Staff and Board

Staff

El Futuro has recruited an expert team of dedicated clinicians. El Futuro’s bilingual staff provides culturally appropriate care in a professional environment, where clients are treated with dignity and respect.

Mariana Abraham

Clinic Manager, 919-688-7101 ext 649

Mariana Abraham

Mariana came to the US from Costa Rica ten years ago. This makes her the only Costa Rican on our staff. When she heard of the opportunity to work at El Futuro, she jumped at the chance, thinking “This is what I was thinking ever since coming to the US but I didn’t know how to do it!” Mariana speaks with gentleness and kindness as she welcomes people who come to El Futuro. In her spare time away from El Futuro she enjoys drawing, photography and walking with her family in nature.

Sabrina Aguilar-Simon

Clinical Project Manager & Case Manager, MS

Sabrina Aguilar-Simon

Sabrina grew up in Ohio and lived in Spain during college and in Mexico after college. She received her Bachelors from the College of Wooster and her Masters from UNC-Chapel Hill. Sabrina worked for over a decade serving the Latinx community in Orange County, NC, managing and implementing a children’s resource coordination program. After seeing a great need for bilingual speech-language services in the area, she obtained a Masters in speech-language pathology and spent close to a half-decade working as a bilingual clinical speech-language therapist. She came to work at El Futuro to return to her passion for grassroots non-profit work with the local Latinx community and to support the organization’s outstanding mission. Sabrina enjoys crossword puzzles, tandem-biking, nature hikes, and meditation.

Robert Alcantara

TeleHealth Clinical Coordinator, (919) 688-7101 ext 679

Robert Alcantara

Robert was born and raised in Queens, NY. He served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2012. During his enlistment, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2009. He earned a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Penn State in 2014.

Robert has experience working with nonprofits and he hopes to use his extensive experience in technology and logistics to help grow the TeleHealth program.

In his free time, Robert enjoys rock climbing, kayaking, reading, watching movies, and spending time with his wife.

Melissa Amador

Outpatient Therapist Ext: 693

Melissa Amador

Outpatient Therapist Ext: 693

Melissa grew up here in Durham after moving from Houston, TX when she was 8 years old. She received her Bachelor’s of Art in psychology with a double minor in Spanish and social work from Appalachian State University and her Master’s of Social Work from NC State University. When she discovered her passion for social work, Melissa knew that she wanted to work with the Latinx community. She wants to play a significant role in erasing the stigma of mental health in the community and wants to work with individuals and families on their journey to grow and learn. Melissa’s hobbies revolve around reading books and sharing her love of reading with others on her Instagram account solely dedicated to books. Melissa also enjoys spending quality time with her family, watching movies and listening to true crime podcasts.

Meury Arango-Perez

Clinical Assistant

Meury Arango-Perez

Clinic Assistant

She was born in Honduras, San Pedro Sula. She came to the US when she was just 8 years old. She was raised and lived major of her young adult life in the Sunshine State Miami, Florida. When she turned 18 yrs she decided to move to California with no family, just a bag full of hope and eagerness to explore new things. Then, she worked as a nanny for a beautiful family for 3 yrs and they relocated to Virginia, Fairfax so she decided to come along with them.  She met her husband and now they have 3 beautiful girls together. Meury is a fighter! she survived cancer 6 years ago after 22 rounds of chemotherapy, she says “I learn and gain so much compassion for humanity thru this experience with cancer, I want to help and found myself working as intake coordinator where I screen all their new patient to get them to see therapist or psychiatrist.” She came to El Futuro for the same motivation, to help my Latino community.

Christa Atkinson

Therapist, MSW, LCSW, E-RYT

Christa Atkinson

Therapist, MSW, LCSW, E-RYT, (919) 688-7101 ext 628

Christa has lived many places including Minnesota, Colorado, Manhattan, Costa Rica and Chile but has now lived in North Carolina the longest and calls it home. Christa has been a clinician for over 10 years and brings her awareness as a yoga instructor to her work with clients. She specializes in working with young children, adolescents and families with trauma, abuse, anxiety and depression. She has worked with court-involved youth in juvenile justice, traumatized and behaviorally challenged adolescents in a residential treatment center, and as the lead Clinical Social Worker in a Robert Wood Johnson funded program targeting mental health for Latinos in Durham’s elementary schools. She received her BA in Durango, Colorado and her Master’s degree in Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill. At El Futuro Christa has lead parenting classes, groups for teens and currently leads a weekly MBSR class in Spanish. When not working, you might see Christa practicing or teaching yoga, dancing, or out and about with her kids…and sometimes all of these things at the same time.

 

Cindy Avila

Outpatient Therapist, MA, LMFTA

Cindy Avila

Outpatient Therapist, MA, LMFTA

Cindy was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and moved to NJ at the age of 12 and a few months later to North Carolina. She attended East Carolina University for a bachelor’s in biology and Appalachian State University for a Masters of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. As a first-generation eldest daughter, she witnessed firsthand the financial, health, and language limitations the Latinx community experiences in rural cities of NC. This knowledge fired a passion to serve the marginalized, underrepresented, and underserved. For the past five years, while attending university, she worked in health centers serving the agricultural community. This experience opened her eyes to the lack of mental health resources and language limitations in the Latinx community which led Cindy to change her career track from health science to behavioral science.

As a therapist with a systemic and holistic approach, Cindy incorporates interventions that aid in achieving goals, including cross-cultural sensitivity to promote inclusivity and equity. Her practice is for the person to enhance emotional development, improve mood, and motivate positive thinking.

Frania Bodán

Clinical Assistant

Frania Bodán

Clinical Assistant, ext 672

Frania was born and raised in Granada, Nicaragua, and moved to Durham, NC three months ago (June 2023). She holds a degree in Business Administration from Universidad Centroamericana – UCA and she’s currently studying French. During her time in Nicaragua, she volunteered with two NGOs: Biblioteca Puedo Leer and Straight Street International. Working with children and young adults from diverse backgrounds in these organizations deepened her understanding and appreciation for differences. Since then, she has aspired to work full-time in an NGO and She is thrilled about the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in El Futuro by improving the lives of others.

Kerry Brock

Associate Director

Kerry Brock

Associate Director, (919) 688-7101 ext 632

Kerry was born and raised in a small town in East Tennessee, where she learned to appreciate the free feeling of running through pastures and wading in creeks. She developed a passion for working with underserved populations while in high school, which ultimately led her to earn a BA in Sociology from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, and then a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University – Bloomington. Over the last 15 years, she has had the opportunity to support the fundraising efforts of a variety of nonprofits serving diverse populations and needs, from Native American education in South Dakota to community health clinics in Chicago, and has been extremely fortunate to work with phenomenal colleagues at every step along the way. She is excited to continue this tradition with El Futuro, with a keen interest in supporting the mental health needs of our community. When Kerry isn’t at El Futuro, she can be found playing with her kids, watching The Great British Baking Show or UK Basketball, struggling through CrossFit, or reading.

 

Xochitl Cahua

Executive assistant, (919) 688-7101

Xochitl Cahua

Xochitl joined us two years ago as a Partners for Youth Opportunity intern, where she first heard about El Futuro. Beginning as a volunteer, Xochitl’s role at El Futuro has grown to Executive Assistant. She was born and raised in Durham to Mexican parents and currently attends Durham Technical Community College for her associate degree in Science. Xochitl is interested in the medical field and is considering a career in audiology or — like our Executive Director, Luke — psychiatry. When not studying (which seems like her biggest hobby lately!) Xochitl loves spending lots of time with her family and enjoying art and food.

Brenda Castañeda

TeleHealth Administrative Assistant 919-788-6101 ext 688

Brenda Castañeda

Brenda was born in Carrboro, NC and grew up in Mebane, where she lived until 2 years ago when she moved to Durham with her husband. She worked at UNC Health for 4 years as a Medical Spanish Interpreter. This is where she fell in love with helping the Latinx community bridge the gap of the language barrier in healthcare. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she witnessed the increased need for mental health services and her interest to work in this field grew while working as the primary interpreter in psychiatric units in the hospital. When she’s not working, Brenda likes to spend time with her 1 year old son, Adrian, listen to true crime podcasts, watch true crime shows on Netflix, and go for long walks.

Estefania Castro

Project Manager

Estefania Castro

Estefania was born in Veracruz, Mexico and immigrated to the U.S in 1997. She is a proud graduate of the public-school system and received dual degrees in Communication (BA) and Plant Biology (BS) from N.C. State University. Estefania was drawn to El Futuro because the work allows her to be in community with other Latinx immigrants while pushing to advance mental health access. Prior to joining El Futuro, she worked in domestic and sexual violence advocacy and is an ardent advocate for survivors and their families. Outside of work, Estefania likes running, solving word puzzles, taking long walks with her dog, Franny, gardening, and cooking with her husband.

Mary Coffman

Advancement Manager

Mary Coffman

Advancement Manager

Mary grew up in Durham back when downtown still smelled like sweet tobacco. She was raised in a social activist home which is where she originally got involved with the immigrant communities arriving to North Carolina. She has a degree in English Literature and Spanish Area Studies from Kenyon College and a Master’s degree in International Relations and Peace Studies as a Rotary World Peace Fellow. She has 15 years of experience supporting the missions of NGOs such as TeenSmart International, Catholic Charities, UNESCO, and the Latin American Youth Center. She is passionate about ensuring health and well-being for all communities and has supported families as a doula and childbirth educator. Mary and her husband have lived and traveled in many different countries, but now split time between Durham and Costa Rica with their three children

Francisco Contreras

Therapist, LCSWA, CADC

Francisco Contreras

Therapist, LCSWA, CADC, (919) 688-7101 ext 680

Francisco had the privilege to grew up in an altruistic household in The Dominican Republic. His father was a community leader and always exhibited genuine concern for the welfare of others. As the mayor of their hometown, during his political career, his father often put the needs of others and that of society first. He was very influential for Francisco and his siblings, and his legacy of promoting social welfare became a moral goal for his family. It is within this context that Francisco feels called to be compassionate and loving with people. Over the years, he has been involved in many social justice issues that have confirmed his interest in social work. Much of his professional experience has included responsibilities such as case management and community health education, centered upon improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations. While living in New York, Francisco finished the social work program at New York University and worked as a clinical counselor in the field of substance use. It was a privilege to start his career in a city like New York, but he permanently relocated to Durham in March with his wife and daughter to be closer to family. One of the key issues facing the Latino community is the lack of culturally responsive mental health services, and he is very excited to participate in El Futuro’s effort to help fulfill this need.

Cierra Cook

Consultation & Technical Assistance Project Manager

Cierra Cook

Cierra was born and raised in Michigan and moved to North Carolina in 2020. She received her bachelor’s degree in International Business and Spanish and her master’s degree in English, both from Central Michigan University. She completed part of her undergraduate studies in Alicante, Spain to improve her Spanish language skills. Between her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Cierra also spent time teaching English in Madrid, Spain. Prior to joining El Futuro, she worked with organizations across North Carolina to promote and improve access to food for underserved communities. Cierra is passionate about equitable access to basic human needs, including mental health support. She is thrilled to join El Futuro in serving the Latinx community in her new home state. Outside of work, Cierra enjoys reading, writing fiction, and any kind of outdoor activity, especially hiking and backpacking.

Gisele Correia

Access Coordinator

Gisele Correia

Access Coordinator, (919) 688-7101 ext 605

Gisele grew up in Curitiba, Brazil and has always been involved with the arts. Before coming to the U.S. she lived in Ontario, Canada. Interestingly, she learned Spanish in Canada! Gisele currently works at El Futuro as an Access Coordinator serving new patients from the Latino community in Durham. She also serves as part of different groups at El Futuro – Clinical Operations, Las Increibles (Administration), La Mesita Network (Learning Cohort Pilot 2 ), and the ERT ( Emergency Response Team). She loves writing, meditation, flowers and spending time outside in her garden after a fulfilling day. She is a cat lover, having two at home and one feral that splits his meals with a raccoon. She loves her husband and daughters Bruna and Camila, family, and friends. Gisele’s quotes – “Everything gets better when you sit in front of the Ocean, where the horizon looms before you and the sky touches the water – The best picture of Harmony” // “Beauty is anything that you pay your attention, only look at timelessly.”

Courtney Crawford

Therapist, MSW, LCSW

Courtney Crawford

Therapist, MSW, LCSW, (919) 688-7101 ext 623

Originally from California, Courtney began learning Spanish during her time pursuing her undergraduate degree at UCLA. Upon graduation, Courtney moved to Argentina, where she spent seven years working with university students and helping to develop projects to benefit rural Andean communities. During her time in Argentina, Courtney’s interest in mental health and social advocacy grew. Relocating from South America to the American South, Courtney obtained a Masters’s degree in Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has been part of the El Futuro team since 2013 and is grateful for the time that she is able to spend with clients and colleagues as a therapist and a clinical supervisor. With advanced training in treating trauma in children and adults, she serves clients who are facing many different difficulties. She has described her time with clients (and the trust that they give her) as a unique gift, one that impacts and influences her every day. Courtney’s favorite hobby is exploring, particularly when mountains are involved.

Mary Dominguez

Authorization Specialist, (919) 688-7101 ext 608

Mary Dominguez

Mary is from from Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. After she got her degree in International Relations from Universidad Central de Venezuela, she worked in the Department of International Affairs of Venezuela as Director’s Assistant in “Instituto de Altos estudios Diplomáticos Pedro Gual.” Here in the USA, she was a GED instructor in Spanish for 7 years at Durham Tech and also worked as a bilingual assistant manager in residential business for almost 7 years in the RTP area. Mary’s love for helping the Hispanic community brought her to El Futuro. Her cheerful personality and work ethic make her an asset to our organization. In her free time she enjoys zumba, running and spending time with friends.

Dennis Duke

TeleBehavioral Health Therapist, LCSWA

Dennis Duke

Dennis grew up in El Salvador and moved to the US when he was 15 years old. He went to school at NC State University, where he earned a Bachelors and a Masters degree in social work. Dennis served 4 years in the Marine Corps and 3 years in the California National Guard, where he served a tour in Iraq. He has been working as a School Social Worker in Lee County for the past seven years and works part-time as an ESL instructor at a local community college. Dennis comes to El Futuro with an interest to serve the Latinx community and to provide cultural-appropriate services. In his free time, he likes to watch sports on TV, spend time with his family and pets, and woodworking.

Yessica Elles

Clinical Assistant, (919) 688-7101 ext 700

Yessica Elles

Yessica Elles is from Bogotá, Colombia and joins us as a clinical assistant at our Siler City and Durham offices. She studied Educational Psychology at Universidad Pedagógica Nacional in Bogotá and is thinking about a career as a mental health practitioner. In Colombia, she was going to pursue a Masters in Neuropsychology, but now is thinking about going into the field of Social Work.

She first heard about El Futuro from a family friend and is excited to be able to work somewhere that shares her mission and professional goals where she can keep learning!

In her free time, Yessica likes to watch movies, spend time with friends and her husband, and hangout at the lake paddleboarding and swimming!

Kiara Faucette

Clinic Manager

Kiara Faucette

Clinic Manager, 919-688-7101 ext 705

Kiara was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Chapel Hill in her early teens. She graduated from UNC Greensboro in 2018 with a degree in Psychology and is currently working on her Masters’s in Clinical Psychology. Having a parent working in the psychology field, she was constantly exposed to psychology from an early age and therefore sparked her interest in pursuing a career in it as well. Besides her interest in psychology, Kiara is also a lover of animals and has experience caring for all types— including snakes and frogs!

Cristian Figueroa

Outpatient Therapist, LCSWA

Cristian Figueroa

Outpatient Therapist, LCSWA

She was born in Chiapas Mexico and moved to North Carolina at the age of 7. She studied nutrition as an undergrad (UNCG) and she received a Master of Social Work at UNC-Chapel Hill. Cristian finished her internship here at El Futuro where she could help many Latino families through the work we do and she loved it so much that decided to come back for a full-time clinical position. She finds joy sitting on her porch while drinking a fresh cup of coffee and enjoys mountain day trips and trail walks.

Rachel Galanter

Technical Assistance and Consultation Program Lead

Rachel Galanter

Technical Assistance and Consultation Program Lead

Rachel grew up in the United States and lived in Chicago, New Haven, Buffalo, Madison (Wisconsin), New York and Seattle before she settled in Durham in 1996. As a child, in addition to her other moves, she twice lived abroad and was immersed in a foreign school system, language, culture and community. Rachel learned Spanish as an adult and developed fluency as a foster parent to a child who was a recent immigrant from Mexico and spoke no English. From her time as a foster parent Rachel added two daughters—and now four grandchildren—to her family. Rachel has a Bachelors in Psychology from Columbia University and a Masters in Public Health focused on Maternal and Child Health from UNC in Chapel Hill. She has over 25 years of experience with supporting children, youth, and families. She has used Motivational Interviewing and the Community Resiliency Model on top of evidence based parenting coaching models to help families address barriers to helping their children thrive. A certified trainer by the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, she has provided training and coaching to professionals on client engagement, cultivating resilience, cultural awareness, cross cultural communication, coaching, and implementation of best practices to help other agencies in meeting clients where they are and empowering them to achieve their goals.

Carlos Xavier Garcia Aguirre

Clinical Assistant

Carlos Xavier Garcia Aguirre

Clinical Assistant

Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. Got a Marketing degree from the International University of Ecuador. He’s been working in customer service for the Latino community for over 20 years, and that’s why he became passionate about this position at El Futuro. Music is his favorite hobby, he has collected CDs, Vinyl, and memorabilia since he was 9 years old, growing up with a vast collection, also a bookworm, classics, and history are his favorite topics. If you want to talk about music and history, don’t hesitate to talk with Carlos at the front desk!

Soleir Gordon

Conexiones Case Manager

Soleir Gordon

Conexiones Case Manager

Soleir is a native of Venezuela. After completing her college education in Business Administration in Venezuela, she moved to the United States to attend the CELOP program at Boston University and then moved to North Carolina where she has lived since. She embarked upon a career in social work in 1999 when she began working at Catholic Charities as a family case manager with both Latino and English-speaking families to assess their needs. During her time at Catholic Charities, she also worked as a co-facilitator for 10 years at Change, which was a state-certified, psycho-educational intervention program that aided domestic violence offenders in changing their behaviors. After many years at Catholic Charities, she most recently worked at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center as the Latino Services Coordinator where she performed community outreach and led support groups for Spanish-speaking survivors of sexual violence. In her spare time, she host a radio show at WHUP 104.7 FM in Hillsborough, NC . This show delivers interviews with a wide variety of people, local and international news of interest, current community events as well as a significant variety of Latino music.

Susana Guevara

Walk-in Clinic Assistant

Susana has a degree in Graphic Design. She was born and grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and worked with well-known advertising agencies in her home country. Susana and her family decided to come to the United States 8 years ago, and since then she has felt grateful for this beautiful country. She used to work in a daycare for three years in North Carolina and she really enjoyed it to help families to take care of their children. Now, we have the pleasure of having Susana as part of El Futuro team welcoming our clients and families with her kind smile and warm heart. She is thrilled to be able to help our Hispanic community.

Molly Hayes

Director of Clinical Enhancement Services, MEd, LCMHCS

Molly Hayes

Director of Clinical Enhancement Services, MEd, LCMHCS (919) 688-7101 ext 614

Molly lived in the Dominican Republic for several years as a child, but is native to Asheville, North Carolina. She has degrees from rival North Carolina universities: UNC-Chapel Hill (BA in International Studies) and North Carolina State University (Master’s in Counselor Education with specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling). Molly has been connected with El Futuro since it’s inception when she worked as a volunteer along with other caring and dedicated people to help bring the dream of El Futuro alive. In 2011 she joined El Futuro as a full-time clinical counselor. In counseling with her clients she uses her training in attachment based therapies, person-centered therapies, trauma processing therapies and mindfulness based practices to help facilitate healing and growth. Molly also has advanced training in clinical supervision and is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPCS). She provides clinical supervision and guidance and is also part of the programming and administrative team at El Futuro. She loves the diverse and creative ways she is able to bring to the mission of El Futuro to life through the various roles she fills. When not at El Futuro, Molly enjoys exploring food, culture and the outdoors with her husband, taking movement classes at the YMCA, cooking and eating healthy food and getting lost in a great book.

Mary Hondermann

Communications Manager, (919) 688-7101 ext 684

Mary Hondermann

Mary grew up in Medellin, Colombia and has a degree in Advertising and Graphic Communications from Universidad de Medellin and a Masters in Marketing Management from Universidad Bolivariana. She has always liked being creative and seeing the world with different eyes. Mary has over seven years’ experience working in communications and marketing for beverage and retail corporations in Colombia. Mary loves working at El Futuro, because it allows her to meet immigrant people like herself, with similar sentiments and hopes, and it motivates her to help other Latinos through her work.

Tiana Hooker

Controller

Tiana Hooker

Controller

Tiana was born in Michigan and relocated to North Carolina as a teenager. She holds an Applied Science degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a Management concentration. She is passionate about finances, stewardship, understanding the relationship and implications of financial transactions and began building a career in accounting in 2010. She has worked in various industries, most recently non-profit and state government organizations for the past six years. She is an avid learner who believes in lifelong learning and is currently studying to obtain her CPA credential and even has a master’s degree on her goal list. She has served on several DEIB councils and considers herself an advocate and change agent. She volunteers in the community and enjoys serving in leadership roles to support missions that are all about the people, making El Futuro the perfect place to roll up her sleeves and make a meaningful impact. As a multi-passionate, Tiana enjoys traveling, hiking, being engrossed in new cultures and foods, spending time with her children, and reading non-fiction.

Alison Ieno

TECS Project Manager

Alison Ieno

TECS Project Manager

Alison is originally from Miami, Florida but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. She recently graduated from NC State University with a Bachelors in psychology and a minor in nonprofit studies. After adding a minor to her academic experience, she spent a lot of time interning with local nonprofits, including an open-door clinic that primarily serves Wake County’s Latinx community. Alison is grateful and excited to start her career at El Futuro as a Case Manager and combine her passions for mental health and the nonprofit sector. Her ultimate goal is to become a mental health provider eventually. She enjoys traveling, especially exploring the North Carolina mountains, trying different foods, and spending time with family and friends.

Mary Jones

Manager of Client Care and Engagement

Mary Jones

Manager of Client Care and Engagement, 919-688-7101 ext 661

Mary Jones is from Urireo in Salvatierra, Guanajuato and moved to the United States in 2005 (December 12, to be exact). The first time she left her small hometown was to attend university at Instituto Tecnológico de Celaya, where she graduated with a degree in computer systems engineering. After arriving in the U.S., Mary was touched to see that she was still surrounded by all her people — she felt at home. She decided she wanted to do everything she could to help the immigrant community here, because not only had she grown up hearing about all the struggles immigrants faced, but she herself then experienced how hard it was to adjust after immigrating. At her previous job at Orange County Head Start — Early Head Start as an ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance) Coordinator, Mary focused for 11 years on being in touch with families, working with community agencies, coordinating referrals and making sure the program met all performance standards. Mary enjoys spending time with her husband, 11 year-old son, and 8-year-old daughter in nature; keeping in touch with her mom; volunteering at church; and reading.

Abdur Kotwal

Accountant

Abdur Kotwal

Accountant

He grew up in Peshawar (City of Flower). It is the capital of KPK province of Pakistan. He has done MBA in Finance and then in HR with a decade of experience in Finance and accounting with non-profit organizations. Being an immigrant, El Futuro attracts his attention because he knows by himself how immigrants think about their future. So, He’s very excited to be a part of the El Futuro team, who work for immigrants. He has a lot of hobbies which include reading fiction, watching movies, hiking and fishing. Recently he read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and he loves it.

Heather Ladov

Clinical Services Manager ext: 691

Heather Ladov

Heather joined the El Futuro team in August 2021 as the new Clinic Services Manager. Heather recently relocated from Oakland, CA where she worked as an intern, clinician and supervisor for the past 17 years at La Clinica de la Raza Mental Health Services. Heather’s focus is on access to health resources for Latinx folks. Heather is an avid reader, and when not working spends her time following her three kids around to their various activities.

Becky Leon

Program Manager for Community Engagement

Becky Leon

Program Manager for Community Engagement

Becky grew up in Kinston, North Carolina, but completed her academic career at East Carolina University. She obtained a degree in Biology, B.S. and a Master’s in Hispanic Studies. While in Greenville, she volunteered for the organization of AMEXCAN, which focuses on Latinx growth in the community in areas of health, leadership, youth development, outreach, and advocacy. This work inspired Becky to pursue other areas to help the Latinx community. She continued her professional career as a health coach for the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at ECU, which influenced her interest in El Futuro. She’s excited about getting in touch with the community served by El Futuro and establishing long-term relationships and successes through her work. She enjoys exploring new, creative hobbies, including making candles, eternal bouquets, beaded jewelry, and recently making and painting clay pieces. Additionally, she likes to focus on improving her health through exercise by going to the gym and on walks.

Natalia Lopez

Grants Development Manager

Natalia Lopez
Grants Development Manager

Natalia grew up in Queens, New York and moved to North Carolina in 2015. She received her BA in Latino Studies at CUNY Hunter College and her Master of Science in Library Science at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has worked at libraries and community-based organizations throughout most of her professional life and is passionate about fostering and supporting inclusive community-building efforts. She was raised by a strong and hilarious group of Colombian tias, who taught her how to love and laugh. Natalia enjoys painting and drawing, long walks with her dog, and spending quality time with loved ones.

Madison McNair

Grants and Finance Manager

Madison McNair

Grants and Finance Manager, 919-688-7101

Madi was born in New Jersey, but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Exercise Science. She took Spanish classes in high school, but really learned a majority of her Spanish from an internship in Ecuador where she worked for a year with an NGO. She considers herself to be at a beginner level but enjoys hearing the language and learning new words. She is excited to join us at El Futuro and feels El Futuro is a perfect blend of her past experiences in nonprofit and administrative work with the added bonus of allowing her to become more involved with her local community.

She enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, and camping. She also loves to be creative with baking, crochet, knitting, and sewing.

Angie Mejia

Special Project Coordinator

Angie Mejía

Special Project Coordinator

Angie was born in La Ceiba, Honduras, and moved to Durham, NC when she was 4 years old. Angie went to Saint Augustine’s University for her undergrad and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in December of 2019. Over the past 8 years, she has worked with youth on bringing awareness to health and wellness topics that affect their daily life. She also worked as a community health worker where she enjoyed her time getting to connect with different community members and leaders. Angie started as a volunteer at El Futuro in June 2021 in the green space and she is excited to continue being part of the El Futuro familia in a new role. She enjoys spending time with her dog Max, nature walks, and trying new food places. Her favorite book is The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare and she loves the song “Bendita Tu Luz” by Maná.

Luz Stephanie Mejia

Grants and Contracts Specialist

Luz Stephanie Mejia

Grants and Contracts Specialist

Luz Mejia is a first-generation Spanish bilingual community advocate and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a Pre-Med concentration. Luz is passionate about supporting local initiatives and improving access to public health services for underserved populations. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of supporting birthing people, English as a Second Language families, low-income, Medicaid/Medicare, and uninsured recipients as a Birth Doula, Patient Financial Advocate, and Care Advisor. Luz also supports the Triad area by actively serving as a Board Member for TheraFriends. As a community-facing professional with over 8 years of public health experience, she is excited to continue her community work for many years to come.

Jaeleen Mendoza

Project and Clinical Assistant

Jaeleen Mendoza

Substance Use Program Coordinator

Jaeleen was born in Santa Ana, California but grew in a small town outside of Winston Salem and went to college at North Carolina State University where she majored in Communication Media and International Studies with a concentration in Global Sustainability and Development. After graduating from NC State, she served an 11 month service term with El Futuro as their Bilingual Community Engagement and Garden Coordinator and really enjoyed getting to learn more about the mental health field and nature can play an important factor to positive mental health. She enjoyed her time with El Futuro and wants to keep making connections in the community. In her free time Jaeleen enjoys trying new restaurants, going to art museums and visiting her family.

Amalia Molina

Clinic Assistant in Siler City

Amalia Molina

Clinic Assistant in Siler City

Amalia was raised in a small town just outside of Greensboro. She grew up spending time with her North Carolina and Ecuadorian families. After starting her college career, she decided to start working with the Latino Community in Orange County through non-profit agencies. After ten years and meeting her husband, in 2017 after an extended two-month trip to Mexico, she decided to finish her college career and start working with the Latino Community in the Legal Field. Now after joining El Futuro, she is excited to get back to work with the Latino Community again. Amalia enjoys spending time with her family who lives in all four time zones and especially loves spending time with her boys (her son and husband).

Jacqueline Nuñez

Outpatient Therapist

Jacqueline Nuñez,

Outpatient Therapist, LCSWA

Jacqueline Nuñez is a first-generation Mexican-American who grew up in a small town named Sanford here in North Carolina. Jacqueline attended college at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work. During undergraduate and graduate school, she gained experience and passion for working with children and families toward positive mental health changes. This drive leads Jacqueline to El Futuro, whose mission aligns with her personal goal – to create an environment to heal and grow. Jacqueline enjoys arts and crafts such as painting and drawing, spending time in nature, reading, and spending quality time with loved ones. Book: Verity – This is a must-read if you’re into suspenseful books! I finished it in two days; I couldn’t put it down.

Cecilia Ordóñez

Psychiatrist, MD

Cecilia Ordóñez

Cecilia was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. After finishing medical school at the Universidad Catolica de Santiago de Guayaquil, she came to Durham to begin her training in Psychiatry at Duke University. During her residency she was interested in community mental health. She began her work with El Futuro first as part of an elective program through Duke. During this time she realized how much she enjoyed being able to work with our Latino community and being able to both express herself in her native language and connect to clients in theirs. When Cecilia isn’t working at El Futuro, she enjoys playing different sports, traveling, and checking out new local restaurants.

Juan Prandoni

Clinical Psychologist & Training Director, Ph.D., HSP

Juan Prandoni

Clinical Psychologist & Associate Training Director, Ph.D., HSP (919) 688-7101 ext 658

Juan Prandoni, Ph.D., HSP, was born in Argentina and moved to North Carolina when he was 10. He received his Ph.D. in 2018 from UNC-Greensboro’s Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program with a practice and research focus on understanding how Latine families navigate the process of immigration, acculturation, and family reunifications. He currently serves as a Clinical Psychologist and Training Director at El Futuro, a community mental health clinic providing bilingual therapy services to the Latine community in Durham, North Carolina. In addition to working directly with individual clients, Juan’s work as Training Director is focused on developing and providing access to evidence-based practices in Latine mental health to uplift the capacity of providers across North Carolina to deliver best practices to the Latine community.

Leisy Pujols

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Leisy Pujols

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Leisy was born and raised in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, and moved to Raleigh, NC, in 2003. During her years as a Registered Nurse, she worked with mental health patients in their most acute state in different inpatient units. During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, she worked in the Covid Intensive Care Unit until she decided to follow her passion for mental health care and started her Master’s in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Duke University. She recently graduated in May 2023, and she’s very excited about the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in her patient’s lives and be part of the El Futuro family. Outside of work, she enjoys watching Anime, going to the movies, exploring new places, and spending time with her family.

Cindy Rassi

AmeriCorps - Therapeutic Garden and Community Engagement Coordinator

Cindy Rassi

AmeriCorps – Therapeutic Garden and Community Engagement Coordinator

Cindy Rassi is currently an AmeriCorps Service Member positioned at El Futuro as the Therapeutic Green Space and Community Engagement Coordinator. Cindy is originally from Colombia, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture. She came to the USA twenty years ago, and her own immigration experience and her work with non-profits and families with children in underserved communities in the Boston area prompted her to follow her path in Spiritual Care. Cindy received a Master of Divinity from the School of Theology at Boston University and began working as a hospice and hospital chaplain. She is interested in how social determinants of health, ecological justice, and faith manifest and impact Latino families and individuals and the spiritual challenges they experience. Cindy moved from Massachusetts to North Carolina recently. She lives with her husband, their three children, their dogs Kira and Gizmo, and “Luna,” her 16-year-old cat. Cindy practices meditation, yoga, and Ayurveda in her free time and enjoys reading about Buddhism, climate change, and science fiction.

JJ Richardson

Grants Development Manager

JJ Richardson

Grants Development Manager

JJ Richardson grew up in Massachusetts but has spent most of her adult life in North Carolina. She graduated from Clark University with a B.A. in International Development and Social Change. Following her interests and passions over the last 20+ years, JJ has worked as a journalist, teacher, farmhand, educational program director, communications manager, and most recently, a grant writer and reviewer. She has traveled extensively and for four years lived in Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, Mexico, which is where she met and married her husband. Part of a bilingual and bicultural family, she is passionate about supporting immigrant families as they navigate life in the United States. She is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of ISLA (Immersion for Spanish Language Acquisition).

JJ loves to garden and in her spare time can be found with her husband and two sons swimming in the Eno, hiking in the woods, or relaxing at the beach. She is thrilled to have landed at El Futuro and feels grateful for the opportunity to work with such a dynamic organization and community!

Dalila Rodriguez

Human Resources Specialist

Dalila Rodriguez

Human Resources Specialist, 919-688-7101

Dalila started working at El Futuro two years ago and has been an integral part of our front desk team ever since. She grew up in Puerto Rico and Colorado Springs, and remembers wanting to be a teacher when she was younger. When she got a little older, Dalila’s dream was to be a social worker, and she worked in social services in Colorado Springs and Durham. When Dalila first heard about El Futuro she realized its mission was close to her heart. She was interested in learning more about the world of nonprofits and loved that El Futuro helps the Spanish-speaking community in Durham. She said this is a place she hopes to grow old in. In her freetime, Dalila adopts whatever her kids’ hobbies are in the moment, but also likes to take “me time” to dance and swim.

Gabriela Rojas

Therapist

Gabriela Rojas

Therapist

Gabriela was born and raised in Venezuela and moved to the USA at age fifteen. She completed her psychology undergraduate degree at East Carolina University and her Masters in Counseling at the same university. During graduate school she worked as a registered behavior technician where she helped children with Autism and their families. As an immigrant and first generation graduate she has always wanted to give back to her community. She loves the work that El Futuro is doing to help the community and she is excited to be a part of it. When she is not working at El Futuro, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places in the area.

Sarelli Rossi

Director of Operations

Sarelli Rossi

Director of Operations, MHA (919) 688-7101 ext 603

Sarelli feels all of her experience from growing up in Peru to finishing her Masters in Health Administration at UNC prepared her to be our Operations Director and get to do her “dream job!” Sarelli was born in Peru before moving to Chapel Hill during high school. After graduating from ECU with a degree in Psychology and minor in Biology, she earned her Masters in Health Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill while working full time at the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank. She came to know El Futuro through volunteering and so was already part of our team before she joined El Futuro’s staff in the late summer of 2010 as our Clinic Manager. She later was promoted to Director of Operations. Her commitment to the Latino community is obvious in every interaction. Sarelli makes families feel welcome and quietly does the heavy lifting behind the scenes to make the impossible happen every day. In her spare time she can be found with her family and listening to music!

Maria Sahonero

Substance Use Therapist

Maria Sahonero

Substance Use Therapist

Maria was born and raised in Argentina and also lived and raised in Bolivia. She moved from Washington State to North Carolina seven years ago. She is passionate about helping others reach better states of well-being by guiding them to seek and discover the strengths, wisdom, and tools they already possess to accomplish what they want to pursue. Maria is a strong proponent of human rights and differences. She views her role as a facilitator who empowers people to make changes they wish to make in their lives. She enjoys reading, forest bathing, dancing, exercising, and coffee shops.

Adriana Santibanez Lopez

Outpatient Therapist

Adriana Santibanez Lopez

Outpatient Therapist

Adriana was born and raised in Magnolia, NC (a small town in Duplin County) surrounded by family and livestock. Adriana’s first job was at a chicken farm where she learned the value of a dollar and all about the struggles farmworkers face. She then attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and one year later received her master’s degree in Social Work. While attending school, Adriana was employed at Manos Unidas as a Behavioral Health Specialist where she had the privilege to help the farmworker population destigmatize the topic of mental health. Upon receiving her Master’s Degree, Adriana was positive she wanted to continue working with the Latinx population, and was happy to receive employment as an Outpatient Therapist at El Futuro. In her free time, Adriana enjoys dancing, embroidering random cartoon characters, and spending time with her family.

Tamara Schlez

ADHD Coach and Outreach Specialist

Tamara Schlez

ADHD Coach and Outreach Specialist

Tamara grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina where she completed her bachelor degree in Psychology. In her country, she dedicated more than 15 years to working with children and adolescents with learning difficulties. In this process, she realizes that a big part of helping the children is working together with their parents. Four years ago, she arrived at the RTP with the idea to develop professionally in a place where she could continue working with families and advocate for their children’s needs. Being part of El Futuro gives her the opportunity to fulfill her mission of supporting families and helping them fulfill their own dreams. In her free time, Tamara enjoys being with her family, seeing friends, being in the outdoors and traveling.

Rachel Siegel

Outpatient Therapist

Rachel Siegel

Outpatient Therapist, (919) 688-7101 ext 669

Originally from Miami, Rachel received her undergraduate degree from UNC Asheville in Nonprofit Development, a degree she created in their interdisciplinary studies department. She recently completed her Masters in Social Work from Appalachian State University. Growing up in a Cuban-Israeli family, Rachel learned some Spanish at home, but really became fluent when she moved to Galicia, Spain after college to teach English and work at a Panaderia. After coming back home from Spain, Rachel worked at a group home for children in foster care, which inspired her to pursue a career in social work. She is especially interested in international relations and creating global community, previously working at USCRI in Raleigh towards these ends.

Rachel enjoys spending quality time with her cat, Jude, watching movies, hanging out on a river, listening to podcasts, and singing!

Pablo Silva

Substance Use Therapist, MS, LCAS

Pablo Silva

Pablo Silva joins El Futuro as a Substance Use Counselor. Originally from Puerto Rico, his first career was in electronics. When his supervisor at the time realized his potential to help others, he recommended he pursue a degree in Business Administration. Eventually, Pablo decided he wanted to pursue his Masters in Counseling Psychology. Pablo started his work in foster homes and has now been doing substance use counseling for the past 4 years. Since substance use can be a product of larger problems, Pablo tries to be an agent of change for the people he sees.

In his free time, Pablo enjoys watching Houston Astros baseball and Dallas Mavericks basketball because they have Puerto Rican players on their team!

Facelys Silvestre

Outpatient Therapist, LCSWA

Facelys Silvestre

Outpatient Therapist, LCSWA

Facelys grew up in the Dominican Republic and relocated to the U.S at the age of 16. She received her Bachelors in Psychology from SUNY University at Albany and her Master of Social Work from Walden University. Facelys has worked for over a decade serving the Latinx community in various capacities in Wake and Durham County, NC. Facelys takes a strength-based and solution focused therapeutic approach. She enjoys providing psychotherapy services to adults and children to support them as they navigate and cope with challenges in their lives. She has experience with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, life transitions, and trauma. She is passionate about helping her clients overcome the cycles of intergenerational trauma. She meets each client where they are and allows for a safe space where clients can start or continue their journey towards growth and healing.
In her free time, Facelys enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

 

Alexa Skandar

Outpatient Therapist

Alexa Skandar

Outpatient Therapist

Alexa grew up in a bicultural family, raised in both the United States and Bolivia, in addition to several years in the Czech Republic. She returned to the US for college, receiving her undergraduate degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and her Master of Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill. Prior to her career as a therapist, Alexa worked with Latinx communities in various capacities for over a decade, including case management, advocacy, and research in both Northern Virginia and the Triangle. Throughout these experiences, Alexa has been dedicated to using her bilingual and bicultural background to serve the Latinx community whenever possible. It is this passion and dedication that brought her to El Futuro. Outside of work, Alexa enjoys listening to music (especially live!), experiencing visual and performing arts, and watching competition TV shows with her 13-year-old daughter and kitties, Miski and Momo.

David Lucas “Luke” Smith 

Psychiatrist and Executive Director, MD

David Lucas “Luke” Smith

Psychiatrist and Executive Director, MD (919) 688-7101 ext 604

Luke Smith was raised in Arkansas and moved to North Carolina for training in child and adult psychiatry. After volunteering in the community and perceiving a great need for Spanish language services, Dr. Smith mobilized the community to create El Futuro. He is the Executive Director and Medical Director, and provides psychiatric care to both children and adults. Each year, he and his staff provide services to 1,500 – 1,700 children and families who come for help. He is double board certified in both adult psychiatry and in child and adolescent psychiatry. In addition to being active with direct services and shaping policy at the local and state level, Dr. Smith leads the organization in research efforts through projects funded by the NIMH and PCORI with a focus on creating evidence based practices that are especially targeted to help the North Carolina Latino Community.

Magdalena Straub

Therapist, MS, LMFT

Magdalena Straub

Therapist, MS, LMFT,  (919) 688-7101 ext 639

Magdalena grew up in Santiago, Chile, where she received her undergraduate degree in psychology at Universidad Catolica de Chile. After graduation, she worked with at-risk children and adolescents, using a systemic perspective. Seeing the need to understand her clients in a bigger context, Magdalena moved to College Park, MD to pursue an M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Maryland, where she worked with families, couples, and individuals from diverse backgrounds. In her work she has used a number of therapeutic approaches, and has come to believe that a central aspect of therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client, emphasizing the therapist being nonjudgmental and compassionate. When she is not working, Magdalena can be found reading novels, cooking vegetarian dishes, or going for a run.

Miguelina Suero

Family Support Specialist

Miguelina Suero

Family Support Specialist

Miguelina immigrated to the US along with her immediate family from Dominican Republic when she was 11-years old. She was able to obtain dual degree in Criminal Justice (BS) and Psychology(BA) at Fayetteville State University. She worked as an advocate for almost 6 years, assisting families dealing with Domestic Violence and Sexual assault. Those years were eye-opening for her to see the need of more resources and just general education about Mental Health in the Lantinx Community. She is passionate to provide
that “grain of sand” to those in need. When she heard about the ADHD program at El Futuro, she became interested in seeing how she could become part of it, even if it was as a volunteer. She’s honored to become part of such great organization and truly
committed to doing her best to help families, who are dealing with children with ADHD.
“Fun Fact: I have 3,932 pictures in my camera roll, ALL pictures are of my amazing 3- and 8-year-old and NOT one good picture of myself alone…That should tell you a little bit about what I love doing. I also enjoy just being outdoors, having good conversations or just chill in silence with my loved ones.”

Felita Sutharshan

Data Analyst, MS

Felita Sutharshan

Data Analyst, MS

Felita Sutharshan grew up in Sri Lanka, and moved to Raleigh, NC in 2002. She got her Master’s from NC State University and got my Data Analytics certification from the University of Chapel Hill, NC. She also worked in a health care facility for a decade and served the community who needed nutritional education staying healthy with a restricted diet. Entering Data Science and continuing to work as a Data Analyst and with the experience in health made her join the El Futuro. “I will continue with my passion and support the community,” says Felita. Her hobbies are cooking, walking and listening to music.

Leigh Sweet

Human Resources Manager, PHR

Leigh Sweet

Leigh Sweet is joining us as our Human Resources Generalist. Leigh grew up in Richmond, Virginia, but has now spent over 25 years in the Triangle! She’s excited to bring her experience to El Futuro and to show the value of what having an HR professional can create in a workplace. Leigh began working in HR when she worked at Planned Parenthood for 18 years! It was never her path but she found herself doing the work and loving it. The opportunity to work at El Futuro merges the two things that matter most to her: making healthy space for employees and working for a mission driven organization.

Leigh has three children and sometimes their hobbies — gymnastics, volleyball, ballet, and horseback riding become her hobbies. For her, her main hobby is staying connected to her friends.

Sandra Torres

Therapist

Sandra Torres

Therapist

Sandra Torres is a native from Sanford, NC where she was raised by Mexican and Salvadoran parents. Sandra studied social work both in undergraduate studies at UNC-Pembroke and in graduate school at NC State University. From a young age, Sandra had exposure to the richness of Latinx cultures and also the challenges they may face when accessing services. Sandra’s main passion has been to serve the Latinx and immigrant communities. Sandra comes from a background in nonprofit. Previously, she served the Lee County community through El Refugio, an organization dedicated to building bridges between residents and immigrants through free language programs, educational opportunities, and resource connections. Other past roles include as an ESL instructor for adult learners and a Latina Advocate within domestic violence and rape crisis field. In her free time, Sandra loves to paint and draw, spend time with family, watch Mexican and Korean Telenovelas, and go to new places, festivals, and events.

Lizbeth Turrubiartes

Advancement Coordinator

Lizbeth Turrubiartes

Advancement Coordinator

She grew up in Smyrna, Georgia, until she was nine and then her family moved to Hot Springs, NC, close to Asheville and where she grew up until she went to college at Appalachian State University. She received her Bachelor’s of Public Health and Social Work in May 2021. During the last year in 2022, she lived in Boone, NC working as a barista when she found an opening at El Futuro through one of her previous social work instructors. Lizbeth is passionate about health equity and community health, specifically among Spanish speakers and immigrants. She knew that El Futuro would be a great fit. Aside from work, she enjoys watching movies, walks, and hanging out with friends!

Lucy Vidal

Clinical Director


Dr. Lucy Vidal

Clinical Director, DDS, MHA

Lucy is El Futuro’s Clinical Director and is responsible for all clinical services and operations. She is originally from Venezuela and is fully bilingual (Spanish) and bicultural. She holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and a Doctor in Dentistry from Venezuela Central University. An accomplished, goal-oriented leader with more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Vidal has demonstrated success providing direction to organizations’ strategic priorities, operations, healthcare quality initiatives, expansion, and business improvement programs. She has also served as a Trustee/Member in several Community and Professional Boards.

Board Members

Luis Alvarez

Owner of Bull City Brick and Luna Night Club, Vice President of Mante Masonry

Luis Alvarez – Vice-chair

Owner of Bull City Brick and Luna Night Club, Vice President of Mante Masonry

Luis has his own arm of the masonry and concrete business, Bull City Brick. His professional training is in finances, marketing, and development of new branches of his company but the main focus is on the procurement of construction contracts specializing in masonry and concrete construction, which came directly from 10+ years of working in the field and his own business. Luis went through the Durham Public Schools and decided to forgo acceptance into NCSU because of the cost and in order to help grow the family business. Most of his volunteer work has been providing labor or labor assistance for organizations.

Ruby Bakhshi

Co-Owner of ALPACA

Ruby Bakhshi – Member

Co-Owner of ALPACA

Ruby was born and raised in Maryland and has been in Durham since 2004, when her family purchased and operated a “Tienda Latina” which focused on assisting Latino immigrants facing a language or cultural barrier. This was her first immersion in the business world as well as the Latino subculture in Durham. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in International Cultural Studies from North Carolina State University. She currently co-owns the restaurant chain ALPACA. Her business focus includes strategic scaling and branding. Her interests include travel, holistic wellness, and spending time having adventures with her husband and two daughters. She is excited to join the board of El Futuro in hopes of helping bring growth and awareness to the organization’s mission.

Lister Delgado, MBA, MS

Venture Capitalist

Lister Delgado, MBA, MS – Member

Venture Capitalist – IDEA Fund Partners

Lister is the co-founder and managing partner of IDEA Fund Partners, an early-stage Venture Capital firm headquartered in Durham, NC. He is passionate about helping technology entrepreneurs build the next set of technology startups that will change the world. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Brown University, an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and MBA from UNC. Over the last couple of decades, Lister has volunteered his time to several entrepreneurial economic development entities, including the Center for Entrepreneurial Development and NC IDEA. In the past he has volunteered in three areas: Entrepreneurship, Latino Issues, youth education and sports. His wife and he have been foster parents and have housed about half a dozen foster children over the years. In his spare time, and when his knees will allow it, Lister plays soccer with other old guys like himself.

Bruno Estigarribia, PhD

UNC Romance Studies – Associate Professor of Spanish

Bruno Estigarribia, PhD – Member

UNC Romance Studies – Associate Professor of Spanish

Bruno serves as Professor of Spanish in the Romance Studies department at UNC, with affiliated appointments in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, and Global Studies. His work in linguistics focuses on the documentation and revitalization of minoritized languages. His undergraduate studies were in Clinical Psychology and Adult Psychopathology and Master’s in Language Sciences at the Université Paris V – René Descartes – Sorbonne in Paris (1997-2002), then completed his PhD in Linguistics at Stanford University (2002-2007). He trained as an NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow at the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center and at FPG at UNC-Chapel Hill. In his spare time, he continues to pursue his interests by keeping up-to-date on addiction, depression, and anxiety literature.

Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, PhD, MPH, RN

Assistant Dean, PhD Program, Associate Professor, Duke University

Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, PhD, MPH, RN – Chair

Assistant Dean, PhD Program
Associate Professor, Duke University

Rosa is Associate Professor at the Duke University School of Nursing and the Assistant Dean of the PhD Program. Her main roles as a faculty member include conducting research, teaching/mentoring, and service. Her research explores the intersection of substance abuse, violence, HIV, and mental health among Latinx communities and social drivers of these. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing focused on Public Health Nursing, Master in Public Health, and an interdisciplinary PhD (nursing, epidemiology, psychology). Throughout her career she has volunteered in many community-based organizations and initiatives, including many organizations specifically serving Latinx communities and organizations that address domestic violence.

Eliza Hueda

Drug Development Physician, Clinical Research and Healthcare Consultant, Board Certified

Eliza Hueda, MD, FAAP – Member

Drug Development Physician, Clinical Research and Healthcare Consultant, Board Certified

Eliza is a Board Certified Pediatrician with over 18 years of clinical and drug development experience. She has gained expertise in safety, clinical development, protocol writing, medical monitoring and more, in many Phase I-IV protocols along both, Pediatric and Adult indications. She’s proficient at integrating data from different sources in order to ensure the safety and efficacy of all therapeutic interventions. She also provides medical support and training to internal staff as well as site personnel. Her expertise is mainly in Neurosciences, strategy and clinical trial design. She’s passionate about patient care and evidence-based medicine. Her motivation is to strive for the best outcomes for patients and to be able to provide patients everywhere with the best treatment modalities.

Michael Lancaster, MD

Interim CMO of Southlight Healthcare; Private Practice- Psychiatry

Michael Lancaster, MD – Member

Interim CMO of Southlight Healthcare; Private Practice- Psychiatry

Michael Lancaster, MD is a Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist who has worked in the Triangle for more than 40 years. He has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings; worked as Medical Director in a Managed Care program; served as Clinical Director for the Division of MH/IDD/SAS at the State level; and worked in Integrated Care at Community Care of North Carolina. He has served for the last 7 years in his position as Chief Medical Officer for the non-profit Southlight Healthcare in Raleigh treating clients with behavioral health and substance use disorders. Dr. Lancaster lives in Chapel Hill with his wife of 50 years and enjoys frequent visits to and from his children and grandchildren.

Rocio Lopez, PhD

Johnson & Johnson Global Operations Head, Portfolio Delivery Operations

Rocio Lopez, PhD – Member

Johnson & Johnson Global Operations Head, Portfolio Delivery Operations

Rocio currently serves as Global Operations Head at Johnson & Johnson, where she partners with other executive leaders to set the strategic direction across selected therapeutic segments, driving strategy execution for successful business growth.  Rocio has held multiple portfolio oversight roles and has been responsible for delivery excellence of global cross-functional programs in all phases of drug development. She was also founder and co-lead of the ConeXion ERG, supporting the development opportunities of the LatinX community in clinical research.

Rocio was born and raised in Puerto Rico, having received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from The Johns Hopkins University and her PhD in Genetics and Development from Columbia University. Rocio currently resides in Cary, NC with her husband, children, and dog.

Karlina Matthews, MBA

UNC Health

Karlina Matthews, MBA – Treasurer

UNC Health

Karlina grew up in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to North Carolina for college. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2007 and her MBA from Walden University in 2014. She is an award-winning leader with more than a decade of experience working as a mental health administrator, overseeing clinical and business operations. In her spare time, she enjoys cheering on her beloved Tar Heels, traveling, and spending time with family.

Manuel Nieto, MBA

BB&T

Manuel Nieto, MBA – Member

BB&T

Manny is a Wealth Portfolio Manager, manages investment portfolios for individuals and families. He has an Economics and Computers Science undergraduate degree with various technical certifications (MCSE, CompTIA). As well as an MBA in Finance and Strategy. He serves as an active volunteer at Acción Emprendedora, with La Unidad Latina chapters at both Duke and UNC and Red Cross platelet donor.

Gabriela “Gaby” Livas Stein, Ph.D.

Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at UNCG

Gabriela “Gaby” Livas Stein, Ph.D. – Member

Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at UNCG

Gabriela Livas Stein, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and Professor and Head Psychology at the UNC Greensboro. Dr. Stein researches in cultural resilience in communities of color – especially Latinx youth and their families – and mental health access and prevention programs for Latinx families. She has obtained more than $6 million research funds from federal agencies and private foundations NIDA, NIMH, PCORI, and WT GRANT, and has more than 80 peer reviewed publications.

Merywen “Wenny” Wigley, MSc

Compliance Director at IQVIA

Merywen “Wenny” Wigley, MSc – Member

Compliance Director at IQVIA

Wenny worked for two decades in international public health, with a focus on integrated development and HIV prevention, care, and treatment. She is currently a Director at IQVIA, where she manages ethics and compliance training and communications for 82,000 employees in more than 100 countries. She has a Masters in International Health with a certificate in Project Management. Throughout her career, Wenny has volunteered with several organizations in Durham including You Can Vote, Eno River Association, People’s Alliance, and Bikes for the World. As a founding organizer of Marry Durham, she is committed to the Bull City. Wenny loves mountain biking, camping, and adventuring with her family, and she’ll never turn down a pupusa or a horchata.

Hope Williams, JD

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina

Hope Williams, JD – Member

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina

Hope has worked with the Latino community throughout her legal career. She began her legal career at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, spending two years working on the Texas-Mexico border where she worked with Latino clients in immigration proceedings, and represented communities living in subdivisions that lacked basic infrastructure due to abusive development practices. Since returning to North Carolina in 2006, she has represented and advised clients in a wide array of civil legal matters, with a particular focus on immigration, special education, and housing. Currently she is a supervising attorney with Legal Aid of North Carolinas Fair Housing Project where she represents clients facing housing discrimination across the state. She graduated with a JD from the University of Texas School of Law in 2004 and received her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996 with a major in history and a minor in French. She is an active volunteer through her church, Watts Street Baptist Church. In her spare time, Hope loves spending time outside with her husband and two sons, hiking, and long-distance running.

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