Juan Rios
Health Policy Fellow
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Juan Rios is a scholar, clinician, and public policy expert whose work bridges social work, public health, technology and health equity, with a focus on marginalized and Latino communities. A 2025–2026 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Medicine, he is serving as a health policy advisor in the office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker. He leads the RIOS Research Lab, integrating data science and mindfulness-based interventions to address youth distress and community instability.
Lilia Rios
Co-Owner; Founder
La Providencia; Nuuku & Crowdy
Lilia Rios is co-owner of La Providencia, a New Jersey-based importer, retailer, and national wholesaler of authentic handmade Mexican artisan products, supporting more than 500 artisans and serving nearly 5,000 customers in 22 states. She also co-owns Nuuku, a boutique hotel in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, and recently launched Crowdy, a free app designed to give small businesses visibility. Rios is a leading Mexican-American entrepreneur shaping N.J.’s cultural, retail, and tech ecosystems.
Marelyn Rivera
Founder & CEO
Conexión Strategies
Marelyn Rivera is the founder and CEO of Conexión Strategies, a New Jersey consultancy specializing in community engagement, strategic communications, and multicultural outreach. She advises public-sector, nonprofit, and corporate clients on stakeholder strategy and Latino-community impact. Rivera is a recognized leader in New Jersey’s civic ecosystem, helping organizations build inclusive, effective engagement frameworks.
Ed Rodriguez
AVP of Interoperability and Advanced Analytics
Inspira Health
Ed Rodriguez played an instrumental role in Inspira’s transition from Cerner to Epic, one of the organization’s most significant clinical and technology transformations. He ensures critical systems integrate effectively with Epic and that data supporting clinical and business decisions stays accurate and accessible. Rodriguez began his career in the lab, steadily advancing into leadership roles that draw on both his clinical background and technical expertise — now leading Advanced Analytics efforts that strengthen decision-making and patient care.
Gabriel Rodriguez
Assemblyman, District 33
New Jersey General Assembly
Gabriel Rodriguez has represented the 33rd Legislative District — West New York, Union City, North Bergen, Weehawken, Guttenberg and Secaucus — in the state Assembly since 2024, winning reelection in November 2025. He sits on the Budget, Health and Oversight, Reform & Federal Relations committees and has served as constituent outreach chair since 2026. Before Trenton, he was mayor of West New York from 2019-23.
Sandra Rojas
Entrepreneur
City of Elizabeth
Sandra Rojas is a Latina entrepreneur who has been a leader of the Latin District Association in Elizabeth, where she drives small-business advocacy, cultural-district development, and community-based economic growth. She works directly with local merchants to strengthen visibility, improve foot traffic, and elevate Latino-owned enterprises. Rojas is a key figure in Elizabeth’s business ecosystem, advancing neighborhood revitalization and cultural-commerce initiatives.
Dr. Rolando Rolandelli
Chairman of Surgery
Morristown Medical Center
Dr. Rolando Rolandelli serves as Chairman of Surgery at Morristown Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System. A veteran colon and rectal surgeon, he oversees surgical operations, clinical quality, and physician leadership within one of New Jersey’s top hospitals. Rolandelli’s career spans academic medicine, authorship in clinical nutrition, and international surgical mission work, making him a respected figure in AHS’s clinical community.
Alvin Romero
CEO
Excel Facility Services Group
Alvin Romero is CEO of Excel Facility Services Group, a New Jersey-based national provider of janitorial, maintenance, and facility-management services. He oversees operations, workforce development, and multistate expansion, serving clients across commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. Romero has grown Excel into a major Latino-led facilities company with a significant regional footprint.
Kim Ruiz
CEO & Executive Director
Puerto Rican Association for Human Development
Kim Ruiz leads the Puerto Rican Association for Human Development, overseeing programs in education, housing, family services and community empowerment. She manages strategic partnerships and statewide initiatives that support Latino families across Middlesex County and beyond. Ruiz is a prominent voice in New Jersey’s nonprofit sector, advancing equity, access and culturally responsive services.
Lupe Ruiz
Major Account Executive
Sharp Business Systems
Lupe Ruiz is a major account executive at Sharp Business Systems in Montvale, the direct sales division of Sharp Electronics Corp. Ruiz works with business clients on one of the broadest technology portfolios in the industry — multifunction printers, interactive whiteboards, digital signage, dvLED displays, workflow automation and managed IT services, including recent installation of a 325-inch dvLED 4K video wall.
Adam San Miguel
CEO
Cortaditos Coffee
Adam San Miguel is CEO of Cortaditos Coffee, a Cuban-American café brand he co-founded with Andrés Carrillo in 2019 that has grown to six locations and roughly 75 employees, mostly young Cuban Americans. A Cuban-American entrepreneur, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve officer, and Monmouth University graduate, he is also founder and chairman of the Cuban American Alliance for Leadership & Education (CAALE), a nonprofit that has provided scholarships and leadership training to Cuban-American students since 2014.
Joseph & Maria Santos
Owners
Santos Flowers
Joseph and Maria Santos own Santos Flowers, a family business launched in Garfield after an 18-year run supplying a North Jersey ShopRite chain. Though the pandemic hit hard early on, the couple rebuilt by leaning into corporate events, growing to nearly three dozen employees with locations in Fair Lawn and Clifton. Joseph credits the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with opening doors to corporate clients.
Gema Schipilliti
Customer Vice President, Natural Channel & Amazon
The Campbell’s Company
Gema Schipilliti serves as Customer Vice President for the Natural Channel & Amazon at The Campbell’s Company, leading customer strategy, commercial execution, and growth planning across two of the company’s most important retail segments. She oversees joint business development, digital-commerce alignment and cross-functional coordination that strengthens Campbell’s performance in emerging and high-velocity channels. Schipilliti plays a key role in advancing Campbell’s market reach from New Jersey across national retail platforms.
Goyo Schipilliti
International and Emerging Partnerships Director
DailyPay
Goyo Schipilliti serves as International and Emerging Partnerships Director at DailyPay, where he leads global partner development, market expansion, and strategic relationships for the earned-wage access platform. He focuses on building new channels, strengthening employer partnerships, and advancing DailyPay’s presence in emerging markets. Schipilliti plays a key role in positioning the company’s fintech solutions for broader adoption across international and high-growth sectors.
Maria Sparacio
Owner
The Pink Room Shapewear
Maria Sparacio is the owner of The Pink Room Shapewear, a New Jersey-based retail and e-commerce brand specializing in shapewear, body-contouring apparel and women’s wellness products. She leads product development, customer experience and digital-commerce strategy, growing the brand’s footprint across regional and national markets. Sparacio is a prominent Latina entrepreneur in NJ’s beauty and wellness sector, known for community engagement and customer-driven innovation.
Belarmino A. Suarez
International Tax Partner
PKF O’Connor Davies
Belarmino A. Suarez is an International Tax Partner at PKF O’Connor Davies, one of the region’s leading accounting, audit, and advisory firms. He oversees client service across tax, assurance, and financial-management engagements, supporting organizations in the nonprofit, corporate, and public-sector arenas. Suarez is a respected figure in New Jersey’s professional-services community, known for technical expertise, relationship-driven leadership, and commitment to strengthening organizational financial health.
Jacquelyn Suárez
Commissioner
N.J. Department of Community Affairs
Jacquelyn Suárez serves as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, overseeing statewide programs in housing, local government services, community development, and economic-mobility initiatives. She leads one of NJ’s most influential public agencies, shaping policy that impacts municipalities, residents, and community-based organizations. Suárez is a central figure in New Jersey’s government and civic landscape, driving equity-focused and community-strengthening strategies.
Lori Tarke
Executive Director
Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute, Seton Hall University
Lori Tarke is Executive Director of the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute at Seton Hall University, leading transformative academic programming, extreme mentorship, leadership development, and community partnerships that create opportunities for all students while advancing understanding and celebrating the history, culture, and impact of Latinos in America.
Bill Tipacti
Senior Director of Community Empowerment
Univision
Bill Tipacti is Senior Director of Community Empowerment at Univision, where he leads national and regional initiatives focused on civic engagement, public-service programming, and community-impact partnerships. He works with nonprofits, government agencies, and corporate partners to deliver resources and information to Latino audiences. Tipacti is a key connector in New Jersey’s media and community-development ecosystem, advancing Univision’s mission to inform and empower Hispanic communities.
Dr. Elbia Toribio Jimenez
Medical Director, Puentes Nuevos de Salud
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Dr. Elbia Toribio Jimenez is medical director of Puentes Nuevos de Salud, a Hispanic health service Bergen New Bridge Medical Center launched Sept. 16 to connect Hispanic and Latino patients and families with care. An internist, she provides primary care at Bergen New Bridge and One Bergen Health, and is fluent in English and Spanish. She earned her medical degree in 2011 from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in the Dominican Republic and trained in internal medicine at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn.
Rafael Toro
National Director of Public Relations
Goya Foods
Rafael Toro is National Director of Public Relations at Goya Foods, overseeing community relations, philanthropic partnerships, and cultural-impact initiatives for the nation’s largest Hispanic-owned food company. He directs programs supporting food access, disaster relief, education, and Latino-community engagement across New Jersey and the U.S. Toro is one of the most visible public faces of Goya, shaping its outreach and social-impact footprint.
Barma Uruchima
Vice President of Global Value Creation
The Estée Lauder Companies
Barma Uruchima is Vice President of Global Value Creation at The Estée Lauder Companies, leading financial transformation efforts on a global scale after previous roles at Ralph Lauren, Thomas Pink, and LVMH. An Ecuadorian immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 13, she is a passionate advocate for Latino and women’s leadership, including as co-chair of Estée Lauder’s “Leading with High Touch” mentorship program. She is also co-founder of Kindred, a platform connecting nonprofits, brands, and donors.
Camelia Valdes
Prosecutor
Passaic County
Camelia Valdes is the Passaic County Prosecutor, the first Latina county prosecutor in New Jersey and one of the most influential public-safety leaders in the state. She oversees criminal investigations, community-safety initiatives, and prosecutorial strategy across the county. Valdes is a prominent statewide voice on justice reform, victim services, and community-based policing.
John Vazquez
Chief Legal Officer
Cooper University Health Care
John Vazquez, who oversees Cooper’s legal affairs, compliance, internal audit and enterprise risk management, brings an impressive resume to the role. From 2016-23, he served as a U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey, appointed by President Obama, and earlier spent five years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Health Care Fraud Coordinator before rising to First Assistant Attorney General for New Jersey. He earned his J.D. summa cum laude from Seton Hall and his B.A. from Rutgers.
Nancy Vega
Owner
The Shape of You
Nancy Vega is the owner of The Shape of You, a New Jersey wellness and body-contouring studio offering aesthetic services, noninvasive treatments, and personalized wellness programs. She leads operations, client experience, and brand growth, building a strong presence in the state’s beauty and wellness sector. Vega is a notable Latina entrepreneur focused on empowerment and accessible self-care.
Jen Velez
EVP, Health & Network Solutions
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Jen Velez serves as Executive Vice President of Health & Network Solutions at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, overseeing provider networks, care-delivery strategy and statewide health-system partnerships. A former NJ Human Services Commissioner, she is one of the most experienced healthcare leaders in the state, shaping Horizon’s approach to access, quality and systemwide collaboration.
Deb Visconi
CEO; Chair
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center; N.J. Hospital Association
Deb Visconi is the CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, one of New Jersey’s largest hospitals and a central player in the state’s behavioral-health, long-term-care, and safety-net ecosystem. She leads major initiatives in access, patient experience and expanding services for vulnerable populations across Bergen County and beyond. Visconi, who was installed as 2026 Board Chair of the N.J. Hospital Association, is one of NJ’s most influential healthcare executives, known for mission-driven leadership and operational transformation.
Roxanne Camejo
Banking & Financial Services Executive
Provident Bank
Roxanne Camejo is Senior Vice President and Community Development Officer at Provident Bank, where she connects banking resources with the needs of the communities the Bank serves. With more than 20 years of experience in financial services and CRA, Roxanne leads initiatives focused on strengthening community partnerships, expanding affordable housing opportunities, advancing financial education and economic development, and supporting small businesses. She is committed to creating meaningful opportunities that empower individuals, strengthen families, and help communities thrive.
Gladys Vonglahn
Founder & CEO
Gladys’ Cleaning Service
Gladys Vonglahn is the Founder and CEO of Gladys’ Cleaning Service, a New Jersey-based residential and commercial cleaning company known for reliability, customer care and community-centered business practices. She oversees operations, workforce development and business growth, building a strong presence across the region. Vonglahn is a standout Latina entrepreneur whose company has become a trusted name in local home-care and facilities-management services.
Cid Wilson
President & CEO
Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility
Cid Wilson serves as President and CEO of HACR, one of the nation’s leading organizations advancing Hispanic inclusion in corporate leadership, boardrooms, and supplier networks. A New Jersey native, Wilson drives national research, corporate-engagement strategy, and advocacy efforts that shape diversity practices across Fortune 500 companies. He is a prominent voice on economic mobility and Latino representation in business.
