COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP MENTORS
VITO DE LA CRUZ
Vito De la Cruz grew up in South Texas in a migrant farm worker family. He graduated from high school and was fortunate to attend Yale and later the University of California Boalt Hall School of Law.
ROSALINDA GARCIA
In 2002 Rosalinda Garcia moved to Yale University, where she was Director of La Casa. In 2014, she accepted the position of Assistant Vice President of Student Life at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.
ELVIRA DURAN
Elvira Duran has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Yale University and a degree in Nursing from Southern Connecticut State University
SYBLE DAVIS
After graduating from Palestine High School, Syble Davis moved to Houston to attend Texas Southern University. Her initial major was Criminal Justice, but she enjoyed all of her English courses
EILEEN GALVEZ
Eileen Galvez is a first- generation college graduate and second- generation immigrant. Her passions lie in social justice and the impact that an education can have on individuals and community groups.
ANA GUZMAN
Dr. Ana Guzman is a former President of Palo Alto College and Santa Fe Community College.
ERIK PAVIA
Erik Pavia graduated with a business degree from UTEP, and then attended Stanford University, where he graduated with his law degree in 2013.
SARAH SHANEY
Sarah Shaney manages The Communities In Schools program at Eastside Memorial, serving 115 students. During her first year at Eastside Memorial, Sarah implemented a success coaching program at Eastside.
PAMELA Y. GEORGE
She is the Executive Director of S.A.V.E. Inc. (Serving All Vessels Equally), Adjunct Professor in Psychology at the University of Bridgeport, and Education Specialist for Supplemental Instruction/ Learning Commons Coordinator at Norwalk Community College.
BIRGIT JORGENSEN SICELOFF
Currently Siceloff is working as a Peace Corps Volunteer, teaching critical care nursing in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. She has had a career in critical care, cardiothoracic surgery, heart and lung transplantation, and heart failure
ERICA SÁENZ
Erica Sáenz holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
LILLIAN DIAZ GRAY
Lillian Diaz Gray is actively involved in the community with ties to the Junior League of Austin, Con Mi Madre, The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting
MONETTE MCIVER
McIver serves as the manager of higher education services, providing leadership, guidance, and continuity across higher education resources offered by the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
GRACIELA SANCHEZ
Graciela Sanchez is Director and Founder of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in Austin, Texas. Graciela follows in the footsteps of her mother and abuelitas, strong neighborhood women of color cultural workers and activists of San Antonio.
IRIS HUNTER
An entrepreneur, Hunter is President and Founder of AIR Venture Assets INC dba FirstLight HomeCare Springfield, VA, a social responsibility company that provides in- home care services to seniors ...
MARTHA ROMERO
Romero was the Founding Director of the Community College Leadership Development Initiatives (CCLDI) at Claremont Graduate University. As a faculty member, Dr. Romero taught graduate seminars in organizational development at the University of Colorado
CARLOS SOLTERO
Recently, Soltero’s work has included defending five software engineers in a non-compete and trade secret claim where their former employer claimed, among other things, that the Internet of Things is its trade secret;
TERESA GRANILLO
Granillo is executive director of Con Mi Madre, a 501c3 organization with the mission of empowering young Latinas and their mothers through education and support services that increase preparedness, participation, and success in post- secondary education.
EDWARD LEACH
Edward Leach earned a PhD in educational administration with a concentration in community college leadership from The University of Texas in Austin.
SHANNON SALINAS
Shannon Salinas is Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Hunter College. Dean Salinas works with students in various ways to support their transition to college life and to maximize their academic success.
RACHEL HILDEBRANDT
Hildebrandt worked for years as a historical consultant and academic editor before transitioning to literary translation (German). Rachel is also the founder of Weyward Sisters Publishing, which focuses on bringing contemporary works of crime and noir fiction
AUGIE RIVERA
Rivera was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1988. His credentials include the ability to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U. S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals and several U. S. District Courts.
ANDREW SICELOFF
Siceloff is a multicultural storyteller. Through his work, he specializes in developing an identity for minorities in media. With strong ties to his heritage, he strives to create culturally diverse content.
JUAN C. GONZALEZ
Dr. Juan C. González received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his master’s degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Education from the University of Texas at San Antonio
RAY JURADO
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ray G. Jurado, was born and raised in East Los Angeles, and was the first in his family to attend college. He is a graduate of Yale University and UCLA School of Law.
