Leadership
Team

Patricia
Mota

Chief Executive Officer

Yasmin
Mendoza-sewell

Chief Operating Officer

MElinda E.
Ramirez

Director of Leadership Programs

John Moreno-Escobar

VP of Development & Strategic Initiatives

Karina
Rosado

Director of Marketing & Communications

Araceli
Lagunas

Marketing & Community Engagement Manager

Bernice
vargas luna

Program Manager

Roger
Casilla

Senior Partnership Engagement Manager

LISANDRA
JIMENEZ

Program Manager

Bobbi
Benegas

Executive Assistant

Chad
Faust

Partnership Engagement Manager

Steven
Hodge

Program Manager

Jeilin
Lavarta

Bookkeeper

BRENDA
WHETSELL

Marketing & Communications Manager

Alysa Iyana
Grayson

Senior Partnership Engagement Manager

Monica
Maize

Human Resources Manager

Noel
Rodriguez

Program Manager

Join the Team

PATRICIA
MOTA

Chief Executive Officer

Patricia serves as the President & CEO for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), leading strategy, fundraising & development, leadership programs, and expanding organizational reach on a national scale. Patricia strives to engage experienced professionals as mentors and advisors to create a multi-generational network to support Latinos’ career growth around the country.

Chief Operations Officer

Yasmin Mendoza-Sewell is the Chief Operating Officer for Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Math from the University of Miami and a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from St. Thomas University.

Director of Leadership Programs

Melinda E. Ramírez is a proud HACE alumna, military spouse, and mother from NY. She is a former entrepreneur, executive coach, and non-profit director. Melinda is passionate about helping individuals and organizations rise to their full potential. Read More

John Moreno-Escobar

VP of Development & Strategic Initiatives

John Moreno-Escobar is originally from Bogota, Colombia. He migrated to NYC when he was 18. He is an experienced and visionary education and business executive with over 14 years of leadership expertise. He has successfully driven strategic initiatives and achieved impactful outcomes within the education sector. Possess a deep understanding of the K-12 and Higher Ed landscape, focusing on promoting access, equity, and student success.

Director of Marketing & Communications

Karina Rosado is a distinguished communications and public relations expert with a master’s degree from Michigan State University. Renowned for her role as a pivotal bilingual spokesperson for the Illinois Lottery, San Juan Marriott, ASPIRA, and the Illinois Department of Commerce, Karina excels in crafting narratives that resonate within diverse communities, particularly in the Hispanic market.

Marketing & Community Engagement Manager

Araceli is the Marketing & Community Engagement Manager at the Hispanic Alliance of Career Enhancement where she focuses on supporting member and alumni communications initiatives throughout HACE’s digital communities and programs. By developing engaging digital content and marketing campaigns, Araceli works to elevate and share the compelling stories of the professionals and communities the organization serves.

Program Manager

Bernice Vargas Luna is a Program Manager for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. She completed her B.A. in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Marketing from Benedictine University in 2022. Her creativity is on display turning vision into results, while empowering all around her to embrace their strengths and build their talent.

Partnership Engagement Manager

Roger Casilla is the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement’s Engagement Manager. He is the co-Founder of Canal Squad, an organization whose mission is to lead, educate and promote a healthy lifestyle through preventative health. He joined HACE because it aligned with his purpose and values to create pathways for future generations and continually open doors.

Program Manager

An educator at heart, Lisandra is passionate about bringing her unique perspective and approach to the work that she does as a servant leader for her community. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Spanish at Florida Atlantic University and her Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Central Florida. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership Studies from Northeastern University. Read More

BOBBI BENEGAS

Executive Assistant

Bobbi Benegas is the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO and Chief Operating officer for Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. Bobbi is born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago. She received her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in History with a minor in Gender & Women’s Studies. Read More

Chad Faust

Partnership Engagement Manager

Chad Faust graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2020 with a degree in Journalism and Political Science. Since moving to Chicago in the summer of 2020, Chad has worked in various marketing and communications capacities in the digital marketing space throughout the city...Read More

Steven
Hodge

Program Manager

Steven Hodge is of Dominican descent, born and raised in Elizabeth, NJ. He currently resides in Cleveland, TN. His areas of study are in social and behavioral sciences, and he has more than 10 years of experience in education, management, and marketing.

He is proud of his Hispanic heritage and leverages his Latinidad to foster an environment of diversity and unity wherever he goes.

Brenda
Whetsell

Marketing & Communications Manager

Brenda is proud to join HACE as the Marketing Manager and brings over 10 years of experience to the team. Previously working in the financial industry, as well as volunteering with local nonprofits during her downtime to help with their marketing, Brenda is excited to use her skills at HACE. She graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with her Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications and Public Relations in 2013. Most recently she obtained her Certified Digital Marketing Professional designation with the Digital Marketing Institute.

Human Resources Manager

Monica Maize is the Human Resource Manager for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Supply Chain Management and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration both from Ashford University in San Diego, CA. She is an Army Veteran with over 20 years of experience as a Human Resource Manager. Working as a Talent Acquisition Manager in the Army, she has been able to cultivate and build several relationships with several different non-profit organizations within the local communities all across the United States.

Program Manager

Noel immigrated from Cuba at the age of seven and was raised in Miami, FL. After testing out several majors in college, Noel graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, he is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University.

LeadershipTeam

PatriciaMota

Chief Executive Officer

YasminMendoza-sewell

Chief Operating Officer

MElinda E.Ramirez

Director of Leadership Programs

John Moreno-Escobar

VP of Development & Strategic Initiatives

Karina Rosado

Director of Marketing & Communications

AraceliLagunas

Marketing & Community Engagement Manager

Bernicevargas luna

Program Manager

RogerCasilla

Senior Partnership Engagement Manager

LISANDRAJIMENEZ

Program Manager

BobbiBenegas

Executive Assistant

ChadFaust

Partnership Engagement Manager

StevenHodge

Program Manager

JeilinLavarta

Bookkeeper

BRENDAWHETSELL

Marketing & Communications Manager

Alysa IyanaGrayson

Senior Partnership Engagement Manager

Monica Maize

Human Resources Manager

Noel Rodriguez

Program Manager

Join the Team

PATRICIAMOTA

Chief Executive Officer

YASMINMENDOZA-SEWELL

Chief Operations Officer

MELINDA E. RAMIREZ

Director of Leadership Programs

John Moreno-Escobar

VP of Development & Strategic Initiatives

Karina Rosado

Director of Marketing & Communications

ARACELILAGUNAS

Marketing & Community Engagement Manager

BERNICEVARGAS LUNA

Program Manager

ROGERCASILLA

Partnership Engagement Manager

LISANDRAJIMENEZ

Program Manager

BOBBI BENEGAS

Executive Assistant

Chad Faust

Partnership Engagement Manager

StevenHodge

Program Manager

BrendaWhetsell

Marketing & Communications Manager

MonicaMaize

Human Resources Manager

Noel Rodriguez

Program Manager

Leadership
Team

Patricia
Mota

Yasmin
Mendoza-sewell

MElinda E.
Ramirez

Karina
Rosado

Araceli
Lagunas

Bernice
vargas luna

Roger
Casilla

LISANDRA
JIMENEZ

Bobbi
Benegas

Chad
Faust

Steven
Hodge

Jeilin
Lavarta

BRENDA
WHETSELL

Alysa Iyana
Grayson

Monica
Maize

Noel
Rodriguez

PATRICIA
MOTA

YASMIN
MENDOZA-SEWELL

Karina
Rosado

ARACELI
LAGUNAS

BERNICE
VARGAS LUNA

ROGER
CASILLA

LISANDRA
JIMENEZ

Steven
Hodge

Brenda
Whetsell

Monica
Maize

Noel
Rodriguez