LATINO ALUMNI
CONFERENCE
2025
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
AGENDA
Friday October 3rd, 2025
2:30 pm - Registration Opens
3:00 pm - Cultural Performance Candela
Harvard Undergraduate Candela Latin Dance Troupe is a non-competitive performance dance group committed to celebrating and disseminating Latin culture through an array of genres. The group also seeks to bring awareness of Latin American culture to the greater Harvard and Boston communities.
Candela Dance Group
3:10 pm - Cultural Performance Zandú
Born in Pregonero, Venezuela with Colombian-Venezuelan roots, Zandú has built a career that blends music, innovation, and leadership within the music industry. His story is that of a dreamer who, starting from a small Andean town, has managed to project his voice and vision onto international stages, carrying a message of authenticity, resilience, and transformation. Today, Zandú is not only a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has captivated audiences across Latin America, Europe, and the United States, but also a visionary executive, co-founder, and ambassador of SPOZZ, the Swiss platform that is redefining the future of music. Through SPOZZ, he promotes an innovative model designed to empower independent artists, giving them the tools to monetize their art and connect directly with their audiences.
Zandú
3:25 pm - Welcome Address from the HLAA National Board President
Aldo Martínez
Aldo Martinez is the Co-founder and CEO of Lumiere Health International, a boutique healthcare consultancy specializing in high-impact health equity initiatives. The firm works with hospital systems, law firms, research institutions, and healthcare-related businesses to drive innovative solutions in healthcare. Lumiere Health International has achieved a remarkable 100% success rate in federal court on behalf of its clients and has led policy analysis and evaluations presented to the U.S. Congress. Aldo’s extensive experience spans management consulting, financial services, healthcare, and public policy at Big 4 firms, including PwC. He is a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies worldwide. At Bayer Pharmaceuticals, he played a key role in leading the company's top 20 global strategic initiatives and was instrumental in the $62.5 billion M&A transaction with Monsanto. Prior to his work at Bayer, Aldo was pivotal in the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Washington, D.C., where his efforts built business and technical ecosystems that shaped public policy and monetary regulation. Through enforcement actions and policies, the CFPB has injected approximately $12 billion back into communities and the economy nationwide. Aldo holds an MBA and MPA from Harvard University, earned through the joint master’s program at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, with a focus on strategy and healthcare policy. He graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in International Finance and Aerospace Engineering. He also serves on the board of directors at NextStep Portfolio, advising on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, social enterprise, risk management, and public policy.
3:35 pm - Proclamation Presentation from State of MA and City of Cambridge
Juan Sepúlveda
Juan recently served as the Ron Calgaard Distinguished Professor of Practice in Political Science at Trinity University, where he was also the President’s Special Advisor for Inclusive Excellence. During his career, Juan has served in various key roles including: leading the Public Media portion of the Arts & Humanities Agency Review Team of the Biden-Harris Transition Team, Senior Vice President of Station Services and System Leadership at PBS, and as the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics under the Obama Administration. A Rhodes Scholar and first-generation college graduate from a working-class Mexican-American neighborhood in Topeka, Kansas, Juan earned a B.A. in Government from Harvard College, an M.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from The Queen’s College, Oxford University, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and has been admitted to the Texas Bar. He was also recently elected by Harvard alumni to serve on the Harvard Board of Overseers, one of Harvard’s two governing boards, for a six-year term.
3:50 pm - Welcome Keynote
David Carrasco
Davíd Carrasco (Neil L. Rudenstine Professor of the Study of Latin America) is a Mexican American historian of religions with particular interest in Mesoamerican cities as symbols, and the Mexican-American borderlands. His studies with historians of religions at the University of Chicago inspired him to work on the question, "where is your sacred place," on the challenges of postcolonial ethnography and theory, and on the practices and symbolic nature of ritual violence in comparative perspective. Working with Mexican archaeologists, he has carried out research in the excavations and archives associated with the sites of Teotihuacan and Mexico-Tenochtitlan resulting in Religions of Mesoamerica, City of Sacrifice, and Quetzalcoatl and the Irony of Empire. He also directs the Moses Mesoamerican Archive and Research Project at Harvard University. Carrasco has received the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor the Mexican government gives to a foreign national. He was chosen as the University of Chicago Alumnus of the Year in 2014.
4:35 pm - Cultural Performance Mariachi Veritas
Mariachi Veritas
Established in 2001, Harvard Mariachi Veritas is Harvard's one and only mariachi. The group is completely student run, with newer members learning the craft from returning members. Throughout the year, Mariachi Veritas performs at a variety of concerts and gigs, culminating in a year-end trip every spring. Members come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from mariachi to classical to folk, but all share a love of mariachi music.
4:45 pm - Remarks from Former US Treasurer Rosie Rios
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Rosie Rios
Rosie Rios is the CEO of Red River Associates, an investment management consulting firm and co-host of several reality investment series. She was appointed by President Joe Biden as Chair of America 250, the United States Congressional Commission planning the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding in 2026. She served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States with oversight over 4,000 employees and a $5 billion budget. Prior to her presidential appointment in Treasury, she was Managing Director of Investments for MacFarlane Partners, a $22 billion real estate investment management firm based in San Francisco. She is a graduate of Harvard University and was selected as the first Latina in Harvard’s 388-year history to have a portrait commissioned in her honor. She currently serves on the board of American Family Insurance, Ripple Labs, Inc., and Fidelity Charitable Trust. Her personal passion includes EMPOWERMENT 2026, a non-profit that highlights historical American women and women in positions of money and power. Rosie is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and was honored as one of USA Today’s Women of the Century. Most recently, Rosie served on the Treasury Transition Team on behalf of President Joe Biden.
4:55 pm - HLAA Award Ceremony
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Lifetime Achievement Award
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Young Alumni Award
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Latino of the Year Award
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Harvard Latino Faculty Award
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Harvard Vanguard Award
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm - Welcome Cocktail Reception @ The Harvard Faculty Club
Sponsored by
& Co-sponsor Hernando Gomez
& Ubiñas Family Foundation
LATINO ALUMNI
CONFERENCE
2025
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Saturday October 4th, 2025
8:00 am - Registration Opens
9:00 am - Welcome Address from the HLAA National Board President
Aldo Martínez
Aldo Martinez is the Co-founder and CEO of Lumiere Health International, a boutique healthcare consultancy specializing in high-impact health equity initiatives. The firm works with hospital systems, law firms, research institutions, and healthcare-related businesses to drive innovative solutions in healthcare. Lumiere Health International has achieved a remarkable 100% success rate in federal court on behalf of its clients and has led policy analysis and evaluations presented to the U.S. Congress. Aldo’s extensive experience spans management consulting, financial services, healthcare, and public policy at Big 4 firms, including PwC. He is a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies worldwide. At Bayer Pharmaceuticals, he played a key role in leading the company's top 20 global strategic initiatives and was instrumental in the $62.5 billion M&A transaction with Monsanto. Prior to his work at Bayer, Aldo was pivotal in the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Washington, D.C., where his efforts built business and technical ecosystems that shaped public policy and monetary regulation. Through enforcement actions and policies, the CFPB has injected approximately $12 billion back into communities and the economy nationwide. Aldo holds an MBA and MPA from Harvard University, earned through the joint master’s program at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, with a focus on strategy and healthcare policy. He graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in International Finance and Aerospace Engineering. He also serves on the board of directors at NextStep Portfolio, advising on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, social enterprise, risk management, and public policy.
9:05 am - Remarks from Former US Secretary Thomas "Tom" Perez
Secretary Thomas "Tom" Perez
Secretary Perez served as Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs from 2023 to 2025. He was previously U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Barack Obama, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, and U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. A graduate of Brown University, Harvard Law School, and the Kennedy School of Government, Secretary Perez has devoted his career to public service, civil rights, and expanding opportunity.
9:15 am - State of Harvard with Professor Andrew Crespo
Andrew Manuel Crespo
Andrew Manuel Crespo is the Morris Wasserstein Public Interest Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he teaches criminal law and procedure and serves as the Executive Faculty Director of the Institute to End Mass Incarceration. Andrew is also the General Counsel of the Harvard Faculty Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. Following law school, he served for three years as a law clerk, initially to Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, then to Associate Justice Stephen Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court, and finally to Associate Justice Elena Kagan during her inaugural term on the Court. Prior to beginning his academic career, Andrew also served as a Staff Attorney with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Following his time as a public defender, he returned to Harvard as an assistant professor of law in 2015. In 2019, he became the first Latino promoted to a tenured position on the law school’s faculty. Andrew graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2008, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review, the first Latino to hold that position.
9:45 am - Fireside Chat with Professor Andrew Crespo with Morgan Bradford
Moderator: Morgan Radford
Morgan Radford is an anchor for NBC News based in New York City. Raised in Greensboro, NC, she received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a master’s degree from Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and a Fulbright Fellowship from the United States State Department. Morgan previously worked for ABC News and was an anchor for Al Jazeera America. Since joining NBC in 2015, Morgan has covered some of the country’s biggest stories including the 2024 presidential election, the overturning of Roe v Wade, and the death of Fidel Castro. Morgan has won several awards for her reporting and lives in New York City with her husband and daughter. Now Then is her debut novel.
10:15 am - Coffee Break & Networking
10:45 am - Welcome Keynote with Julian and Joaquín Castro
Julian Castro
Julián Castro serves as CEO of the Latino Community Foundation, the nation’s largest Latino-serving foundation. Julián’s deep commitment to the future of this nation is woven into his DNA. Raised by his mother Rosie Castro, a civil rights and Chicana activist, and his grandmother, Victoria Castro, on the West side of San Antonio, Texas, Julian grew up with a profound understanding of what it meant to love and serve community. Inspired by a legacy of leaders working to safeguard our democracy and strengthen community, Julian has dedicated his life to public service. Julián was elected to the San Antonio City Council in 2001 at age 26, then was elected Mayor of San Antonio in 2009. In 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Julián U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, where he served until the end of the Obama administration, and in 2020, Julián ran for the Democratic nomination for President. Julián earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University and a law degree from Harvard Law School.
Joaquín Castro
Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX) proudly represents his hometown, San Antonio, in Congress. He is the highest-ranking Democrat in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. After serving 10 years in the Texas House, he was elected to represent Texas’ 20th Congressional District, where he is currently serving his 7th term. As Congressman, Joaquin continues to be a tireless advocate for those who call San Antonio home. From supporting military families to investing in education, Joaquin remains committed to helping mold an Infrastructure of Opportunity for San Antonians and Americans. He believes that our centuries-long commitment to building and preserving this infrastructure is what distinguishes America among the nations of the world.
11:20 am - Ask Me Anything with the Castros
Moderator: Anica Butler (Moderator)
Anica Butler is the deputy managing editor for local news, overseeing the Globe’s largest news department, which includes city and state politics, higher education, crime and courts, immigration, climate, health and medicine, and the regional news team. Her team also includes The Great Divide, a reporting team dedicated to investigating inequality in K-12 education, and Money, Power, Inequality, a new effort to interrogate and find solutions to the racial wealth gap. Anica was a team leader in the newsroom’s digital reinvention and an editor on the Spotlight series “The Desperate and the Dead,” about the failed mental health care system in Massachusetts, which was a Pulitzer finalist for local journalism in 2017. Anica came to the Globe in late 2011, and as an assistant metro editor oversaw coverage of some of the biggest trials of the last decade, including the Marathon bombing trial, the Whitey Bulger trial, and the trials of Aaron Hernandez while also overseeing immigration coverage. She spent a year as the editor of the Globe’s Ideas section before taking on her current role.
12:00 pm - Lunch Break
*Note: VIP Lunch will be at the Harvard Faculty Club
Sponsored by
12:30 pm - VIP Fireside Chat: Shaping Cultural Narratives with Carla Sanchez Armas
Moderator: Maria Dueñas
Maria Dueñas Lopez is a Public Narrative coach with Harvard’s Executive Education program on Leadership, Storytelling, and Action, and works independently with leaders and organizations through her own coaching practice. She has designed and facilitated workshops across the U.S. and Latin America for institutions including the Boston Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement, Rural & Migrant Ministry Inc., and Siempre Por Colombia, always centering values-based communication as a tool for leadership and social change. Maria received a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 2024.
Carla Sanchez Armas
Based in Mexico City, Carla Sanchez Armas is the Managing Director of Latin America for the Motion Picture Association. Having served in various roles in the Mexican government, Sanchez Armas joined the MPA from the office of the Presidency of Mexico, where she most recently served as the Country Brand and International Media Coordinator. Prior to that, she ran communications for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she designed and implemented the communications strategy for Mexico’s G20 Summit. In 2008, as a local congresswoman in the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City, Carla founded the Parliamentary Alliance to Fight Hunger in Latin America with FAO/UN and created and approved the first Food Safety bill ever approved in Mexico. Carla holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, and completed her undergraduate studies at Iberoamericana University in Mexico City, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations.
12:40 pm - VIP Fireside Chat: Latinas Shaping Cultural Narratives with Cecilia Comunales
Moderator: Lenica Morales Valenzuela
Lenica Morales Valenzuela is a first-generation Guatemalan-American whose career bridges innovation, technology, and social impact. She has led pioneering projects that expand access and equity in emerging economies—from securing global regulatory approvals to scale drone-based medical deliveries as Director of Global Aviation Regulatory Affairs at Zipline International, to delivering the world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern Mexico as International Project Manager at ICON. Her academic and professional journey reflects a commitment to transforming communities through bold, technology-driven solutions. Beyond her professional work, Lenica represented Guatemala as a member of the Women’s Rugby 7s National Team and contributed to Guatemala’s human rights and repatriation efforts. She holds an AB in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University, Class of 2015, and a MA in Latin American Studies from Stanford University, Class of 2017.
Cecilia Comunales
Cecilia Comunales, born in Paysandú, Uruguay, is one of the most influential figures in Latin American women’s boxing. As a professional fighter, she captured the WBA Lightweight World Championship, becoming a trailblazer for her country and an inspiration to female athletes across the region. After her distinguished in-ring career, she transitioned into sports management and now serves as Vice Director of the WBA Female Championships Committee. In this role, she oversees the organization of championship bouts, the development of international rankings, and the promotion of gender equity in boxing. Her experience as a world champion gives her a unique perspective; combining resilience, discipline, and leadership to advance the sport. Today, Comunales stands as a bridge between athletic excellence and institutional leadership, playing a pivotal role in the growth and global recognition of women’s boxing within the WBA.
2:00 pm - Story Stage: The Arts in LATAM with Ari Borovoy
Ari Borovoy
Born in Mexico City, Ari Borovoy Hofman has built a well-rounded career in music, entertainment, and business. As a member of OV7, he has left a remarkable impact on Latin pop music with hits such as “Shabadabada,” “Enloquéceme,” “Prohibido quererme,” and “No me voy,” the latter written by him. Then, as a solo artist, he continued to showcase his creative and songwriting talents. As an entrepreneur, he has revolutionized the entertainment industry in Mexico through BoBo Producciones, setting trends with massive tours and innovative projects that have reached international audiences. In 2025, Ari debuted as a guest investor on Shark Tank Mexico (Season 10), where he shared his experience in entertainment, brand development, and investment, further establishing himself as a prominent figure in the business world.
2:30 pm - Story Stage: A Harvard Story: Remembrance, Resilience, and Renewal with Alfred Fraijo Jr.
Alfred Fraijo Jr.
Alfred Fraijo Jr. is the founder and CEO of the Somos Group. He founded Somos to spearhead innovative projects for clients that require multi-disciplinary expertise in planning and law with the goal of reimagining urban placemaking. Prior to starting his own firm, Alfred was a senior partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton, LLP, where he led the Real Estate and Land Use Practice team in Los Angeles and served on the firm’s Executive Committee. Alfred was born and raised in Los Angeles and is passionate about community service. He is a leader in the Latinx and LGBTQ communities, serving on the executive boards of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the California Community Foundation, the LA Phil, and For People of Color. He also serves on the Board of Homeboy Industries, and is the founder of Inclusive Action for the City Inc. Alfred has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a J.D. from Loyola Marymount University.
3:00 pm - Coffee Break & Networking
Conference Panels
3:15 pm - Latinx/e in Public Service: Driving Impact through Nonprofits and Politics
Moderator: Silvia Froster-Frau
Silvia Foster-Frau is a national investigative reporter covering immigration for The Washington Post and Nieman Journalism Fellow at Harvard. She previously covered mass shootings and gun policy, during which she and her colleagues won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for their series on AR-15 rifles. She is the former president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists D.C. Chapter. Her work has also been recognized by the White House Correspondents Association, NAHJ, Best of the West and Texas Managing Editors, among others.
Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte
Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte is a distinguished diplomat, attorney, and public servant who embodies a life-long commitment to public leadership, whose career bridges the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Twice confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she served as U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador (2010–2016) and to the Republic of Panama (2022–2024). She also served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs (2016–2017), overseeing U.S. diplomatic engagement across Latin America and the Caribbean. Aponte was the first woman to lead the Hispanic National Bar Association and has served on a number of boards, including Unidos US, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, and United Way. Aponte’s extraordinary career bridges the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Prior to her diplomatic service, Aponte practiced law for over 25 years, representing national nonprofits and media clients. She served as Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), overseeing the coordination of federal funding for Puerto Rico and operating 13 offices in underserved communities across the U.S.
James Vigil
In June 2024, James Vigil, Jr., retired after 26 years as Senior Advisor for Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Rights at the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) at the U.S. Department of State. From 1998-2000, James served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of INL as an appointee of President Clinton, and from 1999-2000 as a Senior Advisor in the White House to the President’s Special Envoy for the Americas. In 2005, James was a Brookings Fellow in the office of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY). At the DOJ, from 1991-1998, James served as a Trial Attorney in the Civil Rights Division, as an Assistant Associate Attorney General, and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. A native of Southern California, James earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from U.C.L.A. and his Juris Doctorate in 1989 from Harvard Law School. He is a past President of the Hispanic Bar Association for the District of Columbia, and a member of the bars of California and D.C.
Gustavo Arnavat
Gustavo Arnavat has over 35 years of experience in Latin America and the Caribbean, resulting from a career involving national security, investment banking, development finance and corporate law. He has worked for two U.S. Presidents, including at the White House and, most recently, was the U.S. Government’s leading development banker for the Americas. As the 15th U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group - a position for which he was nominated by President Obama and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate - he negotiated the largest capital increase in the IDB’s history, together with critical improvements to the bank’s operational and risk management policies and approved and supervised over $50 billion of investments in 26 regional countries. Gustavo graduated cum laude from Cornell University; the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he was a Sloan Foundation Fellow, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, where he was a senior editor of the Law Review.
Hugo Morales
Hugo is the co-founder and Co-Executive Director of Radio Bilingüe, the National Latino Public Radio Network. An indigenous Mixteco immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico, and the only Mexican-American or indigenous member of Harvard’s Class of 1972, he co-founded Harvard-Radcliffe Raza and “La Hora,” the nation’s first Chicano/Boricua bilingual radio show. In 1975, after earning his law degree, he returned to California to establish Radio Bilingüe, which today operates 30 public radio stations and partners with 75 affiliates nationwide.
3:15 pm - Latinx/e in Sports: Rising to the Top While Building Community
Moderator: Lenica Morales Valenzuela
Lenica Morales Valenzuela is a first-generation Guatemalan-American whose career bridges innovation, technology, and social impact. She has led pioneering projects that expand access and equity in emerging economies—from securing global regulatory approvals to scale drone-based medical deliveries as Director of Global Aviation Regulatory Affairs at Zipline International, to delivering the world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood in southern Mexico as International Project Manager at ICON. Her academic and professional journey reflects a commitment to transforming communities through bold, technology-driven solutions. Beyond her professional work, Lenica represented Guatemala as a member of the Women’s Rugby 7s National Team and contributed to Guatemala’s human rights and repatriation efforts. She holds an AB in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University, Class of 2015, and a MA in Latin American Studies from Stanford University, Class of 2017.
Nathán Goldberg Crenier
Nathán is a lifelong soccer fan and new(ish) American, born and raised in México, who is passionate about using the power of sports and democracy to make the world a better place. He has been recognized on the Sports Business Journal New Voices Under 30 list, on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and in the New York Times for his work as an electoral organizer and climate action advocate. He's also a proud recipient of the 2025 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and a JD student at Harvard Law School. Currently, Nathán serves as the elected Vice President of the U.S. Soccer Federation. Elsewhere in the soccer world, Nathán worked as the Assistant General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer for Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League, a data analyst for a Major League Soccer team, an operations director for a Concacaf national team, a special assistant to two U.S. Soccer presidents, and an advisor to investors in professional clubs in Europe. He also played for and captained the D1 varsity men’s soccer team at Harvard College, where he earned a joint degree in philosophy and statistics.
Mariana Behr Andrade
Mariana is a strategic advisor who helps sports organizations worldwide advance large-scale initiatives. She served as Engagement General Manager for the Rio 2016 Games and has since advised on numerous global sports mega-events, as well as other initiatives. She guides projects from concept to impact with high-octane energy, strategic insight, and creative solutions to complex challenges. As a recent Fellow at Harvard University, Mariana developed a playbook for leaders seeking to scale their initiatives, offering practical tools to drive sustainable change and operate effectively in highly volatile, resource-constrained environments. She also serves on the Board of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
Alfonso Alanis-Cue
Alfonso is currently the General Manager of Intersport FC, the most holistic one-stop resource for activations and sponsorships that meaningfully connect with soccer fans. Prior to his current role, Alfonso was managing partner and co-founder of O Street Consulting, a boutique strategic consulting firm serving sports industry clients. He also previously led Business Development and Strategy for MP & Silva, a leading international sports agency. Alfonso also served as Senior Director of Partnership Marketing for Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing (SUM), overseeing commercial operations for premier soccer properties throughout the United States and Latin America. His cross-industry experience includes senior leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies PepsiCo, Whirlpool, and Eli Lilly & Company, where he drove growth across multiple brands and business units. Alfonso earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and holds a B.S. in Finance from Georgetown University. He serves on the board of directors for the international soccer non-profit love.futbol and currently serves as Co-President of the Harvard Business School Latino Alumni Association.
Gilberto Jesús Mendoza Jr.
Gilberto Jesús Mendoza, born on December 25, 1970, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, has devoted more than three decades to the World Boxing Association (WBA). He began his career in 1994 managing statistics, later serving as Director of World Rankings, Director of the Championships Committee, Vice President, and Executive Director, before being elected President in December 2015. His leadership is marked by the creation of globally impactful programs such as WBA Kids and WBA Future Champions, both designed to strengthen youth boxing development and provide opportunities for new generations of athletes. Along with the reinforcement of the historic KO Drugs initiative, these projects highlight Mendoza’s core mission as a sports leader: to foster inclusion, development, and education through boxing. By combining technical expertise with social vision, he has positioned the WBA as the world’s oldest and most active sanctioning body, committed to youth empowerment and the future of the sport.
3:15 pm - Latinos in Business and Industry: Shaping the Future of the U.S. Economy
Moderator: Cindy Carcamo
Cindy Carcamo is a 2026 Nieman Fellow at Harvard and veteran journalist who most recently worked as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. She last reported on food and the way we eat, focusing on labor. Previously, she covered immigration and national security issues for more than a decade for the Times and served as Arizona bureau chief and national correspondent in the Southwest. A Los Angeles native, she has reported from Argentina, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. She also has produced stories for This American Life, Slake, Reuters, The Guardian, and El País. In 2023, Carcamo was honored as one of the ten most influential journalists in California by the Latino Journalists of California-CCNMA. She’s the recipient of multiple awards for her work, including the 2019 Estlow Center Anvil of Freedom Award, a team Overseas Press Club Award and a 2017 Ruben Salazar Award.
Jorge Kamine
Jorge Kamine is a partner at the law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington, DC where he focuses on advising clients on structuring and negotiating a wide range of business transactions involving energy and infrastructure companies and projects around the world. He also previously served as a lawyer at The World Bank. He is active in a number of organizations focused on energy, sustainable development, international law, and related public policy issues, including the American Society of International Law, Council on Foreign Relations, COMEXI and the Inter-American Dialogue. He has also been in leadership positions in several Latina/o professional and alumni organizations. Jorge remains active in the Harvard community through his involvement with the Harvard Law School Alumni Association, particularly in Washington DC, and as an advisor to the Harvard Law & International Development Society. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School (J.D., 1998) and Rice University (B.A., cum laude, 1995).
José González
José R. González-Lugo retired as the president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York in April 2025. Prior to joining the Home Loan Bank, he served on its Board of Directors as a member director for nearly a decade. After practicing law from 1980 to 1982 at O’Neill & Borges in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he began his career in banking which included roles at Credit Suisse First Boston, the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico, the Santander Group, and OFG Bancorp and its subsidiary Oriental Bank. José is a past president of both the Puerto Rico Bankers Association and the Securities Industry Association of Puerto Rico. José was also a presidential appointee to the Puerto Rico Financial Oversight and Management Board from August 2016 to August 2020. José received his undergraduate degree in economics from Yale University, and M.B.A. and J.D. degrees from Harvard University. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he currently resides in New York City.
Hernando Gomez
With over 20 years of experience in domestic and international business, Hernando Gomez advises executives, entrepreneurs, and global clients on strategic decisions. His expertise spans business valuation, M&A, litigation support, and management consulting, with a track record across industries from finance and energy to technology and life sciences.
4:15 pm - Coffee Break & Networking
4:45 pm - Breaking into Venture Capital: The Importance of Latinx/e Investments
Moderator: Dionis Rodriguez
Dionis Rodriguez is the CoFounder of Crimson CoPilots, which deploys seasoned fractional and interim executives—CoPilots—to help CEOs and founders accelerate strategic priorities, drive transformation, and unlock hidden value. He is also founder of Crimson Rock Capital, which executes a highly focused, value-oriented investment strategy and recently Co-founded Sojourner Glamping, a firm focused on creating upscale tented resorts for the everyday consumer outside of major metropolitan areas. He also founded The Crimson Connection to develop a real estate alumni community across top business schools to increase our collective success. Dionis recently published the book Shift Your Paradigm to help anyone manifest their definition of success regardless of their background or specific obstacles as a way to add value to society. Dionis earned an MBA at Harvard Business School, where he was co-president of the Hospitality and Travel Industry Club, and a Bachelor of Science degree, with a double concentration in real estate and finance, from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Adela Cepeda
Adela Cepeda is an independent corporate director of BMO Financial Corp. She also chairs the Mercer and UBS Funds, and is on the Pathway Funds board. Adela is chair of Angeles Investors, an angel investing group she co-founded in 2020, which now has approximately 600 members throughout the United States. She is co-general partner of Angeles Ventures Fund I. Adela has been recognized with the Leadership Greater Chicago Distinguished Fellow Award, the Silicon Valley Lifetime Leadership Award, and the Latina Trailblazer Award by Latino Justice. She was included among the 100 Most Influential Latinos by Bloomberg Linea and included among the 50 Most Powerful Latinas by ALPFA. She has been named to the NACD Directorship 100, a recognition given to the most influential leaders in corporate governance. Adela completed her MBA at the University of Chicago and her AB from Harvard College. She has received honorary doctorate degrees from Metropolitan College of New York and Dominican University.
Cheryl Campos
Cheryl Campos is passionate about the intersection of finance, technology, and social impact. She is the co-founder and CEO of La Familia Foundation, a 501(c)3 closing the capital gap for Latine founders and funders through its communities VCFamilia, FounderFamilia, and AngelFamilia (new). VCFamilia, the largest global community of Latine VCs, has facilitated over $10M of LP funding and also helped pioneer the first operational capital grant program for Latine emerging fund managers. FounderFamilia, with 500+ Latine venture backed founders, has funneled $1M to promising startups with a renowned national pitch competition and partnerships. Previously, she was the Head of Venture Growth and Partnerships at Republic, an investment platform for founders to raise capital from both accredited and non-accredited investors. In other direct investing roles, she is a scout for Lightspeed and an investment partner at NextWave, writing checks to 20+ companies in community centric startups, particularly healthcare. Cheryl holds an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
Nancy Torres
Nancy Torres is Senior Vice President of Value Creation at Open Opportunity Fund, a technology-focused investment firm backing visionary software companies across enterprise IT, artificial intelligence, fintech, and health tech. At Open Opportunity Fund, Nancy leverages her operational expertise to drive growth for portfolio companies. For more than a decade, she has worked with and advised private and public technology companies from seed-stage to IPO. Prior to her career in venture capital, Nancy worked in Goldman Sachs' Technology Investment Banking division, advising emerging and established tech companies on strategic financial decisions, from capital raising to mergers and acquisitions. Before Goldman Sachs, Nancy spent half a decade in the technology industry at Google, Uber, and IDEO, working in data analytics, business development, and venture design roles. Nancy holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master's in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a Kauffman Fellow and a co-founder of the Latinx MBA Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting over 2,000 Latino business leaders across the United States.
4:45 pm - Know yourself: Creating the Latinx Studies Program at Harvard
Moderator: Christian Carvajal
Christian Carvajal is a Colombian American documentary filmmaker based in New York City. He simultaneously works in the nonprofit world in a Development role. His interests lie within the Latinx community, human rights, and themes of migration and memory. He has associate produced feature-length films that have premiered at the 2022 and 2023 Tribeca Film Festivals, Sheffield Doc Fest, CPH:DOX, and been distributed on PBS. Past experience includes work at Business Insider, a true-crime series for Investigation Discovery, and a shark show for NatGeo. Christian received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Harvard College in 2015.
Aitor Gavin
Aitor Bouso-Gavín (he/him/él) serves as lecturer and faculty director of Latinx Studies in the Committee on Ethnicity, Migration, Rights at Harvard University. Aitor holds a PhD in Hispanic literatures from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is an interdisciplinary scholar with a primary focus on U.S. Latinx and Caribbean literature, culture and visual arts. Aitor is currently working on his book manuscript, titled Geneaolgies of the Wound: Decolonial Healing and Resistance in Caribbean and Latinx Literature and Arts, a transdisciplinary study that introduces the conceptual and theoretical paradigm of the wound as a tool of analysis and biomedical critique. The book directs attention to wounding vis-à-vis healing as a methodological approach, and, most importantly, as a disciplinary undertaking that draws attention to Caribbean and Latinx literature and visual arts’ role at the forefront of formulating alternative forms of healing and relationality beyond Western scientific and secular practices. Aitor’s work has been featured in Chiricú: Latina/o Literatures, Arts, and Cultures; Aztlán: A Journal of Chicano Studies; Latin American Literature Today; The Massachusetts Review and Latinx Talk.
Alejandro de la Fuente
A historian of Latin America and the Caribbean who specializes in the study of comparative slavery and race relations, Alejandro de la Fuente is the Robert Woods Bliss Professor of Latin American History and Economics and Professor of African and African American Studies. He is the author of Havana and the Atlantic in the Sixteenth Century (University of North Carolina Press, 2008), and of A Nation for All: Race, Inequality, and Politics in Twentieth-Century Cuba (University of North Carolina Press, 2001). He is also the curator of two art exhibits dealing with issues of race: Queloides: Race and Racism in Cuban Contemporary Art (2010-12) and Grupo Antillano: The Art of Afro-Cuba (ongoing). De la Fuente is currently working on a comparative study of slaves and the law in Cuba, Virginia and Louisiana.
6:15 pm - Networking Reception and Closing Remarks
Dionis Rodriguez
Dionis Rodriguez is the CoFounder of Crimson CoPilots, which deploys seasoned fractional and interim executives—CoPilots—to help CEOs and founders accelerate strategic priorities, drive transformation, and unlock hidden value. He is also founder of Crimson Rock Capital, which executes a highly focused, value-oriented investment strategy and recently Co-founded Sojourner Glamping, a firm focused on creating upscale tented resorts for the everyday consumer outside of major metropolitan areas. He also founded The Crimson Connection to develop a real estate alumni community across top business schools to increase our collective success. Dionis recently published the book Shift Your Paradigm to help anyone manifest their definition of success regardless of their background or specific obstacles as a way to add value to society. Dionis earned an MBA at Harvard Business School, where he was co-president of the Hospitality and Travel Industry Club, and a Bachelor of Science degree, with a double concentration in real estate and finance, from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Sponsored by
Adela Cepeda
General Partner and Angeles Ventures
SPONSORS
Alumni Conference Sponsors:
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Xavier Gutierrez, ImpactX Sports Group
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Adela Cepeda, Angeles Ventures
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Alfredo Fraijo Jr., Somos Group & Toledo Capital
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Jorge Kamine, Willkie Farr & Gallagher
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Luis Ubinas, The Ubinas Foundation
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Juan Sepulveda, Harvard University, Trinity University
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Hernando Gomez, Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPA
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Brian Holliday + Ed Rocha, Rola Corporation
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Jessica Gonzalez, Abbey Partners
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Raul Tapia, Tapia & Associates
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Louis Escareño, Escareño & Associates
Non-Alumni Conference Sponsors:
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Gilberto Mendoza Jr., World Boxing Association
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Cecilia Comunales, World Boxing Association
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Zandú, Spozz
