karl Gouverneur (pronounced “Governor”) is vice president and chief technology officer for Northwestern Mutual, and head of the company’s enterprise technology management department. In this role, Gouverneur oversees a team that sets the company’s technology direction, leads digital innovation and technology governance, delivers a reliable technology environment and leads company digital transformation efforts.

Gouverneur focuses on providing technology that leads to efficiency and flexibility for business processes to enrich the experience of the company’s clients, financial advisors and employees. In addition to his other responsibilities, Gouverneur leads an award-winning digital innovation program which evaluates digital-based ideas driving 10x value to the company. Gouverneur is currently a member of the CIO Research Board and the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA). In the Milwaukee community, Gouverneur is an active member of the Discovery World Board. Finally, he is an advisor to the Northwestern Mutual Hispanic Employee Resource Group.

Speaker

Araceli Garza-Perez

Manager Director
Studio Arq

Araceli Garza-Perez, is a Real Estate development professional with over 18 years of design, development and project management experience. She’s knowledgeable in various building types ranging from single family, multi-unit buildings, commercial, corporate and educational facilities.

Araceli has the proven ability to work effectively with city, state and governmental entities for adherence to compliance measures and reporting provisions. Her experience spans various sectors including the private, public and nonprofit sectors, where her focus has been on developing affordable housing and federally funded projects. Araceli earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a Master in Advanced Architectural Design degree and Master in Real Estate Development degree both from Columbia University in the city of New York. In May 2016, Araceli was appointed to serve as a commissioner to the office of the Berwyn Historic Preservation Commission. In addition, recently joined the Mujeres de HACE board, serving an organization to promote women in leadership positions. She resides in Berwyn with her husband and 3-year-old twins.

Miriam Martinez

Chief Investment Officer
City of Chicago

Miriam Martinez started in the industry as an assistant broker, and in less than two years ended up buying and selling bonds on Wall Street. She earned her B.A. in Economics from Hobart and William Smith in Geneva, N.Y.

Chief Investment Officer Martinez has 20 plus years in the private sector, which include 15 years with mid-sized Brokerage house Cowen & Co as Director of Retail Fixed Income. In 1998 she was appointed to the New York State Insurance Fund and left as the Director of Investments in August of 2014 with the assets having grown from $6.5 billion to $14.2 billion ($2.2 billion had been transferred out by NYS April 2013).

Martinez’s credentials were the reasons which Kurt Summers, Treasurer of the City of Chicago, trusted her to implement his vision for City Treasurer’s office, and made history by appointing her as the first Latina Chief Investment Officer for the City of Chicago. Martinez’ has proven that Treasurer Summers made the right choice when his office announced that Ms. Martinez and her team have invested wisely and generated the city $56 million in income as of June 2015 with a projection of $104 million by year end which represents a doubling of the income in decades past.

Ms. Martinez was also appointed to the Secure Choice Board of Illinois in August 2015.

Speaker

Jose R. Sanchez

President/CEO
Norwegian American Hospital

José R. Sánchez, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian American Hospital, is Chicago’s only Latino hospital CEO. He is a senior health care executive with 30 years’ experience in the operational, strategic and fiscal management of healthcare and multi-hospital systems. He began his career as a clinical social worker before advancing through the ranks of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), the largest public health system it the nation. Sanchez ultimately served as Senior Vice President and Chief Executive of the Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, comprised of three acute care hospitals, three diagnostic and treatment centers, and 20 community based health centers in Manhattan and the Bronx.

Since his arrival in Chicago, Norwegian American Hospital has had one of the most successful safety net hospital turnarounds in the country and has received national recognition in the areas of finance, information technology, innovation, and quality improvement. Under his leadership, Norwegian is the recipient of the 2015 Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence award, recognizing the hospital as among the top 10% of all hospitals nationwide for excellence in patient safety. He led the hospital to a successful Level II perinatal service designation for a period of three years by exceeding every State requirement, one year more than the standard two year designation awarded. He was the honorable mention recipient of American’s Essential Hospitals’ 2015 Gage Award for transformation of Perinatal Quality. Sánchez led the once struggling Norwegian American Hospital through two consecutive Joint Commission Accreditation surveys.

Sánchez is Chairman of the Board of Family Health Network, the largest Medicaid health plan in the State of Illinois with $600 million in revenue. He is the architect of numerous innovative programs around the State including leading the creation of MyCare, which in partnership with ten other entities provides healthcare services to 60,000 Medicaid enrollees. He took the lead in developing Be Well Partners in Health, a Coordinated Care Entity for Medicaid enrollees diagnosed with significant mental illness. Sánchez helped develop the Community Care Alliance of Illinois (CCAI), a Coordinated Care Entity for Medicaid enrollees with long-term disabilities which currently has more than 6,000 members.

Sánchez was recently reappointed to his second term on the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Implementation Coordination Council by Governor Rauner. He also serves as a member of the Budgeting for Results Commission and the Illinois Department of Public Health Perinatal Advisory Committee. He is a nominee for the Illinois State Board of Health, subject to approval by the Senate. Mr. Sánchez is one of 24 appointees who work collaboratively with the Governor’s Health Care Reform Implementation Council to promote state-wide improvements in public health. Mr. Sánchez also serves on the boards of the following: Illinois Hospital Association, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance and the City Club of Chicago. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Boricua College in New York, a four year college designed to serve the educational needs of Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics. In October 2009, Sánchez was named among the “Most Influential Latinos” in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine, a New York Times Co. syndicated publication and featured in the May 2015 issue of nationally distributed Hispanic Executive Magazine which features top Latino executives in the United States.

Sánchez has been a licensed social worker since 1979. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the City College of New York and a Master of Social Work from Adelphi University. In 2002, he was conferred an honorary doctorate degree from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. This honor recognized his measurable accomplishments and steadfast commitment to improving the health status of the poorest and most disadvantaged populations in New York City.

Speaker

Lamia Pardo

Pangea Money Transfer
SVP Growth and Operations

Lamia Pardo is a performance-driven marketing and strategy professional with 10+ years of experience in building consumer brands and nurturing loyalty for a wide range of products and services in the US and Latin America.

In her role at Pangea Money Transfer, she is responsible for the company’s rapid growth while still delivering on the mission of helping the customers that it the most. The international money transfer app is now available in the US and many countries of Latin America, and she is currently working on expanding its global reach. She manages a multidisciplinary team of many nationalities and walks of life that are responsible for Marketing, Finance, Analytics and Operations.

Before Pangea, she was at Leo Burnett working with global reputable companies launching new products, as well with startups and non-profits.

Lamia has a M.S Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.

Speaker

Karina Diehl

MillerCoors
Director of Community Affairs

Karina Diehl is the director of community affairs for MillerCoors, where she leads a national team focused on implementing the brewer’s environmental sustainability, alcohol responsibility and community outreach strategies. She also serves on the company’s marketing compliance committee and as the community affairs chair of the Chicago Hispanic Employee Resource Group. Karina is a proud ambassador of MillerCoors and is committed to developing new and engaging community investment initiatives specifically around civic leadership and economic empowerment.

Karina was named a Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) in 2011. In 2016, she was named an Emerging Leader by the National Latino Education Institute and received the Chicago United Benefactor award. She also dedicates her time as a volunteer with the People’s Music School in Chicago and In2Books, a United Way literacy program serving Chicago Public School students. She serves on the Make a Wish Foundation of Illinois’ Associate Board and is a leadership level donor in her company’s United Way campaign.

Karina attended the University of Miami where she holds a degree in Public Relations and Creative Writing. She began her career in marketing communications at companies such as Burson-Marsteller, IBM and Edelman, managing communications for global brands in the technology, automotive, consumer packaged goods and alcohol industries. Cuban-American and originally from Miami, FL, Karina has called Chicago her home since 2009.

Speaker

Talita Ramos Erickson

Barilla America, Inc.
General Counsel – Region Americas

Talita Ramos Erickson is General Counsel – Region Americas, for Barilla America, Inc., a subsidiary of the Barilla Group. She also served as the first Global Chief Diversity Officer for the Barilla Group from 2013 to 2016. Her previous work experience includes several positions during her 10-year tenure at Kraft Foods, both in Brazil and the United States, including Counsel, Global Strategic Transactions. She holds a J.D. from Federal University of Paraná (Brazil), an LL. M. in Business Law from Loyola University of Chicago, and an M.B.A. from University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Speaker

Sonya Reed

Phillips 66
SVP, Human Resources

Sonya Reed is Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Communications and Public Affairs for Phillips 66, a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company. With nearly 20 years of international experience in human resources, Reed reports directly to Greg Garland, chairman and CEO, and is a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team.

Before joining Phillips 66 in May 2015, Reed served as executive vice president and chief human resources officer for General Cable, where she focused on driving a global people agenda and implemented processes for effective human resource management. She worked closely with General Cable’s board of directors on leadership succession planning as well as compensation strategy and design.

Reed began her career as a commercial underwriter at Zurich Financial Services, where she spent 14 years. She subsequently moved into human resources and ascended through the function, specializing in business partnerships. After a multi-year assignment in Switzerland, she returned to the United States as the vice president of Human Resources for Latin America.

Reed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Arizona State University and completed advanced studies at Cambridge University in England and the Complutense University of Madrid. She is fluent in Spanish.

Speaker

Rudy Juarez

Grainger
VP, Mexico, Latin America & Global Export

Rudy Juarez was named Vice President of Latin America & Export in October 2016. He is responsible for overseeing Grainger’s operations Mexico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panama, Peru, and Puerto Rico. He is also responsible for the global Export Sales & Marketing team, which covers more than 30 countries with offices in Dubai, Mumbai, Jakarta, and Miami.

Prior to this role, Mr. Juarez was Vice President, Commercial Brand Segment for Grainger U.S. where he was responsible for building capabilities around natural resources, hospitality, transportation and property management in order to gain market share within the commercial business. Mr. Juarez also led three companies that are part of Grainger’s Specialty Brands portfolio: E&R, Techni-Tool and Fabory North America.

Before joining Grainger in 2013, Mr. Juarez was Group Vice President-Foodservice at Heinz North America. He has held a number of senior leadership roles in marketing, sales, and general management in the consumer packaged goods industry with Coca‑Cola and Sara Lee Corporation.

Mr. Juarez graduated from Arizona State University (ASU) with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and has an M.B.A from Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University. In 2011, he received the ASU Hispanic Business Student’s Association – Alumni Career Achievement Award.

Mr. Juarez is a former board member of the National Latino Education Institute, and served in an advisory capacity to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. He also served as a board member for the Susan G. Komen Foundation Georgia.

W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2015 sales of $10 billion, is North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products (MRO), with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America. For more information about the company, visit www.grainger.com/investor.

Speaker

Rita Mitjans

ADP
Chief Diversity & Corporate Social Responsibility Officer

Rita Mitjans currently serves as Chief Diversity & Corporate Social Responsibility Officer for ADP. She leads ADP’s global diversity, inclusion and corporate social responsibility efforts, including setting the strategy, establishing metrics and aligning the activities of the Company’s Diversity Council and Resource Groups to enable ADP to achieve its talent and business objectives. She repositioned Resource Groups as Business Resource Groups, growing membership by more than triple and establishing a clear linkage with the company’s human capital management strategy. Rita aligned diversity with the company’s talent strategy resulting in more women and minorities in senior leadership and improved market rankings. She led the realignment of ADP Foundation grants with the company’s corporate social responsibility priorities, resulting in a 50% increase in employee giving and a 40% increase in scholarships and grants to diversity-focused institutions. Rita also introduced a new global rewards and recognition platform that’s resulted in more than 70% of the employee population receiving regular peer recognition for their work.

Prior to this role, Rita held senior leadership positions in Marketing, Strategy and business development at ADP, Deutsche Bank and Bankers Trust. She serves on the Catalyst Board of Advisors and the Advisory Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Union & Hudson Counties and is a Trustee of the ADP Foundation, the Foundation Board for New Jersey City University and Leadership New Jersey.

Education & Accreditations

Rita holds a master’s degree from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from St. John’s University. Rita was named a Top Executive in Diversity by Black Enterprise® in 2015 and 2016.

Speaker

Ricardo Dalmas

McDonald’s
Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy, McDonald’s Latin America Division

Ricardo is a global marketing strategist with experience acquired in management consulting, corporate + BU-level strategy and consumer insights.

He is currently Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy at McDonald’s, responsible for Latin America strategic planning and marketing initiatives.

Prior to this role, he worked at PepsiCo in three different positions: Global Consumer Insights, North America Beverages Strategy and Corporate Strategy.

Before PepsiCo, Ricardo spent 7 years as a consultant with A.T. Kearney (2 years in Brazil, 5 years in Chicago office), in the Consumer Goods & Retail practice. He started his career in marketing at General Motors.

Ricardo currently serves on the Board of America Needs You – Illinois (ANY), a nonprofit organization that helps first-generation college students achieve their academic and career ambitions.

Born in Brazil, he studied in Austria as exchange student, backpacked for six months in Southeast Asia and China and worked in several international markets including Japan, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Europe (UK, Netherlands, Russia, Turkey), Saudi Arabia and Canada. MBA graduate from Kellogg School of Management.

Speaker

Rafael Rengifo

Phillips 66
Facility Integrity Manager

Rafael Rengifo is the Facility Integrity Manager for Phillips 66 Midstream Operations. He has over 27 years of experience in fixed equipment reliability, mechanical integrity, materials and corrosion.

Mr. Rengifo joined ConocoPhillips in 2005 and he currently is the head of a Phillips 66 Midstream organization that plans and executes US Tank Integrity Projects combined with planning and execution of US Pipeline Facilities Fixed Equipment Mechanical Integrity Programs. From 2006 – 2014, Mr. Rengifo served in different US Refining and Transportation positions like Tank Integrity Manager, Tank Integrity Lead, Lead Inspector, Corrosion and Reliability Engineer. Prior to that from 1999 – 2005, Mr. Rengifo served as the Chief Inspector for Petrozuata Upgrader (former PDVSA – ConocoPhillips joint venture) located in Venezuela. Prior to that, he owned a company that specialized in NDT, metallurgical, corrosion and materials consultant services.

Mr. Rengifo holds a Bachelor’s degree in materials engineering from Simon Bolivar University, Venezuela. He also holds American Petroleum Institute (API) Inspector Certifications for Tanks (API-653) and Pressure Vessels (API-510) and has been an active member of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), writing papers and participating in committees and task groups as member and vice-chair, he is also an active speaker and moderator in API and the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA). Mr. Rengifo has been an active member in technical committees for the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI), the technical committee of LATINCORR (NACE Spanish and Portuguese Technical Magazine), member of the ILTA meeting committee and also the Phillips 66 Houston Hispanic Network Leader.

Speaker

Paul Rodriguez

RR Donnelley
Vice President & Chief IP Counsel

Paul Rodriguez is Vice President and Chief IP Counsel at RR Donnelley, a global company with over $7 billion in revenue that enables organizations to create, manage, deliver and optimize their multichannel marketing and business communications. Paul is responsible for all of RR Donnelley’s intellectual property matters, including strategic portfolio management, product and process clearance, licensing, litigation and enforcement, development agreements and due diligence.

Paul is also an Adjunct Professor at the Northwestern University School of Law where he teaches IP Strategy & Management. Prior to working for RR Donnelley, Paul served as Assistant General Counsel at Pactiv Corporation with responsibility for all intellectual property matters and as Intellectual Property Counsel at Videojet Technologies. Paul started his career in private practice and was a Partner at McAndrews, Held & Malloy, where his practice focused on patent litigation.

Paul received his JD from the University of Chicago Law School and a BSE from Duke University (biomedical and electrical engineering).

Speaker

Elaine Pérez-Bell, PMP

Programs Manager Diversity & Inclusion
ADP

Elaine is an accomplished, results-driven professional that has delivered Diversity & Inclusion business value, strategy and results. She has over 15 years of experience in Operations for Marketing/Sales strategy and execution, is PMP® Project Management Professional certified and is passionate about inspiring teams to challenge the status quo, innovate and strive to continuously improve.

In her current role as Programs Manager Diversity & Inclusion, Elaine delivers governance of Business Resource Groups including alignment to Diversity & Inclusion strategy, KPI’s, tools, resources, benchmarks and best practices. When she served as Director of Operations for Adelante, the ADP Hispanic Business Resource Group, she was instrumental in evolving the group to deliver on their business value proposals. She designed a strategy and execution framework for market place growth initiatives that resulted in significant closed business and sales pipeline.

Elaine is a consummate professional in every aspect of her career. She has developed methodologies to evaluate and redesign processes, recommend tools and evaluate team dynamics to improve lead generation efficacy and decrease costs. She has received multiple project management recognition awards and has extensive experience across Human Capital Management, Technology, and Specialty Chemicals industries. Elaine obtained a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Economics and Spanish from Rutgers University.

Speaker

Robert Rodriguez

DRR Advisors
Founder & President

Robert Rodriguez, Ph.D., is the founder and president of Dr. Robert Rodriguez Advisors LLC (DRR Advisors), a diversity consulting firm that helps business leaders elevate the impact and effectiveness of their workplace inclusion initiatives. DRR Advisors works with large and small businesses to build forward-thinking organizational practices that foster diversity, leadership and innovation.

Dr. Rodriguez specializes in enterprise diversity strategy planning, employee resource group optimization and Latino talent management programs. Over 125 corporations have sought his expertise and consultation to develop proactive diversity initiatives that have a positive impact on business results. So many corporations rely on Dr. Rodriguez for insight on their diversity initiatives that Hispanic Business magazine named Robert one of the Top 100 Most Influential Latinos in Corporate America.

Prior to starting DRR Advisors, Dr. Rodriguez held non-profit, academic and corporate leadership roles. He most recently was the senior vice president at ALPFA (www.alpfa.org), the nation’s leading Latino professional non-profit business association where he lead their diversity consulting practice called the ALPFA Institute. Dr. Rodriguez also held faculty roles at Kaplan University and also previously taught in the MBA program at the Kellstadt School of Business at DePaul University. He has also held several human resource leadership roles at Fortune 500 firms, including Target Corporation, 3M Company, Amoco and The Washington Post.

Dr. Rodriguez is a columnist for Diversity Executive magazine and was formerly a writer for Human Resource magazine. He’s written for, or been quoted in, the Chicago Tribune, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Hispanic Executive and Latino Leaders magazine. Robert is best known for his book, Latino Talent: Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain and Develop Hispanic Professionals which is used by dozens of corporations as a framework for their Latino diversity programs.

Dr. Rodriguez serves on the board of directors for the National Forum of Latino Healthcare Executives, sits on the advisory board of the Adelante U.S. Scholarship Fund, is an advisory board member of New Futuro and is the past board chair for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE). In 2010, both Latino Leaders and DiversityMBA magazines named him one of the top rising Latinos in the country age 40 and under.

He received his undergraduate degree in business management and his doctorate in Organization Development. He is also a graduate of the UCLA Latino Leadership Institute. Dr. Rodriguez resides in Chicago. He can be reached at DRR Advisors at Robert@DRRAdvisors.com.

Speaker

David Segura

VisionIT
Founder & CEO

VisionIT was founded nearly 20 years ago by David Segura, and now works with some of the largest corporations in the U.S. and globally providing IT services and solutions across specific IT practices.

Segura leads the VisionIT corporate strategy and under his leadership the company has become one of the largest and most recognized minority-owned businesses in the United States, operating in 20 U.S. offices, as well as Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and the Philippines.

Segura develops executive level relationships with customers, corporate partners, and state and local governments. He also serves as a board member of Stanford University’s Latino Business Action Network with famed professor Dr. Jerry Porras, co-author of Built to Last. Segura is an advisor to the Michigan eLAB, a venture capital fund operating in Silicon Valley and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Segura has global impact by serving with the U.S. Trade Ambassador on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on the National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise. He maintains strong relationships with many diversity organizations, such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), as well as numerous local minority councils, Hispanic chambers, and minority-owned firms around the nation.

Segura has served on numerous non-profit boards, including the Detroit Regional Chamber, Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW). He is honored to have had his accomplishments recognized by many organizations, including Ernst & Young, who named him Entrepreneur of the Year for the Central Great Lakes region and Hispanic Business Magazine’s national entrepreneur of the year.

He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Speaker

Lilia Arroyo Flores

Executive Vice President, Planning Chicago
Edelman

Lilia Arroyo Flores serves as executive vice president and head of Planning in Edelman’s Chicago office. With more than 20 years of experience in strategy development, Lilia specializes in shopper marketing, retail/promotions and multicultural marketing.

Lilia and her team of nearly 20 planning professionals help clients understand what motivates the behaviors of today’s consumers, identify channels/touchpoints to intercept them along their path to purchase and develop the right content to influence and engage them. Some of the current clients the team supports include Kellogg’s, Dairy Management Inc., ConAgra, Barilla’s, Bush’s, Butterball, Darden, SC Johnson, Bussinessolver, Hologic, American Heart Association, Kimberly Clark, Nationwide and Northwestern Mutual.

Previously Lilia was SVP of Strategy at Leo Burnett/ARC where she oversaw one of LB’s largest accounts, P&G, as well as the Alcon and Walmart businesses. She and her team of traditional strategists, digital strategists and content strategists generated insights and strategies that inspired award-winning creative work including multiple Effies, Reggies, Pro and Addy awards.

Over the course of her career, Lilia also has held planning positions at TPN, DraftFCB and Frankel, served as an account manager at Claritas, and was a retail marketing analyst for the Chicago Tribune. Lilia is a graduate of DePaul University and lives in Berwyn with her husband, Rick and daughter, Bella. She loves to travel, cook and bike with her family.

Mujeres de HACE Alumnae Breakfast: Strategies to Enhance/Leverage Leadership Potential Forward. (for Alumnae Only)

This invite-only breakfast is for graduates of our Mujeres de HACE Program. Twice a year, alumnae of our leadership development program for professional Latinas convene to network and learn from the stories of successful women leaders. The focus of this workshop is to improve and support their leadership potential after it’s been discovered and unleashed when completing the Mujeres de HACE program. A keynote speaker will open up the session, followed by testimonials and stories from three Mujeres de HACE.

Chief Diversity Officers Breakfast: Innovative D&I Strategies to create to change a culture from within. (Invite Only)

Chief Diversity Officers and ERG Leaders from HACE partners convene twice a year to discuss and share challenges, opportunities and best practices to drive Diversity and Inclusion. The meeting includes formal presentations from CDOs followed by breakout sessions. The theme is centered around ways to navigate internal politics and institutional barriers across various departments, including talent acquisitions, marketing and sales divisions, to align diversity goals across the organization.

Latino Authenticity in Corporate America

This session will provide personal stories about the challenges Latinos face when trying to adjust to a corporate culture to “fit in” while maintaining their identity, deeply rooted in family and societal values. Creating an environment where Inclusion and Belonging drive employee retention is at top of mind for companies, and how they leverage people’s differences to keep a productive, encouraging and a conducive environment.

Creating a new generation of entrepreneurs through technology

Companies like Airbnb and Google have transformed the way we are able to earn income and start our own business. Technology is at the root of it and more advancement and opportunities are on the horizon. Hear from the experts on how you can utilize online tools to expand your possibilities to market yourself and your business.

Building your online presence/image and support network

Advancing into a career or obtaining a promotion is a conscientious yet strategic effort. Successful professionals surround themselves with people who can influence or refer them, by building sponsors to advocate for them, mentors to guide them, and creating a network to enable or discover opportunities. This session brings experts to help you build a strong personal brand and create a professional network through various social media or web portals.

Leading a multi-generational workforce

For the first time in history, four generations find themselves working side by side. College interns, young professionals, executives and senior leaders’ interactions are creating complex and sometimes mismanaged expectations resulting in loss of morale and productivity. What if everyone could get along and delegate effectively across generations? Speakers will share stories about practices that helped cope with multi-generational conflicts, to create an environment where everyone belongs. This workshop is hosted by the HACE Young Professionals Board with a focus on millennials.

Effective Ways for ERGs/BRGs to Engage Senior Leadership

This session offers testimonials from ERG/BRG leaders and corporate executives about ways to gain support from executive sponsors, whether to create a new resource group, or to increase its credibility that adds profitability to the organization. Speakers will demonstrate ways to overcome “inertia” or passive engagement from senior leaders, and to increase the level of engagement or financial resources to support the activities of BRG.

Discovering your purpose

This session provides inspirational stories about how to find your purpose, motivation and passion. Hear how this journey of discovery becomes the foundation for our success in life and in our career.

Ignite Your Passion for Community Leadership

This session provides inspirational stories about the impact a company and an individual can make through community leadership, their motivations for giving back and how it has helped them advance their company’s bottom line and their individual career. Leaders of the 21st century are said to be “compassionate leaders” because they need to lead from the heart, the mind, and the soul, within and outside of their company. Companies hire talent who are passionate about their cause and who have a proven record of results. Attend this session and hear how you too can make a difference in your community to create your own personal story as a leader.

Women in STEM: Trials and Tribulations in a Man-Dominated World

Distinguished Mujeres de HACE alumnae working in STEM fields will share their career trajectory, trials and tribulations in a male-dominated industry, and their recommendations for growing the pipeline of Latinas.

Breakfast Opening Session: Latino Executives Forum

Latino Executives Breakfast Forum: INNOVATIVE & INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP This breakfast is the kick-off featuring a panel of Latino Executives to discuss their career trajectory and personal experiences in the world of rapid innovation, the economic impact of Latino workforce in our community, and what is at stake for companies to foster diversity and inclusion at the core of their corporate values. The featured speakers will be representing industries in which there is a significant underrepresentation of Latinos.

Lilia Arroyo

Lilia Arroyo Flores
Executive Vice President, Planning Chicago
Edelman

Lilia Arroyo Flores serves as executive vice president and head of Planning in Edelman’s Chicago office. With more than 20 years of experience in strategy development, Lilia specializes in shopper marketing, retail/promotions and multicultural marketing.

Lilia and her team of nearly 20 planning professionals help clients understand what motivates the behaviors of today’s consumers, identify channels/touchpoints to intercept them along their path to purchase and develop the right content to influence and engage them. Some of the current clients the team supports include Kellogg’s, Dairy Management Inc., ConAgra, Barilla’s, Bush’s, Butterball, Darden, SC Johnson, Bussinessolver, Hologic, American Heart Association, Kimberly Clark, Nationwide and Northwestern Mutual.

Previously Lilia was SVP of Strategy at Leo Burnett/ARC where she oversaw one of LB’s largest accounts, P&G, as well as the Alcon and Walmart businesses. She and her team of traditional strategists, digital strategists and content strategists generated insights and strategies that inspired award-winning creative work including multiple Effies, Reggies, Pro and Addy awards.

Over the course of her career, Lilia also has held planning positions at TPN, DraftFCB and Frankel, served as an account manager at Claritas, and was a retail marketing analyst for the Chicago Tribune. Lilia is a graduate of DePaul University and lives in Berwyn with her husband, Rick and daughter, Bella. She loves to travel, cook and bike with her family.

HACE’s Latino Recruitment Series: Featuring BMO Harris Bank

HACE’s Latino Recruitment Series: Featuring BMO Harris Bank

Written by Hace

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