For immediate Release: Friday,
October 29, 201
Contact: Cheryl Aguilar; cheryl@nhli.org; 202-360-7867 (cell);
Twitter.com/NHLI; Twitter.com/cheryl_aguilar
National Hispana Leadership Institute’s Co-founder and
Three-Time Presidential
Appointee to be Honored in Miami Leadership Conference
An All-Star Line Up of Prominent Hispanic Women Representing
Nonprofit, Government
and the Business Sectors to Be Recognized Among Hundreds
of Leaders from Across the Country
(Washington,
DC) The National Hispana Leadership
Institute (NHLI), the nation’s premier leadership organization for Hispanic
women, will recognize NHLI’s Co-founder and Board Chair Emeritus, Maria Elena
Toraño, with a special award for outstanding contributions to the
organization and the greater global community at its Executive Leadership Training Conference and Mujer Awards in Miami on
November 4-5.
The award presentation will be made at the Leadership Lunch on Friday, November 5
from 12:30-2:30 pm.
Hundreds of Latina leaders from across the
nation will convene for two days of leadership and professional
development training, dialogue on issues important to Latinas and the Hispanic
community, networking, and more, under the banner The Latina Mosaic:
Strength in Diversity, which underscores how Latinas are changing the
face and strengthening the social fabric of this country, and making major
inroads in the leadership pipeline for a growingly diverse America.
Each
year, NHLI pays tribute to outstanding Latina leaders whose influence
generates and promotes change in their community.
“Maria Elena Toraño is the archetype of
a Latina leader; her impressive professional accomplishments and
unwavering dedication to serving her community make her a distinguished honoree
and paragon in the NHLI family,” said Cristina López, NHLI’s President. “Her
vision and push to create an organization to advance Latinas has led many
Hispanic women to shatter the glass ceiling,” added Lopez. “She has paved the
way for many leaders across the nation.”
A widely recognized and accomplished leader and three-time presidential
appointee, Toraño was the founding president of the National Hispana Leadership
Institute in 1987 which was established to address the underrepresentation of
Latinas in leadership positions. She was essential in shaping the
organization’s mission to develop ethical leaders. Her vision has grown
extensively in the last two decades and NHLI has since trained over 10,000
Latina leaders through their leadership conferences and award-winning programs
and these women have mentored more than 5,000 young Latinas. NHLI fellows have been appointed to top
leadership positions in government, corporate America, nonprofits,
foundations or have started their own businesses.
“We had
to overcome the obstacles posed by prejudice, few role models, tremendous stress,
lack of leadership training, and a resistance to our changing roles.
Those who hold power do not give it away gladly or easily. Only through
hard work, persistence, vision and teamwork, were we able to beat the odds,”
said Toraño. “I am honored that my work has made a difference in our
communities and to be recognized at an organization I helped build,” she added.
Maria Elena Toraño has also founded numerous organizations and
companies that have benefited the Hispanic community and advanced democracy and
the free market system.
In 1979, Ms. Toraño became the founding President of the National
Association of Spanish Broadcasters (NASB), an organization representing the
interests of Hispanic radio and television broadcasters at the FCC and the US
Congress. In 1980, she founded META, Inc. which provided environmental,
management consulting and financial services to Federal, state and
international clients and grew the company to $25
million and 300 employees by her retirement in 2000. In 1989 Ms. Toraño started
The asset management company, METEC, which managed a portfolio of over $1
billion in non-performing assets for the Resolution Trust Corporation as a
result of the savings and loan crisis.
For her insight into the political, socio-economic, cultural, and
business environments of this country and many other areas in the world, Toraño
was first appointed by President Carter to serve in his administration. She was
then appointed by President Bush in 1988 to the U.S. Commission on Minority
Business Development. In 1993 she was appointed by President Clinton to
the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy where she served for ten
years, promoting a better understanding of U.S. policy and the need for a new
diplomacy based on the information age and the growing power of foreign
publics. Currently, Ms. Toraño maintains an
involvement in US-Cuba policy issues, seeking a peaceful resolution to a
conflict which dates back to 1960. She has increased her involvement
with the Council of Foreign Relations, and also served in the board of GAP, a
community corporation which assists young women who are held in detention
centers.
Other conference highlights include:
- Over
45 innovative professional development workshops, panels and sessions
facilitated by top-level Latina trainers and inspirational speakers
- Financial
town hall with Latina financial guru Julie Stav
- Style
branding for leaders by fashion expert Martin Llorens. VIP shopping
excursion at Bloomingdales Aventura with designer appearance by Guy
Bedarida for John Hardy.
- Latina authors book fair including Leila Cobo,
author of Tell Me Something True, and Patricia San Pedro, author of
Dish and Tell: Life, Love and Secrets , among others
- Homeownership
and foreclosure prevention fair with Chase and Fannie Mae
- Youth
track for college student leaders
- Community
marketplace, health fair and career recruitment
- Celebration
of Latina Leadership through the Mujer Awards honoring
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Emmy award- winning journalist Maria
Elena Salinas of Univision Network, Janet Murguía, President
and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, and business pioneer Remedios
Diaz Oliver; the Rising Stars Awards honoring immigration activist, Gaby
Pacheco, and Latina hip-hop artist Maria Isa.
- Scores of regional leaders including: the
Honorable Mayor of the City of Miami, Tomás P. Regalado, Mayor;
Mayor of Miami Beach, Matti Herrera Bower; Helen Aguirre Ferré,
Publisher of Diario Las Americas; Jorge Plasencia, CEO of
República; Aida Levitan, Ph.D; President of the Levitan Group;
Miami Dade College’s President Eduardo Padrón; Florida House of
Representatives, Anitere Flores, among of scores of distinguished
guests.
The
Conference will take place from November 4-5 at the Hyatt
Regency, 400 South East Second Avenue, Miami, Florida. For a full
schedule of events visit www.nhli.org.
NHLI 2010 Conference Sponsors include: State Farm® Insurance Companies, Southwest Airlines, MillerCoors,
UPS, The Coca Cola Company, Nordstrom, Ford, Merck, McDonalds, Anheuser Busch,
Goya, Pfizer, Chase, Fannie Mae, Prudential, The Walt Disney Company, Nielsen,
AARP, Nissan, Bloomingdale’s, Macys, Mount Sinai Hospital, NY; Scholastic;
Diageo, Tupperware, Baptist Health South Florida, Aries Miami; Media
Sponsors: Univision, The Miami Herald, LATINA Style magazine; Media Partners: República, Hispanic PR Wire,
Diario Las Americas, LatinaLista.net, PowerfulLatinas.com, CapitalWirePR,
Hispanic MPR, LatinVision Media; Outreach Partners: Latinos in
Higher Ed, Las Comadres Para Las Americas, Wise Latinas Linked; Partners: Grand Central Publishing, HACR, HolaMartin.com; Scholarship Supporters:
Miami Dade College, City of Doral, Yum Brands; Table Sponsors: All
American Containers, Prescient.
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Editor’s Note: For press
inquiries e-mail Cheryl Aguilar, NHLI’s Communication Manager, at cheryl@nhli.org or call 202-360-7867 or Dr.
Aida Levitan, President of the Levitan Group, at alevitan@bellsouth.net. Internet wired
room will be available at the conference for members of the press.
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