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On Sept. 7, LATINA
Style hosted the
third annual National
LATINA Symposium,
a unique event that
celebrates Latina
success in Congress, the
military, the corporate
and business world.
Hispanic women from all
areas of endeavors
gathered in Washington
D.C. to celebrate Latina
achievements and success.
Guests arrived at the
Capitol Hilton Hotel in
Washington D.C. for a
day of professional and
personal enrichment. The
morning began with a
refreshing breakfast
where Robert Bard,
president and CEO of
Latina Style Magazine
welcomed the audience
with inspiring words
about the growing number
of Latina entrepreneurs
locally and throughout
the nation.
Event chair,
Congresswoman Loretta
Sanchez gave opening
remarks. She informed
the audience about the
different ways Latinas
are working to excel in
the United States. “The
future of America sits
in the hands of Latinas
in a positive manner,”
said Sanchez. “We have
those leadership skills.”
Special tribute was made
to Congresswoman Grace
Flores Napolitano
The first panel
“Celebrating Latina
Leadership” moderated by
Congresswoman Grace
Flores Napolitano
featured Lupita
Colmenero, president of
the National Association
of Hispanic Publications
(NAHP); Rosa Rosales,
president of the League
of United Latin American
Citizens (LULAC); Marisa
Rivera-Albert, president
of the National Hispana
Leadership Institute (NHLI);
and Edie Fraser,
president of the Public
Affairs Group, Inc.
Panelists shared their
stories of
accomplishment in their
professional and
personal lives with the
audience. “We should
reach out,” said
Rosales. “It’s not one
person who makes the
community, it’s several
and keep on trying.”
“Young women, get
educated,” said
Napolitano. “Be proud of
who you are and don’t
ever burn away
opportunities, even with
your adversaries.” These
successful Latina
entrepreneurs also
shared their obstacles
in life and how to
overcome them.
“Challenges are many,”
said Rivera-Albert.
“Latinas have progressed
but it’s been a slow
progress.” According to
Rivera-Albert, there are
three keys to success:
“Persistence,
performance, and mucho
corazón.”
Jenny Sevilla Korn,
associate director at
the White House Office
of Public Liaison,
moderated the second
round of panels, under
the theme “Celebrating
Latina Contributions in
the Workplace.”
Panelists included Dr.
Archelle Georgiou,
executive vice president
of Strategic Relations
for UnitedHealthcare
Group; Laura J.
Hernandez, executive
director of Public
Affairs Communications
for AT&T; Rosa Gist,
operations manager for
McDonald’s; and Jessica
P. Montoya, executive
assistant to senior vice
president of External
Affairs & Public Policy
at DaimlerChrysler
Corporation. The panel
emphasized the
importance of balancing
personal life, career,
family and civic
participation. “It is
important to balance
your home life and work
life,” said Montoya.
“I’m always being pulled
in two directions.”
Montoya also advised the
audience to communicate
with their superiors, be
committed, love your job
and be able to plan in
advance. “Be prepare for
the unexpected,” she
reaffirmed.
The final panel of the
morning “Celebrating
Latina Entrepreneurship”
provided useful
resources to start a
small business and
suggested ways on how to
face issues in small
business ownership.
Moderator Elizabeth
Lisboa-Farrow, president
of LISBOA, Inc., was
joined by panelists
Belinda Garza, manager
of Healthcare &
Financial Services and
Federal Government
Relations for Wal-Mart
Store, Inc.; Wilka
Toppins, president and
CEO of Toppins Law Firm;
Angela De Jesus, vice
president for the
Association of Latino
Professionals in Finance
& Accounting and Martha
Montoya, president of
Los Kitos Entertainment,
LLC. “There are four
components to start a
good business,” said
Toppins. “Have a good
lawyer, banker,
insurance person and
bookkeeper.” According
to Toppins, there are 10
steps to consider when
owning a business:
organize your business/organization,
protect your business,
develop a discipline of
contracts, buy insurance,
and create appropriate
labor relations, such as
employee manuals.
Protect your
confidential information,
read before you sign,
advertise legally,
update all your permits
and pay taxes. On the
other hand, the reasons
why businesses fail are:
lack of financing and
non-payment of taxes.
Following the panels,
guests made their way to
the Capital Hilton’s
Presidential Ballroom
for the luncheon themed
“A Celebration of
Latinas in the Armed
Forces Luncheon,” which
honored Latinas in the
armed forces.
Yolanda Maldonado,
deputy for Outreach and
Special Emphasis
Programs for the Equal
Employment Opportunity
and Civil Rights of the
U.S. Army served as
Mistress of Ceremonies
for the luncheon.
Special remarks were
given by Robert Bard,
president and CEO of
Latina Style; Clarence
Johnson, principal
director and director of
Civilian Equal
Opportunity at the
Office of Diversity
Management and Equal
Opportunity Under
Secretary of Defense;
and Congresswoman
Loretta Sanchez.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Consuelo
Castillo Kickbusch
delivered the keynote
address, expressing in
her speech her love for
the military. “To the
honorees,
congratulations,”
announced Kickbusch. “To
the women who will come
on stage, I’m a woman in
uniform like you, and I
will serve for the rest
of my life.”
obert Bard assisted
Johnson in presenting
the Symposium’s awards
to 11 Latinas in the
armed forces. Two
outstanding Latinas from
each branch of the Armed
Forces - one Latina in
military service and one
Latina civilian were
honored. They are: Major
Melissa Rodriguez and Ms.
Ernestine Moya of the
U.S. Army, Senior Chief
Irene Rivera and Ms.
Grace Gabaldon of the
U.S. Navy, Sergeant
Dilia Paredes and Ms.
Sandra P. Switzer of the
U.S. Marine Corps,
Technical Sergeant Marie
L. Villegas of the U.S.
Air Force, Sergeant
Stephanie Valle of the
National Guard Bureau,
Lieutenant Pamela Garcia
of the U.S. Coast Guard,
and Ms. Famia Magaña and
Dr. Elizabeth Rodriguez-Johnson
of the U.S. Defense
Logistics Agency. |
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The 2006 Honorees |
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“Celebrating Latina
Leadership” panel (left
to right) Lupita
Colmenero, Grace F.
Napolitano, Edie Fraser,
Marisa Rivera-Albert and
Rosa Rosales. |
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Lupita Colmenero of NAHP
and Congresswoman Grace
F. Napolitano |
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Marisa Rivera-Albert,
president of NHLI (left)
and Rosa Rosales,
president of LULAC
(right) |
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Panelist (left to right)
Lupita Colmenero, Edie
Fraser, Grace F.
Napolitano, Marisa
Rivera-Albert and Rosa
Rosales. |
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