2026 LAA Gala Digital Program

March 7, 2026

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

USC TROJAN MARCHING BAND

CHRISTINA GONZALEZ EDD ’19

MARIACHI LOS TROYANOS DE USC

Gala Chair, USC LAA Scholarship Gala Member, USC LAA Corporate Advisory Council

INVOCATION

ALUMNI VISIONARY AWARD PRESENTER

FATHER MATTHEW WHEELER

DR. GEORGE L. PLA MPA ’74

Our Savior Parish, USC Caruso Catholic Center

Founder & CEO, Cordoba Corporation

WELCOME

ALUMNI VISIONARY AWARD HONOREE

RAY LÓPEZ-CHANG MUP ’21

RANDALL D. MARTINEZ ’89

Executive Director, USC Latino Alumni Association

Executive Vice President, Cordoba Corporation

BEONG-SOO KIM

DINNER

President, University of Southern California

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

DR. JOHN R. HUBBARD AWARD PRESENTER

LOS LICENCIADOS

MAURO MARTINEZ

Alumni, USC Thornton School of Music

Chair, USC LAA Hubbard Committee Member, USC LAA Board of Directors

USC LEGACY AWARD PRESENTER

CLOSING

ALMA BURKE ML ’15, EDD ’25

LUIS CAMPA ’02

Member, USC LAA Board of Directors

Interim Chair, Board of Directors, USC Latino Alumni Association

USC LAA LEGACY AWARD HONOREE

DANCING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING

GINA M. ZAPANTA ’03

Co-Founder, Z.A. Lawyers Founder, Empowered with Gina Member, USC LAA Corporate Advisory Council

Christina Gonzalez EdD ’19 Gala Chair, USC LAA Scholarship Gala Member, USC LAA Corporate Advisory Council

WELCOME FROM THE GALA CHAIR Dear Friends,

Welcome to the USC Latino Alumni Association Scholarship Gala.

It is a true honor to gather with you this evening to celebrate the strength, legacy and future of those we serve. For more than five decades, the Latino Alumni Association has worked to expand opportunities for students at USC through scholarships, mentorship and leadership development. Tonight, we come together to continue that legacy and invest in the next generation of Trojan leaders.

We are proud to recognize the extraordinary achievements of our USC LAA Scholars, whose talent, determination and vision repr esent the bright future ahead. We also celebrate the remarkable leadership of this year’s honorees, Randall Martinez ’89 and Gina Zapanta ’03, whose contributions t o community, service and excellence embody the

spirit of the Trojan Family.

We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, including KXLA & The Ulloa Family, whose partnership makes this evening — and the opportunities it creates for students — possible.

Your generosity helps ensure that students continue to thrive at USC and beyond.

Finally, my heartfelt thanks to the Gala Committee, the LAA Board of Directors, our dedicated staff and the many volunteers w hose time and care made this celebration possible.

Thank you for being part of this community and for supporting the students whose dreams we help make possible.

¡Muchísimas gracias!

Christina Gonzalez EdD ’19 Gala Chair USC Latino Alumni Association

Legacy Award Honoree Gina Zapanta is a Los Angeles–based attorney, entrepreneur and community leader building mission-driven brands at the intersection of justice, empowerment and lived experience. As co-founder of Z.A. Lawyers, Gina advocates for injured workers and employment rights, plus personal injury clients across California with a focus on access, dignity and education for communities too often overlooked by the legal system.

This Legacy Award represents a full-circle moment. Gina’s father, Dr. Richard Zapanta, and founding member of USC LAA, helped unlock access and opportunity for his family. Gina is a proud product of that foundation — building on the education and belief in possibility that USC helped create, and extending that legacy outward by building institutions, platforms and spaces for others to rise.

Beyond the courtroom, Gina is the Founder of Empowered with Gina, a lifestyle and leadership platform and membership community designed to help women live boldly, intentionally and multidimensionally through curated experiences, advocacy and personal growth. She is also the visionary behind Z.A. Ranch — a private retreat in Louisiana created for restoration, leadership development and transformative community-building.

Together with her husband and law partner, Mike Alder, and children Sofia, Valentina, Elias and Augustine,

Gina M. Zapanta ’03 Co-Founder, Z.A. Lawyers Founder, Empowered with Gina Member, USC LAA Corporate Advisory Council

Gina is building an integrated ecosystem of legal services, leadership platforms and experiential spaces rooted in values, courage and service. Her work reflects a belief that true legacy is not just what we achieve — but

what we create access to for the next generation.

Randall Martinez is an Architectural/Engineering/Construction executive with over 35 years of industry

Alumni Visionary Award Honoree

experience. He is a responsible civic leader with board-level environmental conservation, social justice and governance experience. He is a proven executive manager who has worked closely with developers, contractors and professional consultants with an emphasis in Federal, State and local government.

Martinez serves as executive vice president for Cordoba Corporation, a prominent California-based engineering and construction services company that is active in municipal public infrastructure. His responsibilities include driving revenue growth, monetizing strategic initiatives, assisting in the development of revenue/profit targets, developing models for market penetration and maximizing customer lifetime value. He serves as chair for the company's Board of Councilors, an independent panel of industry executives and experts that provides advisory support and guidance to the senior management team. He also serves as Principal-in-Charge and is

responsible for the company's participation as the majority partner in a formal joint venture organized for the successful delivery of conceptual design to preliminary engineering services of the $7.9B Eastside Light Rail Extension of the Los Angeles Metro Gold (or "E") Line.

Martinez served as board member for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. He serves as Chair of the Audit Committee for the Resources Legacy Fund. From 2014 to 2022, he served as Vice Chair for the California Energy Commission's $4B Clean Energy Jobs Act (Proposition 39) Citizens

Randall Martinez ’89 Executive Vice President, Cordoba Corporation

Oversight Board. From 2020 to 2023, he served as Scoutmaster for the Troop 5 Boy Scout Troop in Pasadena, CA. In 2004 he published his first book "Ten Days To Get To London – a European Backpacking Adventure."

In 1989 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Finance from the University of Southern California. He is a USC MAAA Scholar the proud father of a USC freshman.

Dr. John R. Hubbard Award Finalist

Daniela Rocha Acosta is a first-generation college student from Riverside, California. Supported by Mexican and Salvadoran immigrant parents, Daniela studies the intersection of law and research within her studies of Latinx immigration, entrepreneurship and community solidarity during political unrest. As a research assistant

in the USC American Studies & Ethnicity Department and Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, Daniela has also conducted independent and collaborative research at the University of Chicago and Emory University. In 2024 she was named a Future Latina History Maker by the political organization Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE). Her career aspirations are to obtain a PhD in American Studies and become a professor in Latinx Studies to help students realize their own cultural and community histories and further support first-generation students.

Aside from her academic endeavors, Daniela is motivated to constantly mentor and advance first-generation students on campus. Her positive experience at USC is a product of the mentors, Latinx and first-generation spaces and communities present on campus. Her mission is to have students not only “survive college but to

thrive.” As the first-generation+ living learning community residential assistant/advisor (RA) at Birnkrant Residential College, the director of student success for the First Generation Student Assembly and the codirector of the Latino Students in Law Mentorship Program, she supports students navigating college

Daniela Rocha Acosta Bachelor of Arts, Law, History and Culture

academically, financially and emotionally. As the vice president and part of the founding board of USC’s collegiate chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), she has connected USC students to serve and become civically and politically involved at USC and within the South Central and broader Los

Angeles communities.

Nathan Castillo is a first-generation USC student and transfer scholar from Los Angeles, California, currently pursuing a

Dr. John R. Hubbard Award Finalist

BS in Legal Studies at the USC Gould School of Law. His path to USC reflects both perseverance and purpose — shaped by his family’s immigrant story, his early confrontation with childhood cancer and his deep belief in service, justice and

community empowerment. Nathan is a proud recipient of the USC Spirit of Troy Scholarship, an award that recognizes students who demonstrate leadership, discipline and dedication to representing the Trojan spirit at the highest level.

At USC, Nathan is actively involved in advancing equity and representation within the legal field. He serves as director

of internal outreach for USC Latino Students in Law (LSL), where he strengthens alumni-student pipelines, coordinates campus collaborations and supports pre-law students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Nathan’s commitment to service is reflected in his extensive experience with public-facing legal and civic organizations.

He has served with the Glendale District Attorney’s Office and the Glendale Community College Food Insecurity Initiative College Corps, directly supporting community members navigating court procedures, basic-needs assistance and government services. These roles strengthened his ability to communicate with vulnerable populations, analyze complex administrative processes and provide compassionate, accessible support.

Academically, Nathan has excelled in law-focused coursework including Law 300 (Concepts in American Law), Law 201 (Law and Politics), Law 200 (Law & Society) and WRIT340 (Advanced Writing). His interest in both public-interest law and criminal law has led him to research topics ranging from immigration enforcement impacts to intellectual property in creative industries. He aims to build a career that connects advocacy, legal analysis and storytelling in service of

Nathan Castillo Bachelor of Science, Legal Studies

underserved communities.

Inspired by the sacrifices of his grandparents and motivated by the belief that opportunity carries responsibility, Nathan is dedicated to uplifting others as he advances in the legal profession. Following graduation, he intends to pursue a JD and work in areas such as immigration, public-interest litigation or sports law to represent his favorite sports teams,

continuing his commitment to service and expanding access to justice for communities that shaped his journey.

Olivia Diaz is a senior from Azusa, California, graduating this May with a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion

Dr. John R. Hubbard Award Finalist

and Disease Prevention and a Masters of Science in Integrative Anatomical Sciences on the pre-medical track. She aspires to become a pediatric critical care physician and is deeply committed to serving underserved communities.

During her time at USC, Olivia has been recognized as both a Rising STARS Scholar and a Latina Excelling in Doctoral Degrees Scholar. Since her sophomore year, she has worked with the USC Mann School of Pharmacy’s Regulatory Research Team, where her research focused on highlighting inequities in medical treatment options for individuals affected by preeclampsia. Her work has been selected for poster presentations at the Association for Clinical and Translational Science Conference and the Latino Medical Student Association West Regional

Conference.

Olivia has remained highly engaged in campus leadership and service. As the mentor–mentee chair for the Keck Student Ambassadors and director of membership for the Health Science Education Program, she supported younger pre-medical students by facilitating mentorship initiatives and organizing social and professional

development events. Additionally, as co-philanthropy chair for Alpha Epsilon Delta, the premier pre-medical honors society at USC, she led community service efforts for over 80 members throughout the greater South Central Los Angeles area and helped develop a cultural competency training program focused on the racial and historical context of the community. Olivia also served as director of athletics for the USC Helenes, one of the oldest service organizations at USC, acting as a “Host of the University” and supporting athletic events across campus.

Olivia Diaz Bachelor of Science, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Master of Science, Integrative Anatomical Sciences

Community service is central to Olivia’s values. Throughout her four years at USC, she has volunteered with organizations such as Union Rescue Mission and St. Francis Center on Skid Row, assisting with breakfast services.

Through her work with Alpha Epsilon Delta, she helped donate over 250 sandwiches and hygiene kits to Union Rescue Mission. She currently volunteers as an Education Presenter at the California Science Center and serves as a

coach with Girls on the Run Los Angeles, mentoring a group of young girls preparing to participate in a 5K this May.

PAST LEGACY AWARD HONOREES 2007 | Carmen Nava ’84 2008 | George Pla MPA ’74 2009 | Frank Cruz ’66, MS ’69 2010 | Pablo Prietto ’55 2011 | Karime Sanchez Bradvica ’80 2012 | Richard Zapanta ’68, MD ’73 2013 | David Lizárraga 2013 | Yvonne Priscilla Lizárraga 2013 | Michael Lizárraga ’85 2014 | Walter Ulloa ’70 2014 | Roland Ulloa ’73

2014 | Ronald Ulloa ’76 2015 | Manuel Anguiano ’88 2016 | Ruben Smith ’79, MPA ’82 2017 | Susan Sifuentes Trigueros ’82 2018 | Domenika Lynch ’97, MFTH ’15 2019 | Rigo Diaz III ’89 2020/2021 | Michael Felix ’83 2022 | Laura Peralta MPA ’10 2023 | Carmen Herrera ’89 2024 | Martha Escutia ’79 2025 | The Honorable Major General Albert C. Zapanta ’66, MPA ’73

PAST ALUMNI VISIONARY AWARD HONOREES 2024 | Oscar Munoz ’82 2025 | Juan Perez ’88, MS ’90

DR. JOHN R. HUBBARD AWARD HONOREES 1977 | Ines Hernandez 1978 | Robert Morales 1979 | Martha M. Escutia 1980 | Eduardo Magdaleno 1981 | Mercedes Marquez 1982 | Martha Tapias 1983 | George Aguilar 1984 | Lydia Castañon 1985 | Luis Perez 1986 | Tom Calderon 1987 | Diana Perez 1988 | Elvira Garcia 1989 | William Garnica 1990 | Richard Alcocer 1991 | Esteban Cruz 1992 | Nayeli Garci-Crespo 1993 | Samuel Perez

1994 | John Najera 1995 | Susan Villa 1996 | Fabiola Pereyra 1997 | Edgar B. del Rio 1998 | Angela Martinez 1999 | Emily Mark 2000 | Maricela Rodriguez 2001 | Patricia Salazar 2002 | Angel Gomez 2003 | Cindy Panuco 2004 | Damaris Diaz 2005 | Maria G. Gutierrez 2006 | Juan A. Alvarez 2007 | Lucy Flores 2008 | Valerie A. Flores 2009 | Eric Zuniga 2010 | Lauren Alderette

2011 | Silvia Merlos Green 2012 | Erica Silva 2013 | John M. Sandoval 2014 | Rigoberto Bejarano 2015 | Enrique Olivas 2016 | Stephanie Brito 2017 | Felicitas L. Reyes 2018 | Diana Valenzuela 2019 | Carlos Marin 2020 | Maria Del Pilar Morales 2021 | Jorge Campos Franco 2022 | Alejandra Barreto 2023 | Luis Wualdemar Tun Orozco 2024 | Karla Padilla Leon 2025 | Daisy Segundo-Parra

Presenting Sponsor

Text to Donate Sponsor Carmen Nava ’84 & Family

Signature Sponsors Michael ’83 & Debbie Felix Veronica ’94 Raul Rodriguez ’94

Trustee Sponsors The Gilbert and Jackie Cisneros Foundation

Return to Work Partners

Ted ’74, MBA ’77 and Marian Craver

TELACU Education Foundation

Heather Cruz ’89

Verizon

Ellen Chen & Mario Del Pero

Victor Quiroz ’94

Erick ’95 & Candela Diaz

Trojan Sponsors 1st Century Bank

JP Morgan Chase

Saul ’00 and Glenda K. Alvarado

The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals

BMO

Red Hot Chilis

Burke Consulting Group, LLC

Lupe Simpson EdD ’21

Luis ’03 and Parmis Campa

Yolanda Salazar ’89

Chubb Group Insurance

Doug Solorzano ’92

Cordoba Corporation

Southern California Gas Company

Ernst and Young

Statewide Services Inc.

Easy Waste Management

Stifel

FMR Enterprises

USC Alumni Association

Christina EdD ’19 & Alberto MA ’08 Gonzalez

USC Latino Veterans

James Lopez ML ’21

Vaco by Highspring

Los Angeles Distributing

Rebecca Zapanta

Mauro & Gisela Martinez

Z.A. Lawyers | Empowered with Gina

Friend of the LAA Sponsors California Leaders USC Credit Union

2026 SCHOLARSHIP GALA COMMITTEE Christina Gonzalez EdD ’19 (Chair) Verizon Saul Alvarado ’00 E & I Cooperative

David Flores ’14 RSM US LLP

Eddie Reyes ’00 US Bank

Isabel Aranda ’00 USC Latino Alumni Association

Janneth Leones ’96 USC

Charlene Riofrio ’06, MCG ’20 Fox Deportes

Claudia Bodan ’01 BMO

Ray López-Chang MUP ’21 USC Latino Alumni Association

Raul Rodriguez ’94 Entravision

Rosa Bravo Aequitas LLC.

Steve Monjaras ’98 Return to Work Partners

Susan Sifuentes-Trigueros ’82 Retired – SoCalGas

Dr. Alma Burke ML ’15, EdD ’25 Burke Consulting

Mauro Martinez Jr. Entrepreneur

Doug Solorzano ’92 DAS Wealth Management Group

Luis Campa ’02 M Chemical Company

David Mora ’97 US Bank

Dolores Sotelo USC Latino Alumni Association

Yimi Casasola ’02 Community Development & Financial Strategy Consultant

Victor Quiroz ’94 McDonalds

LAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Luis Campa ’02 M Chemical Company Interim Chair Laura Peralta MPA ’10 JP Morgan Chase Interim Vice Chair & Secretary Saul Alvarado ’00 E & I Cooperative

Yimi Casasola ’02 Community Development & Financial Strategy Consultant

Horacio Medal LLM ’05 Paramount

Gustavo Amaral ’14 UBS Private Wealth Management

Sonia Endler ’97 Paramount

Linda Mirdamadi MD ’94 Keck School of Medicine at USC

Rosa Bravo Aequitas LLC.

James Lopez ML ’21 Paramount

Lorena C. Ramos ’03

Alma R. Burke ML ’15, EdD ’25 Aequitas LLC.

Ray López-Chang MUP ’21 USC Latino Alumni Association

Tricia Sanchez ’91 C3 Tech

Robert Campos ’91 Liberty Paper

Mauro Martinez Jr. Entrepreneur

Chris Stidman ’91 Optum Pharmacies

LAA CORPORATE ADVISORY COUNCIL Raul Rodriguez ’94 Entravision Interim Chair Ismael Bautista Jr. ’94 Southern California Gas Company

Steve P. Monjaras ’98 Return to Work Partners

Claudia Bodan ’01 BMO

Carmen P. Nava ’84 USC Trustee

Frank H. Cruz ’66, MS ’69 USC Life Trustee

R. Joseph Plascencia ’95 Plascencia Universal, S. de R.L. de C.V.

Mario P. Del Pero DOM Food Group

Victor D. Quiroz ’94 McDonald’s

Michael A. Felix ’83 USC Trustee

Ray López-Chang USC Latino Alumni Association

Christina M. Gonzalez EdD ’19 Verizon

Gina M. Zapanta ’94 Z.A. Lawyers Empowered with Gina

David C. Lizárraga TELACU Education Foundation

Everado (Evy) Zavala ’99 Zavala Law Firm PC

A SPECIAL THANK YOU Isabel Aranda

Natalie Goss

Eunice Velarde-Flores

Joycelyn Blizzard

Alissa Hussey

Father Matthew Wheeler

Rachel Cervantes

Erika Jordan ML ’18

Challenge Graphics

Michelle Chavez

Tim Knight

DJ Pollo – Alejandro Hipolito

Jeff Collins

Kak Lee

Los Licenciados

Judith Cummings

Edgar Pablos

Mariachi Los Troyanos de USC

Tara Curtis

Carla Quiroz

The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Staff

Zachary Dennert

Rob Ritter

Tribesmen Pictures

Haven Dragomer

Adam Rosen

USC Caruso Catholic Center

Paulina Flores

Juvi Segura

USC Latino Alumni Association Scholars

Anna Fung

Dolores Sotelo

USC Office of Cultural Relations and University Events

Bryan Fernandez Gonzalez

Sean Uray

USC Trojan Marching Band

A Proud Tradition of Supporting USC Students

$25.6M awarded in scholarships since 1975

Make Your Gift Now

Last Chance to Win!

Proceeds benefit USC students

Silent Auction Closes at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 7

Save the Date!

Alumni Leaders Weekend August 27-29, 2026

Volunteer with LAA on March 21!

Sort and Pack Food Donations — Irvine Hosted by the USC LAA Young Leaders Council