101 The List of the Most Influential Leaders in the Latino Community
Nina Vaca
Fidel Vargas
Katherine Vargas
Chairman and CEO Pinnacle Technical Resources
President and CEO Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Director of Hispanic media at the White House
Nina Vaca is a force to be reckoned with. Whether running the company she founded in 1996, serving on the boards of Kohl’s and Comerica Bank or lending her time to the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, she is everywhere. Vaca’s entrepreneurial spirit has become her strongest asset, and she shows no signs of slowing down. Recently appointed to the inaugural Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship, Vaca’s influence is now more widespread than ever.
Prior to joining HSF, Fidel Vargas worked in private equity asset management, often managing the fund of minority-owned businesses. While winning numerous awards and accepting many honors in his current position at the HSF, he has continued to keep the goal of the organization at the forefront. Recently, he has been involved with the conversation on revisions to allow immigrant students who are lawfully present in the U.S. obtain scholarships through eligible programs with the U.S. Department of Education.
1996: Founded Pinnacle Technical Resources 2005: Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010: Named Chairman of the Board of Directors of the USHCC 2014: Appointed to the inaugural Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship
1992: Became Mayor of Baldwin Park, California at age 23, becoming one of the nation’s youngest mayors in history 2006: Became Partner at Centinela Capital Partners 2013: Assumed current role at HSF
Prior to the White House, Vargas worked with the National Immigration Forum in the media and communications department. Her skills include managing strategic communication, branding and effective breakthroughs to the Hispanic community. Her position made her the face of the Forum and she was a commentator on many Spanish language networks. She has also worked at the National Immigration Law Center, the Washington Office of Latin America and the International Rescue Committee. Vargas is at the forefront of putting immigration reform and issues Latinos care about in the American political agenda.
Sofia Vergara
Kim Wardlaw
Actress/Model
First Hispanic woman appointed to U.S. Court of Appeals
The Colombian native continues to draw laughs as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on Modern Family, for which she was recently nominated for a Golden Globe award. Vergara, who was ranked by Forbes as the 32nd most powerful woman in the world in 2014, also appeared in the 2014 films Chef and the remake Wild Card. Currently filming Don’t Mess with Texas, set to release in 2015, Vergara continues to cast an enchanting spell over both Latino and American audiences.
As the first member of her family to graduate from college, Wardlaw went on to attend UCLA law school where she served on the law review and as a teaching and research assistant, according to JustTheBeginningFoundation.org. She started as a clerk in the Central District of California before she entered a private law. In 1995, she was nominated by President Clinton to the U.S. District Court for her district in California and was later nominated to the U.S. State Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
1989: Appeared in a Pepsi commercial as a 17 year-old, her first performance appearance 1992: Gave birth to son Manolo 2008: She ranked No. 62 on Maxim’s Hot 100 list
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1976: Graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA 1992: Elected delegate from the California’s 27th Congressional District to the 1992 Democratic National Convention 1998: Appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit; nominated by President Bill Clinton
2008-13: Communications Director of National Immigration Forum 2010: Truman partner at Truman National Security Project 2013: Director of Hispanic Media for The White House
Leaders who are active on Twitter:
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