Award-winning actress Lisa Vidal is most recognizable for the multidimensional roles. She’s played on television and in film for over 40 years, portray characters that have reflected the diversity of the Latino community while also building it up. She starred in ABC’s romantic comedy.-Drama “The Baker and the Beauty”. Based on the highly successful Israeli scripted show, Vidal portrait Mari Garcia, the hilarious and heartwarming matriarch of the family. She was also seen doing a wonderful arc on the hilarious and Emmy nominated series “Ms Pat” on BET AS WELL AS THE SECOND SEASON OF THE GLORIA CALDERON KELLETT SERIES “With Love” for Amazon. Vidal also appeared on the new spin  off of “BelAir”. 

Of Puerto Rican, descent, the New York City native began acting in repertory theater at age 14. She was cast the following year in the PBS series.” Oye Willie”, jumpstarting a long and varied acting career, which early on included appearances on the popular television series the “Cosby show” and”Miami Vice”. She also starred in several ABC school specials and Lifetime movies.

Vidal starred opposite Gabrielle Union on the critically acclaimed BET series “Being Mary Jane”, which wrapped in 2019 after its fifth season. For her performance as  Kara Lynch, Vidal received an Imagen Foundation Award for “Best Supporting Actress” she has also recurred on the Fox series”Rosewood” and many Emmy nominated John Wells shows, including “Shameless” “ER” “Third Watch” “Southland” and “Smith”. . Other notable appearances and television credits include “American Horror Story”,”Boston, legal”,” CSI Miami”,”The Event”,” Chicago PD”,”New York Under Cover”, Steven Spielberg‘s “High incident”for ABC, which got her a Best Actress nomination at The prestigious Alma awards, and many others. 

Larisa Kottke is the President & CEO of Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH), where she and her team help people, companies, and communities grow through transformative and timely leadership development programming, all designed to build a greater Greater Hartford.

LGH has been doing this work for over 47 years, with programs for early-to-mid career professionals, senior executives, older adults, and retirees. Foundational to LGH’s work is the belief that true leadership is not about positional titles or influence, but rather, it’s about giving the best of one’s self to the work of the team, and helping others to do the same. In her role, Larisa works closely with LGH’s board of directors, collaborates with key stakeholders in the community, builds relationships with business and civic leaders, and manages the many business operations of the organization.

Larisa is a proud 2018 graduate of LGH’s Quest Program. She is a 2020 Hartford Business Journal 40 Under Forty Award Winner, a 2022 CT Magazine 40 Under Forty Award Winner, and earned her Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Connecticut.

Larisa lives in West Hartford with her husband, first-grade daughter, and their rescue dog.

Yvette Meléndez is President & Founder of YMR Consulting, a management consulting firm specializing in board development and strategy. She is a former healthcare policy executive with over forty years of public policy experience in education, health and human services.

Her experience includes leadership roles in the development of public policy and transformation of service delivery in human services, education and healthcare. She led public sector mergers and reorganization of state human services cabinet agencies, facilitated major public school reform and desegregation efforts, led higher education access and change initiatives as well as efforts toward implementation of healthcare equity and access. All while also leading change in the not-for-profit sector and philanthropy.

Throughout her career, Meléndez’ passion for service was recognized through her leadership on the boards of directors of various local, national and international organizations. In addition to her board role in healthcare, she is currently Chair of the Board of Directors for CT Public Broadcasting, and is on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Ms. Meléndez has served on a variety of gubernatorially appointed commissions and has led topic areas for gubernatorial transition teams.

Silvia Herrera-Ocampo is a Community Outreach Officer at Liberty Bank with over 15 years of experience in banking. In her role, Silvia works alongside nonprofits, small business networks, and local organizations across Connecticut to deliver programs that help individuals and families build financial confidence, long-term stability and support inclusive economic growth. As a bilingual advocate, she ensures Spanish-speaking individuals and families have access to financial tools and resources.

The proud daughter of Colombian immigrants, Silvia was raised in Hartford, CT, where she grew up translating documents, making phone calls, and helping her parents navigate a world where they didn’t speak the language. That early responsibility, paired with a deep sense of community, shaped her passion for financial education and advocacy.

Now a single mom to a special needs teen, she brings heart, lived experience, and empathy to everything she does—creating programs that reflect the realities of the people she serves. Silvia serves on the board of Middlesex Habitat for Humanity and is part of the Middletown WORKS advisory team, where she continues her commitment to building stronger, more connected communities.

Her father’s words still guide her: “Hay que ser berraca.” Be brave. Be bold. Push through. And that’s exactly what she does—for herself, for her son, and for every family she serves.

Dr. Madeline Negrón is the Superintendent of the New Haven Public Schools. She is the first Latina to ever be appointed to the role in the City of New Haven. She has spent her professional career as an educator in Connecticut urban environments rich with cultural and linguistic diversity.

Dr. Negrón arrived to Connecticut from the island of Puerto Rico at the age of 10 and settled with her family in Willimantic. Her personal experience as a multilingual learner in the CT public educational system has resulted in her life’s passion for equity and excellence in schools. Her 30 years of public education experience are comprised of elementary and secondary instruction, administrative site leadership, as well as university level experience having served as a faculty adjunct in the Educational Leadership Department at Southern Connecticut State University.

Dr. Negrón is proud to be a first-generation college graduate. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Spanish from Central Connecticut State University, a Master of Arts degree in Education with a minor in Bilingual Bicultural Education and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Connecticut. She is currently a member of The Broad Center 2024-2025 Cohort of the Fellowship for Public Education Leadership at the Yale School of Management. Dr. Negrón is a co-founder and Past-President of the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. Recently, she was the recipient of the UConn 2024 Neag Alumni Award – Outstanding Diversity, Equity, and, Inclusion Professional, the 2023 Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) Assistant Superintendent of the Year Award, and was featured in the Leaders to Learn From Class of 2022 by EdWeek in February 2022.

She is an inspiration and reminder about the promise of public education and the strong future that every child deserves to make their hopes and dreams come true.

Latinasb2b.marketing digital consultancy and podcast focuses on creating thought leadership, call to action, and building ecosystems of leadership support for small businesses & non profit communities. With 18 years of tech marketing and sales experience in Silicon Valley, Theresa demonstrates a visionary new approach towards economic empowerment and social justice through

community entrepreneurship, media and technology. Her podcast has been steadily growing over 6 years and has been featured in publications from NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast and Luz Media 5 Must hear Latine Podcasts to listen to right now. She has spoken at Pocast Movement on AI bias in media technology, Brands missing the 3 Trillion Dollar Opportunity and at Google Developers Group on Responsible AI.

Ellie Nieves is the President & CEO of Leadership Strategies for Women, LLC, a leadership development firm that helps high-achieving women show up, speak up, and step up in their careers. Since 2010, she has delivered seminars that transform emerging women leaders into influential managers and executives.

Ellie also serves Head of Strategic Public Policy & Assistant General Counsel, Government Affairs, at a Fortune 300 company, overseeing legislative and regulatory activities with a focus on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Privacy. She founded the company’s women’s leadership employee resource group to advance women in the workplace.

Ellie holds a B.A. from Fordham University, a J.D. from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, and an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Learn more at www.EllieNieves.com

Migdalia Cruz, a graduate from St. Joseph University with a BA in education and an MA from the University of Hartford, has been a volunteer with AARP in the state of Connecticut since 2016. She is engaged at the state and national levels. Like many of her fellow volunteers, she participates in various projects that are meaningful to her and keeps her active and engaged with people of all ages. Earlier in her career, she dedicated herself to working with youth as an educator for 39 years. Now retired and volunteering with AARP, she focuses on the 50+ population. She also works with English language learners in classroom settings to help them overcome challenges and adjust to life in the United States. Working across different age groups—from youth to the 50-plus population—has greatly enriched her life. The projects she is currently involved in include DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), DA (Disrupt Aging), VFTT (Volunteer Facilitator Training Team), FWN (The Fraud Watch Network), and Caregiving, both at the state and national levels.

Migdalia Cruz is a dedicated advocate for the rights and dignity of older adults. She has been actively involved in campaigns and movements with AARP that aim to challenge stereotypes and discrimination based on age. Her outreach initiatives include organizing workshops such as The Disrupt Aging program, seminars, and public speaking engagements to educate and inspire others to combat ageism.

Recognizing the importance of community involvement, Migdalia Cruz has collaborated closely with local groups and organizations to foster intergenerational connections and support systems. She believes in the effectiveness of community-driven solutions and has contributed to projects that enhance the quality of life for older individuals. Migdalia Cruz is acknowledged as a Lead Volunteer at the State and National levels within the AARP organization.

Maly D. Rosado is a dedicated community leader and public servant with over 20 years of impactful service in Hartford and beyond. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first Latina elected as President of Hartford’s Court of Common Council. In this role, she advocates for initiatives that enhance public safety, promote economic development, and improve educational outcomes.

As the founder and president of Connecticut Latinas in Politics (CLIP), a political PAC, Maly empowers Latina women to pursue public office, fostering diversity in political representation. Her commitment to amplifying women’s voices extends to her position as the president and founder of Women at the Table Connecticut (WATT CT), where she ensures that women’s perspectives are integral to policy discussions.

Professionally, Maly works for the Housing Authority of the City of Hartford. Her multifaceted leadership continues to drive positive change, particularly for women across Connecticut, contributing to the vibrancy and inclusivity of all the communities she serves. As an employee of the Housing Authority, Maly is a strong advocate for equitable housing, consistently serving as a voice for the most disenfranchised members of the community. She champions policies grounded in the ideals of equality, inclusion, and respect.

Her wide range of experience has equipped her to navigate the complex systems of city government, laying the foundation for her effectiveness as a leader. From her time as chair of the Civilian Police Review Board to her work in business analytics with Travelers, Maly has demonstrated that she possesses the skills to get the job done. A proud daughter, sister, and mother, she works tirelessly for the benefit of all.

Tanu Rishi is a financial literacy educator based in New York City and the founder of FiWe (Fái-We - Financial Wellness). She has developed numerous educational resources that help children, parents and young adults build strong financial foundations. Her programs are uniquely designed using real-world props to create lasting impressions. In just over two years, FiWe resources have been used in nearly 100 NYC schools, helping to shape a financially literate generation from an early age.

FiWe is one of the few companies that offer financial literacy programs starting from elementary schools, as Tanu firmly believes that time is the most critical factor in financial literacy—giving students the maximum opportunity to benefit from compounding. From curriculum-based, standards-aligned resources to enrichment programs that teach kids how to set up a lemonade stand, FiWe offers something for all schools. She advocates that no one is too young to learn about personal finance and that parental engagement reinforces financial literacy, fostering a financially stable community. To support this, she also provides resources for parents to begin their own financial wellness journey.

Tanu holds an MBA in Finance and is a CFA Charterholder. Before founding FiWe, she worked at various large financial institutions in New York City. Her own journey to financial freedom inspired her commitment to teaching kids and adults the essential money skills needed for financially stable life.