moderator Vanessa Coppes
Vanessa Coppes is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, acclaimed speaker, and TV personality. As the founder and CEO of BELLA Media + Co., she has successfully established a dynamic media powerhouse that publishes BELLA Magazine and three other no-table publications.
Under her leadership, the company has thrived, delivering inspiring and uplifting content to its diverse audience. Vanessa is also a co-founder of ETT Women, a collaborative community for female entrepreneurs that emphasizes growth and empowerment.
She is widely recognized for her philanthropic efforts and her dedication to women ’ s leadership and personal development. With her multifaceted talents and commitment to making a positive impact, Vanessa continues to be a visionary leader in the media and business landscape.
Mariana Diaz Nagore
CONSUL GENERAL DE MEXICO EN NEW BRUNSWICK
latina trailblazer of the year
Mariana Diaz took office as Head Consul of the Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick, New Jersey on December 1, 2022.
She has been a member of the Mexican Foreign Service since 1999. She has held the following positions: Press Attaché at the Consulate General of Mexico in New York (2002); Consul of Political and Economic Affairs at the Consulate General of Mexico in Denver, Colorado (2003-2008); Consul of Political and Economic Affairs at the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, California (2008-2013); Advisor to the Undersecretary for North America of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2013-2015) and Deputy Consul in the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C. (August 2015-November 2022).
Consul Diaz has a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a Master's degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.
Senate Majority Leader
Teresa Ruiz
panelist
In 2007, Senator Ruiz made history as the first Puerto Rican elected to the Senate and has since been re-elected five times. Currently serving as Senate Majority Leader, she is the highest-ranking Latina legislator in state history and previously chaired the Senate Education Committee.
Throughout her tenure, she has championed equity in education, leading efforts to expand access to early childhood education statewide, eliminate the reduced category in the federal free and reduced meal program, and ensure all eligible students receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. She has also spearheaded laws to increase diversity within school curriculums, strengthen the Amistad Commission, and supported the establishment of the Commission on Asian American Heritage in the Department of Education to incorporate Asian American contributions into education.
As the prime sponsor of the Latino & Hispanic Heritage Commission, Senator Ruiz has further amplified her dedication to celebrating and preserving the rich heritage of Latino and Hispanic communities, fostering representation and cultural pride throughout the state.
Senator Ruiz has been a steadfast advocate for equity and justice, leading efforts to address systemic inequalities through impactful legislation. She sponsored the 2013 law granting undocumented students in-state tuition at public colleges and the 2017 law establishing non-discriminatory guidelines for transgender students in New Jersey schools.
Her education-focused initiatives also include laws to forgive student loans in the event of a borrower’s death, limit suspension and expulsion of young students, and strengthen academic support for students with reading difficulties.
Her commitment to accessible higher education is reflected in key legislative efforts, including summer tuition aid grants, in-state tuition, and financial aid for students with T, U, or O visas. She also expanded substitute teaching opportunities, allowing students with 30 college credits to serve during public health emergencies.
Additionally, she launched CreateNJ, a center fostering collaboration among employers, organizations, and institutions to develop career pathways for nontraditional students and advance workforce development programs.
Senator Ruiz has championed employment opportunities for underserved communities, driving a bill package to expand apprenticeship programs and create pathways to high-growth careers. She has worked to diversify the teaching workforce by advancing educator apprenticeship programs, loan redemption initiatives, and alternate route programs to reduce barriers for people of color.
With a legacy of promoting fairness, inclusion, and opportunity, Senator Ruiz remains a transformative leader for New Jersey.
With a legacy of promoting fairness, inclusion, and opportunity, Senator Ruiz remains a transformative leader for New Jersey.
Furthering her agenda to support new mothers, parents and families, in 2021
Senator Ruiz sponsored a law to provide all New Jersey parents access to one cost-free newborn home visit, creating the most comprehensive nurse visitation program in the nation.
Senator Ruiz was also the prime sponsor of a 2020 law to allow candidates to use campaign funds to cover childcare expenses incurred due to campaign activities.
The Senator received a bachelor’s degree from Drew University. She was a 2010 Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow and a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.
She is vice chair of the Essex County Democratic Party and is deputy chief of staff to Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. She served as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.
Among all of her accomplishments, the title she holds most dear is that of a mother.
raven santana
CORRESPONDENT/ FILL-IN ANCHOR - NJ PBS
panelist
Raven Santana is an award-winning journalist with a passion for serving NJ’s multicultural communities and a highly respected member of her own.
Santana has served as correspondent/fill-in anchor for NJ PBS’s newsroom, NJ Spotlight News, since 2018. She’s covered the state’s business climate, healthcare issues, undocumented workers legislation and more. She was the first women of color to host the network’s weekly series, NJ Business Beat, and made it a mission to feature oftenoverlooked issues surrounding minority-owned businesses. She also hosted segments of THIRTEEN’s 2024 local election YouTube series, Your Voice Matters.
Her personal accolades include being a guest speaker at the New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commerce and FIFA’s Diversity and Anti-Discrimination in Sports initiative for the 2026 World Cup and recognition at 2023’s Perth Amboy Free Public Library’s 2nd Annual Women’s History Month Celebration, where she received a Mayoral Citation and was presented with a Joint Legislative Resolution by the NJ Senate/General Assembly.
She also serves on The WNET Group’s IDEA Council and is Vice President of The Second Street Youth Center, based in Plainfield.
panelist tanya ramos
CEO MONIQUE BURR FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN INC.
Tanya Ramos-Puig, Social Impact leader Changemaker
For nearly three decades, Ramos-Puig has devoted her career to improving educational opportunities, and life outcomes, for youth in the most under-resourced communities around the globe.
As the CEO at the Monique Burr Foundation (MBF), she is committed to removing obstacles and providing access to evidence-based and trauma-informed prevention education curriculum. MBF has served over 11 million children, in 39 states and six countries, over the last 26 years. At the core of our programming is educating both the child and safe adult/parent in their life.
MBF addresses the "whole child" a holistic approach that has made them the program of choice for countless schools, child advocacy centers, nonprofit organizations and both after school programs, and camps, committed to prevention education.
In her first 8 weeks at the helm, she secured the first-ever six-figure grant from Goya Cares, the philanthropic arm of Goya Foods, to serve children more susceptible to human trafficking in the most under resourced communities around the nation.
Prior to joining MBF, she served as the inaugural President at the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation (LGCF), the philanthropic arm of The Latin Recording Academy®. As the top executive in the organization, she was responsible for advancing its mission of furthering international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world's culture. As well as identifying the next generation of Latin Artist through their renowned Scholarship Program. She secured the foundation’s first-ever partnership with The Walt Disney Company on its animated feature Encanto and established the Sofia Carson Prodigy Scholarship.
With a track record of growing organizations in key leadership roles Chief Executive Officer at Pencils of Promise, where she supported more than 1,000 school builds serving 100,000 children around the globe in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America; Chief Regional Officer at Education Pioneers and The Children's Aid Society, where she received the Annie E. Casey Foundation Award for her work with under resourced communities, she is known for being a tireless advocate for educational equity. She is an alumna of Coro New York Leadership Center and INROADS, serves as a board member at both Raised by US and Classy.org, and has served as an Adjunct Professor at LaGuardia Community College.
Ramos-Puig holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from NYU and a Master of Science in Urban Policy and Management, from The New School, where she was the recipient of a Jacob Kaplan Fellowship for her graduate work. In 2009, she graduated from the Executive-Level Program at the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University’s Institute for Not-for-Profit Management.
She resides in New Jersey with her two children and husband.
jennifer arocho
RETAIL VICE PRESIDENT AT VERIZON
panelist
Jenny Arocho is a highly accomplished and passionate leader with a remarkable career spanning close to 15 years at Verizon.
She’s currently the Retail Vice President in the Atlantic North Market serving communities from Maine to Virginia.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Jenny is a proud Latina with strong roots in her Puerto Rican heritage.
Her diverse background and cultural awareness have enriched her leadership style and fostered a sense of inclusivity within her teams.
isamar avery
REAL ESTATE & DIGITAL MARKETING ENTREPRENEUR
panelist
Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Harlem, Isamar Avery migrated to NYC at age three and absorbed the vibrant culture and pace of the city during her formative years. After college, she relocated to Los Angeles, quickly advancing from CRM specialist to the youngest Vice President of Marketing at Techstyle Fashion Group by age 28. With a growing interest in real estate and investing, Isamar then moved to Miami, where she purchased her first property in 2022 and expanded her portfolio to include three Airbnb properties.
Currently, she runs her own marketing agency, specializing in social media management and content creation for high-profile clients, including celebrity Eva Mendes.
As she transitions from marketing to real estate sales, Isamar remains deeply committed to promoting health and wellness, advocating for better lifestyle choices within the Latin community, and sharing her extensive knowledge in investment and financial planning.
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