Dare To Dream |
Speaker Biographies
Keynote Speakers:
Dr. Lourdes Ferrer - Growing up in a disadvantaged family in Puerto Rico, Lourdes soon learned that education was the way out of the poverty cycle. This understanding led her to complete her undergraduate degree in mathematics and begin teaching. Dr. Ferrer provides consulting services, staff development opportunities, and motivational speaking to DuPage County as their No Child Left Behind consultant.
Ruth Sweetser was president of the 100,000-member American Association of University Women from 2005 –2009. She has been a member of the Gender Equity Advisory Committee of the Illinois State Board of Education since 1996. Appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women in Illinois in 1997, she chaired its Education and Training Working Group. She serves in the Graduate College at the Illinois Institute of Technology as the Director of Professional Learning and Business Relations.
Rocio Cardenas graduated from Stanford University in 2006 with a Political Science degree and is employed in a management development program at McMaster-Carr in Elmhurst.
Career Panel Speakers
Cyndi Abenante is a Lombard police lieutenant, instructor for the Lombard Citizens Policy Academy, Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at College of DuPage, and Rape Aggression Defense Systems for women, also recognized for her work with troubled youth.
Alexa Aguilar, after spending a year as a full-time reporter for the Chicago Tribune, is now a freelance writer, which allows her to be the full-time caregiver for her newborn daughter Audrey, 18 month old Gabriel and 12 year old Sarah, born when Alexa was 16 years old.
Patricia Aitken joined Allstate in 1985. She is Assistant Vice President of Human Resources for Allstate Protection, the Property and Casualty business of The Allstate Corporation, the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Pat leads a team of 45 HR pros.
Laura Avila, MD, is an obstetrician and gynecologist at Associated Women’s Health and a volunteer at Aurora’s Pregnancy Information Center outreach clinic, providing childbirth and adoption information, parenting classes and financial assistance.
Mary Joe Bheda is a bi-lingual ELL Spanish and science teacher of chemistry, biology and physical science at West Aurora High School. She sponsors an after school STEM club for students to explore science, technology engineering and mathematics.
Elizabeth Colon is a bi-lingual business professional, president and founder of Metaphrasis Language & Cultural Solutions, Inc. in Chicago. She launched her own multicultural marketing firm to give back to the Latino community.
Lourdes Duarte, keynote speaker for the 2009 Dare to Dream Conference, is a WGN-TV television reporter, recently promoted to 5 PM weekday anchor. Lourdes is also host of “Adelante Chicago,” a Hispanic public affairs show every airs every other Saturday.
Dora Garcia is a June 2009 accounting graduate of DePaul University, now employed as an accountant in Oak Brook. Dora is a past Teen Parent Connection volunteer, giving back to the organization that supported and mentored her through her teen pregnancy.
Rita Gonzalez is a bi-lingual community advocate. As founder of the non-profit Hispanics United of DuPage, she won the largest discrimination suit against the government, and recently won election to the DuPage County Board as a Democrat in November 2008.
Patricia Granados, PhD, is President of Triton Community College. She moved through the administrative ranks from summer student worker to obtaining her doctorate, being assistant president, then acting president, before being named President by the Board in 2001.
Rosie Kusch is a Project Electrical Engineer with JL Meece Engineering in Coal City. She is a computer electrical engineer working in power plants and petrochemical. Rosie encourages engineering for girls, transforming ideas into reality, knowledge giving power.
Argentina Leyva is a bi-lingual chemical engineer at Argonne National Labs researching and developing separation of spent nuclear fuel. She is also a world-renowned portrait and wedding photographer. You can visit her website at www.argentinaleyva.com.
Sandra Avila-Lopez is Human Resources Specialist at Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Inc. She manages the Harpo Internship program, honing her skills in recruiting, payroll, management, employee relations and organizational development.
Laura Mitacek, JD, is a solo practitioner of law, concentrating in criminal defense, a former DuPage County assistant state’s attorney. As a former chemist for two different crime labs, she testified in court as an expert witness in criminal cases, then learned to try cases.
Monica Coca-Martinez is an accountant working as internal auditor for CHAN Healthcare Auditors. CHAN provides all the internal audit services necessary for non-profit health care organizations that might need to improve their operations.
Connie Oriente is a mom, teacher, educational staff developer/consultant and motivational speaker. She is a 28 year veteran teacher and mentor at Jerling Junior High in Orland Park, nominated multiple times for Golden Apple and Disney Outstanding Teacher Awards.
Nancy Rodriguez, RN, is a wellness educator and Certified Diabetic Educator who earned her MS at Loyola University. She is CEO and President of the LIDERr Wellness Foundation, a Latino organization that provides diabetes education and counseling for families.
Jackie Camacho Ruiz is the Make-It-Happen Director of JJR Marketing Consultants in Aurora. A bi-lingual entrepreneur in marketing, sales and business communications, Jackie was named 2009 Emerging Leader by the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing.
Monica Silva, DC, is a chiropractor, owner of Silva Chiropractic Services in Aurora. She is the first Latina ever elected to the Aurora Township Board of Trustees. As a mother, doctor and community activist, she balances family, professional career and political life.
Carmen Simon came to the USA from Mexico, worked in a factory, obtained a beautician’s license, set up practice on her porch, became a US citizen, initiated citizenship drives for others, and become an entrepreneur, bought a restaurant and two beauty salons.
Sylvia Cadena Smith, PhD, founded and owns CadenaSmith Enterprises. She is an educator in instructional design, a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, presenter, writer of articles and developer of “ See-n-Read,” a tool for reading fluency and comprehension.
Joan Velez is a Police Officer with the Elmhurst Police Department. She was in the US Air Force before she came to Illinois, attended College of DuPage and obtained a BS in Business Law. There are six officers in her family, but she is the only female.
