Team

Social entrepreneur and nonprofit professional with over 20 years of experience in the areas of general management, strategy, operations, marketing and fund development in both for-profit and nonprofit spaces. She is the recipient of the 2018 NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award, the 2018 Women of Inspiration of the Atlanta Dream, named one of the 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia and a 2017 Hispanics in Philanthropy Fellow among other distinctions. She was raised in Lima, Peru.

Jean-Luc has an extensive nonprofit and political background including the Atlanta BeltLine and Senator Warnock. He received the 30 Under 30 Young Nonprofit Professionals Network award in 2020 and has continued to make his impact on the nonprofit sector in Georgia since. He is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and can be found cheering his heart out while watching every game during basketball season. Jean-Luc’s family is originally from Coamo, Puerto Rico

Monica has 15 years of experience in promotion of community activities and public health. She has a passion for data quality and process improvement. She was recognized for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 2002 for her job in the work-group of the Colombian Ministry of Health to develop a surveillance system protocol for domestic violence & sexual offences, Monica is a dedicated mom and is originally from Colombia.

Pedro Viloria is a data-driven problem solver, advocate, and community leader with over eight years of experience empowering communities and advancing social justice. He has led statewide programs, emergency relief initiatives, and strategic partnerships to address critical community needs, along with research efforts such as the 2023 Status of Latino Health in Georgia Report and the 2018 Stanford Georgia Latino Entrepreneurship Study. A graduate of Emory University and certified Community Health Worker, Pedro co-authored Transforming Social Determinants to Promote Global Health (2024). He is originally from Venezuela but was raised in Duluth, GA. 

Andy Santamaria began canvassing for LCF Georgia in 2020 as part of the Census Campaign. He graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Science and earned a Certificate in Nonprofit Program Management from the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. Andy is an AmeriCorps VISTA alumnus, having served two years in Atlanta and Los Angeles on the “Solving Poverty Through Technology” campaign. In his free time, he volunteers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and is an avid runner and hiker along with his 3 dogs. 

Dianne Roman-Gonzalez is from Manati, Puerto Rico raised by a mother with an arduous work ethic encouraging the development of her leadership skills and fostering volunteerism and community engagement. She has an undergrad degree in Biology and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Puerto Rico.

Aurora is a community-oriented first-generation Atlanta native with family from Mexico. They received a B.S. in public health at Georgia State University and has previously worked with organizations dedicated to serving Latin families where she led outreach for COVID-19 as well as the youth programs. She is now working to expand and deepen outreach and community engagement at LCF.

Ulyssa has been liaising and supporting hundreds of families in South Georgia since 2020 with Know Your Rights information, navigating the health system, civic mobilization, and financial assistance. She leads our Tifton team

Cristian is a first generation college student graduated from Georgia Southern University with a BIS in Interdisciplinary Studies. He leads our work informing primarily essential workers including farm workers in South Georgia of their rights, facilitates community vaccination events and designs and leads outreach to accellerate positive change in his community

Joanna has experience working with NC Legal Aid, Student Action with Farmworkers and is high-achieving, goal-oriented and community-centered. She is based in Valdosta where she is completing her undergraduate degree.

Daniela has a Master in Nonprofit Management and Leadership and is an experienced professional in nonprofit and environmental communication with experience in Ecuador and Georgia. She ensures our outreach is centered on simple, relevant, actionable and accurate content.

Irvin is an experienced civic engagement professional in both the Metro Atlanta region and Austin, TX. Before joining LCF Georgia, he taught English classes for adults, supported mutual aid work and emergency / disaster relief organizations. He likes to cycle every week and enjoys local music shows.

Jacqueline Lira-Castillo is completing her degree in Advertising and Studio Art at the University of Georgia and has joined our team as a Civic Participation Organizer. Originally from Atlanta, she plans to earn a certificate in Event Planning and Meeting Management by year-end. Actively involved in Latino-led initiatives, Jacqueline focuses on strengthening the Latino community in Athens and Hull, drawing on her volunteer experience with ULead, Casa de Amistad, and the Hispanic Student Association at UGA to support communities across Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys cooking various cuisines with friends and attending concerts.

Iran Vera is an Office Administrator with over eight years of experience in patient account coordination and customer service. She is known for her organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to support and care for others. Bilingual and dedicated, Iran combines her professional expertise with a genuine commitment to her role. Outside of work, she enjoys walking the Beltline, listening to true crime podcasts, and baking cakes.

Alitzel, originally from Guerrero, Mexico, received a BS in Mathematics from Tougaloo College and a MS in Biostatistics from Brown University. She has a strong background in canvassing, with experience in the Metro Atlanta region during the Georgia Senate run-offs and 2020 Presidential elections. She is committed to uplifting and advocating for underserved communities in Georgia. In her free time, Alitzel enjoys taking her dog to the park and reading poetry.  

Chief Executive Officer for Framework Homeownership with over 20 years of executive, technology, and finance experience. Board member of the Soccer in the Streets, member of the City of Chamblee’s GICH committee, named to Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under 40 in 2020, Leadership Georgia graduate in 2016 and Program Chair in 2023, LEAD Atlanta graduate in 2015, and over a decade of board member experience at other nonprofit organizations across Georgia.

Mariángela Corales is the General Counsel, Vice President of Legal and Compliance, and
Corporate Secretary for Goodwill of North Georgia.  Mariángela also serves as a guest lecturer at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). She is a first generation Cuban-American, born and raised in South Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Florida International University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami.

Pamela is the Director of Global Contracts for UPS, leveraging wide-ranging experience gained over 30 years across the global transportation and logistics industry in the healthcare, retail, and industrial sectors. She drives company-wide best practices in contract development and negotiation globally.

Lauren is an independent public policy consultant based in Atlanta with over 25 years’ experience in legislative, administrative and grassroots advocacy, working at a range of social justice and anti-poverty organizations. She served as the Director of Government Affairs at the Atlanta Community Food Bank from 2016 to 2020, and the Policy Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children from 2005 to 2009. Ms. Waits currently serves as Treasurer of the Board at Project Community Connections Inc. (PCCI), a rapid rehousing organization that supports people experiencing homelessness.

Vice President of Governance and Compliance for Cox Enterprises, Luis has broad-based transactional, corporate governance, securities, and M&A expertise. Mr. Avila has been recognized by numerous organizations, including being named Business Leader of Color by Chicago United, Business Leader of the Year by the Chicago Latino Network, Out & Proud Corporate Counsel by the National LGBT Bar, and Top Lawyer Under 40 by the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Jennifer is Portfolio Counsel at Jamestown, L.P., providing legal support to the Jamestown portfolio departments with a focus on contracting, dispute resolution, and counseling. Prior to joining Jamestown, she practiced law in the real estate group of an Atlanta-based AM LAW 50 firm and a mid-size firm with boutique practices, where she was actively involved in the acquisition, disposition, leasing, and financing of commercial properties. Jennifer is a first generation Cuban-American, born and raised in South Florida and served as the President of the Georgia Hispanic Bar Association from 2021 to 2022. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Florida and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt Law School.

Community Engagement Director for Georgia Power. Lea Clanton leads a team responsible for Georgia Power’s employee volunteer programs and community relations fostering the company’s relationships with people of color, women and LGTBQ+ communities. She is graduate of Clemson University and is active in the community in various roles and committees

Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Strategy and Solutions for Fifth Third Bank. She has 20 years of C-Suite experience in the US and abroad. She is past Board member of Dress for Success – Atlanta, the United Way Women Leadership Council – Cincinnati, the GA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Cool Girls

Staci (she/her) is the president and CEO of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. A Warner Robins native, she has over 25 years of experience advocating for equity, including as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast. Staci’s work focuses on social and economic justice, and she joined GBPI in April 2022. Recognized as one of Georgia Trend’s Most Influential Leaders (2023) and a Corporate Diversity Champion by the Atlanta Business Journal (2024), Staci holds a degree from the University of Georgia and a certificate from Harvard Business School. She serves on several boards, including the Human Rights Campaign and the Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiatives.

Seasoned professional with more than a decade’s experience across multiple industries, including finance and aviation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s degree in Data Analytics from Georgia State University. He is deeply involved in the community, participating in the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Hispanic and Latino Leadership Program and serving as a chair leader for Delta Airlines’ Business Resource Group (BRG). His work focuses on fostering inclusion and supporting Hispanic, Latino, and multicultural communities both locally and globally.

Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine and Interim Director of the Center for Maternal Health Equity at Morehouse School of Medicine. She has a broad background and over 15 years of experience in community-based participatory research, women’s health disparities, health policy, and social determinants of health. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Hernandez worked as a Program Manager for UnidosUS leading all their national maternal health projects.

Kisha is the Corporate Giving Manager at the Tahirih Justice Center, a nonprofit law firm serving immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. In her role, Kisha drives impactful partnerships that advance social justice.  As a proud Panamanian American, Kisha is committed to championing equity and opportunity for the Latino community, striving to create meaningful change through advocacy and action.

Juan Mejia immigrated from Colombia and grew up in Metro-Atlanta. He founded JCM Ventures to aid entrepreneurship and scale organizations through strategy, community development, and site selection. The firm is proud to specialize in serving those that serve our community by representing various nonprofits and government entities. He works closely with community leaders in order to connect, develop, and empower individuals through opportunities. He serves on various boards and has been a participant of several leadership programs in our region. 

Principal at El Dorado Consulting. Lillian has served as Vice President at CCI, VP of Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations at The Coca-Cola Company and previously was the President of the Hispanic Federation of New York. Lilian also serves as board member for the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino, MALDEF, LaAmistad, and the Hispanic Advisory Council of the Nielsen Corporation.

Aida no longer sits on our board but she was our Founding Chair and the impetus behind the first fund LCF Georgia created to respond to disasters (Hurricane Maria in 2017). She is the founder and partner of Aida & Co, Aida is also director of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), a key Latino leader and instrumental in the development of many local anchor organizations including the Latin American Association, The Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and others. Aida is a patron of the arts and a courageous advocate for the Latino/Hispanic community. We will forever be grateful for her influence and investment in our organization and the community at-large