Conference Registration
Welcome Ceremony
Javier N. Solis, CFE
MDHBC – President
Tu Decides Series Book – Author
Hispanic/Latino Franchise Leadership Council, Vice-Chair
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Javier has been involved in he tax industry since 1990. In 2000, Javier opened his first office in Brooklyn and by 2005 he had few thousands of clients by creating a marketing strategy focused in the Latino community.
In 2007 Javier founded Los Taxes Franchise as the First Latino Franchise of Tax Preparation in the Nation. “Para Nuestra Gente,” For our People, stated the company’s commitment to meet the financial needs of Hispanics individual and business taxpayers, especially in tax preparation and accounting. In March of 2019, Los Taxes Franchise and Toro Taxes, a franchise based out of the west coast, merged becoming the largest Latinx owned Franchise in nation with over 200 units representing any industry. In 2022, Toro Taxes was ranked among the 500 best franchises in the world by Entrepreneur magazine.
In 2005, Javier and other Real Estate professionals in NY started the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals - NAHREP NYC Chapter, where he served as its President. In 2007, Javier funded the NAHREP Metro DC Chapter where he served as its President for two years. Javier was also served as a member of the NAHREP National Corporate Board of Governors. He also served as the Treasurer and Executive Board member at the New York City Hispanic Clergy Association for Justice, Inc. Javier served as volunteer guest speaker to several community organizations in several states. Javier currently served on the board of the After-School Dance Fund, and he is the current President of the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference.
In 2014, the U.S. Small Business Administration honored Javier Solis with the SBA Small Businessperson of the Year. In 2018, the governor of Maryland appointed Javier to the Maryland State Board of Individual tax Preparers. In 2018, the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce awarded Los Taxes as the Small Business of the Year in the State of Maryland. Javier has received awards from: The Brooklyn Borough President; The US Senate; The US House of Representatives; Baltimore County Executive, City of Baltimore; and many other entities.
In 2019 Javier completed the Sandford University Latino Entrepreneur Initiative hosted by the Latino Business Action Network. He completed the Montgomery Leadership Program in Maryland; and in the same year he published his first Book “Tu Decides”, which became a Best Seller in Amazon. He is now working on his second book to legalize the registered mark of the book series “Tu Decides”.
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
WSP - Vice President
MDHCC - Chairman of the Board & President
MDHBC - Conference co-Chair & Vice President
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
Marco V. Ávila, P.E. is a registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the
State of Maryland. He has been
practicing his Civil Engineering
Profession for over 37 years (25 Years
with WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff). He
has experience providing engineering and program/project management services for major infrastructure projects in the public and private sector, including transit, highways, bridges, Public-Private Partnership (P3) and telecommunications. He has a consistent track record of cost-effective project delivery under demanding circumstances. Marco is fluent in Spanish and speaks Portuguese.
While working as a Vice President/Civil Engineer/Program Manager for
WSP-USA, Marco has gained the trust of his clients and peers. Apart from loving engineering, Marco is an active member of local chapters of several societies: including American Society of
Highway Engineers (ASHE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering Companies- Maryland (ACEC/MD), The Engineering Society of Baltimore (ESB), Engineers Without Borders, and Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MDHCC), Advisory Council for St. Jude-Baltimore, Board Member at Sail Baltimore, Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG)-Inner Circle Baltimore Director, among other organizations.
Steuart Pittman
Speaker
Steuart Pittman, Jr. was elected Anne Arundel County Executive after his first campaign for public office in 2018.
Born and raised on his family farm in Davidsonville, Steuart graduated from the University of Chicago and then went on to work as a community organizer in Chicago and Des Moines, Iowa. In that role, he built neighborhood organizations, confronted environmental hazards, and attracted private investment to blighted communities.
Once back home, Steuart coordinated national programs for National Low Income Housing Coalition and Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) before starting his own business as a farmer and horse trainer. He is best known in the horse industry for creating Retired Racehorse Project, an award-winning national nonprofit that is responsible for transitioning thousands of racehorses into second careers.
Steuart’s philosophy of government is both conservative and progressive. As a farmer, he worked hard against onerous regulations that had no public benefit and promoted policies to make the industry commercially viable. As a Director of the Anne Arundel County Soil Conservation District, he pushed for compliance with erosion and sediment control standards to protect local waterways.
As County Executive, Steuart has pledged to make Anne Arundel County “The Best Place - For All,” by “Putting Communities First.” His strategy is to engage communities from every sector and to practice transparency and data-driven policymaking.
- Email:Bradford.Seamon@umm.edu
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Agriculture Industry
Opportunities in MD
Natalia Salazar
Moderator
Natalia graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Environmental Science and from the University of Maryland with a M.S. in Agricultural Soil Science. After working on two vegetable farms in Montgomery County, she began her career serving farmers in the county. First, she worked in the Extension office as the Nutrient Management Advisor, writing agricultural nutrient management plans for farmers. Currently, she is the Business Development Specialist in the Office of Agriculture, helping new and existing farmers understand the regulatory requirements and pointing them to market and financial assistance opportunities, as well as educating the public and county government about agriculture and how to best support the industry.
Rachel Jones
Panelist
Rachel Jones is a native of Calvert County, Maryland. She attended Calvert County Public Schools and graduated from Morgan State University (MSU) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2007. After graduating from MSU, she served as a Legislative Aide in the Maryland General Assembly to Baltimore City Senator Nathaniel McFadden of the 45th District.
From 2013 to 2021 Jones worked for the United States Senate as a Field Representative. She served under Senator Barbara Mikulski until her retirement and subsequently for Senator Ben Cardin. Her focus was constituent services and community outreach. As a Field Representative, her primary role was to serve as a liaison between residents of Southern Maryland and Prince George’s County and their federal representatives. Jones advocated for the needs and concerns of constituents and community organizations throughout Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s counties.
She specialized in local priorities from broadband expansion, rural transportation infrastructure, the defense communities of Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head, Joint Base Andrews, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, agriculture, small business and workforce development, and Piscataway Tribal issues. Reviewing and fielding requests for federal funding and support, and advocating on the behalf of residents on federal policy matters from the 2018 Farm Bill to tax reform and the Affordable Care Act.
In February 2021, Jones was appointed to serve as the Delegate for District 27B in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Calvert and Prince George’s Counties. During this time, she served as Vice Chair of the Southern Maryland Delegation, the Delegate member of the Board of Directors of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC), Chairwoman of the Regional Infrastructure Advisory Committee, and Secretary of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.
Service, volunteerism, and improving the community (locally and globally) are of great importance to her. Since 2018 Jones has served on multiple Board of Directors for various organizations including: Vice President of the Board of Farming 4 Hunger, Secretary of the Morgan State University Baltimore Washington Metropolitan Women's Business Center, Parliamentarian for the Concerned Black Women of Calvert County, Parliamentarian for the Calvert County Branch of the NAACP, Member of the Board of Library Trustees for Calvert Library, Member of the Board of Directors for Emerge Maryland, Member of the Board of Directors for The Arc of Prince George’s, and Member of the Board of Directors of the Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer.
Jones currently serves as the Director of Government Relations for the Maryland Department of Agriculture. She is the devoted mother of two young sons.
Kevin M. Atticks
Panelist-Confirmed
Kevin Atticks was born in Bowie, Maryland. Atticks earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Loyola University Maryland, a master's degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder, and a doctorate in communications design from the University of Baltimore. His career experience includes founding the nonprofit Grow & Fortify, where he worked as CEO. He also served as the executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, Brewers Association of Maryland, and the Maryland Distillers Guild; as the president of the Maryland Agricultural Resource Council, and as the chair of the WineAmerica State & Regional Associations Advisory Council.
Emiliano Espinosa
Panelist
I manage and create training programs to help farmers as well as food and beverage manufacturers in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and DC. https://caic.org/
Professional with over 5 years of experience in project management roles, leadership and communication. Extremely creative and resourceful.
Kurt Fuchs
Panelist
Kurt Fuchs started their work experience in 2003 as the Assistant Director of Government Relations at Maryland Farm Bureau, Inc. Kurt stayed in this role until 2012, when they joined Horizon Farm Credit. At Horizon Farm Credit, Kurt held two senior positions, starting as the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs in 2012 and later becoming the Senior Vice President of External Affairs in July 2022. The end dates for their roles at Horizon Farm Credit are not provided. Kurt Fuchs has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science from McDaniel College.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Governor's Cabinet
Business Roundtable
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
WSP - Vice President
MDHCC - Chairman of the Board & President
MDHBC - Conference co-Chair & Vice President
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
Marco V. Ávila, P.E. is a registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the
State of Maryland. He has been
practicing his Civil Engineering
Profession for over 37 years (25 Years
with WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff). He
has experience providing engineering and program/project management services for major infrastructure projects in the public and private sector, including transit, highways, bridges, Public-Private Partnership (P3) and telecommunications. He has a consistent track record of cost-effective project delivery under demanding circumstances. Marco is fluent in Spanish and speaks Portuguese.
While working as a Vice President/Civil Engineer/Program Manager for
WSP-USA, Marco has gained the trust of his clients and peers. Apart from loving engineering, Marco is an active member of local chapters of several societies: including American Society of
Highway Engineers (ASHE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering Companies- Maryland (ACEC/MD), The Engineering Society of Baltimore (ESB), Engineers Without Borders, and Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MDHCC), Advisory Council for St. Jude-Baltimore, Board Member at Sail Baltimore, Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG)-Inner Circle Baltimore Director, among other organizations.
Portia Wu
Panelist
Portia held numerous roles in public service, including Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at the United States Department of Labor (where she oversaw the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), Special Assistant to President Barack Obama for Labor and Workforce, and Senate HELP Committee Labor Policy Director for the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
Portia has spent many years working on immigration and labor issues, including working in the Obama White House during the 2013 attempts at Immigration reform and for the late Senator Ted Kennedy during the 2006-2007 immigration reform efforts, where she negotiated early versions of the POWER Act to protect immigrant worker rights.
Most recently before coming to MarylandState government, she was at Microsoft, where she helped to lead the company's effort to sue the Trump Administration for terminating the DACA program--a case they fought all the way to the Supreme Court, and won.
The Maryland Department of Labor is a diverse agency focused on fostering economic growth by connecting workers to jobs; supporting businesses; and protecting workers, consumers, and the public. The Department’s programs include workforce training (encompassing adult education and correctional education), occupational and professional licensing, worker safety, wage and hour laws, unemployment insurance, and financial regulation.
Yolanda Maria Martinez
Moderator
Secretary, Governor's Office of Small Minority & Women Business Affairs
Yolanda Maria Martinez
Moderator
Experienced Chief Strategy Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services and healthcare industries. Skilled in Management, Policy Analysis, Business Development, Marketing Strategy, Project Management, Cultural Competency and Diversity Training, Human Resources and Organizational Development, Public Policy, Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Strong business development professional serving in leadership roles within the non-profit and for profit sectors.
Michael Lore
Panelist
Michael Lore, Esq. serves as the Deputy Secretary of State under Secretary Susan C. Lee. He has served as her Chief of Staff her entire tenure as state Senator and previously worked under two other Senators in the Judicial Proceedings Committee, including Jamie Raskin as his legal intern, and the longest serving member of the General Assembly ever to serve Maryland, Senator Norman Stone from Dundalk. He helped secure passage of over 100 laws including Equal Pay for Equal Work, many laws protecting survivors of crime, as well as several important consumer protection measures. Michael also served as an interim speechwriter and researcher for Congressman Raskin during the 116th Congress.
Deputy Secretary Lore has a license to practice law in Maryland and is a proud graduate of American University's Washington College. While earning his Juris Doctorate, Michael was very involved with the International Trade and Investment Law Society and notably added "investment" to their title as their President. Upon graduation he worked as a junior Legal Affairs Officer at the World Trade Organization's Legal Affairs Division where he served as a clerk on complex international disputes between member states. Michael interned at the Organization of American States as an undergraduate, and at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe during law school. His career took a dramatic shift after the US Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, which drove him to volunteer and work for Common Cause Maryland and Virginia as an advocate and volunteer coordinator. He earned his undergraduate B.A. in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Colorado with a Business minor.
Michael's hobbies include skiing, camping and fishing. He has already traveled a good portion of the globe because his parents instilled the importance of understanding other cultures from a young age. Notably, he spent six months in South America before starting law school where he backpacked and volunteered his way around Patagonia, Bolivia and Peru. His mother was born in Argentina, and he is proficient in Spanish. He is a devoted husband and father who resides in Annapolis.
Ricky Smith
Panelist
Proud of the legacy I've created in my career with the Maryland Aviation Administration. Over thirty years experience managing airports. Strong record of providing strategic direction to boards and transportations. Successful track record of developing and implementing airport initiatives with proven results. Committed to ensuring women and minorities have access to professional and business opportunities in the aviation industry.
Paul Pinsky
Panelist
Paul Pinsky was appointed by Governor Moore to be the Director of the Maryland Energy Administration and he took office on January 18, 2023. Prior to his appointment as director, he was elected to the Maryland state senate seven times. As a senator, he chaired the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. He has also served on the Maryland Commission on Climate Change since its inception. He is the principal author of dozens of environmental laws that have helped shape most major state environmental policies in Maryland over the last two decades. He attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a B.A. degree in public affairs.
Jacob R. Day
Panelist
Prior to his nomination to lead the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development under Governor Wes Moore, Secretary Jacob R. Day served as the 28th Mayor of Salisbury, Maryland. Born and raised in Salisbury, he previously served as City Council President. His tenure as Mayor was marked by a resurgent downtown, including nearly $650 million in new construction, the establishment of two youth community centers, and the creation of a permanent supportive housing program to address chronic homelessness.
Secretary Day also previously worked for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, most recently as Director of the Center for Towns, utilizing design, planning, and implementation assistance to establish vibrant, sustainable small cities and towns. He served as national president of the American Institute of Architecture Students, and as editor-in-chief of CRIT, a journal of architecture. He was also elected as the 79th president of the Maryland Municipal League, representing Maryland’s 157 municipalities, and was one of Maryland’s representatives to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Local Government Advisory Committee.
As a Major in the U.S. Army, Secretary Day is assigned to the Maryland Army National Guard as an Information Operations and Special Technical Operations Officer with the 110th Information Operations Battalion. He is a veteran of the Global War on Terrorism and was deployed to Somalia, Kenya, and Djibouti.
Secretary Day earned a Master of Science in Nature, Society & Environmental Policy from Oxford University. He also earned a Master of Urban Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Maryland. He is the proud father to two beautiful daughters, Lilly and Olivia.
- Email:jake.day@maryland.gov
Tony Bridges
Panelist
Tony Bridges is the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Equity & Engagement at the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). He is a former member of the Maryland General Assembly, where he served on the Appropriations Committee and as Chair of the Public Safety & Administration Sub-Committee. He was also a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative commission created to advise the members of the General Assemblies of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania on policy action to restore the Bay watershed. Tony’s leadership in public and private sectors and demonstrated experience engaging communities led him to become the Executive Director of Blue Water Baltimore whose mission is to achieve healthy waterways and create strong communities where he served before coming to MDOT.
Mr. Bridges is the former Assistant Director of SOURCE, the community engagement and service-learning center for the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Schools of Public Health, Nursing, and Medicine. He is also the former Director of Human Services and Operations for Park Heights Renaissance, a non-profit organization established to ensure the objectives of the Park Heights Master Plan of Baltimore are implemented. He has rejoined state government where he previously served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary for the Maryland Department of Transportation before becoming Chief of Staff for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) a division of MDOT.
Mr. Bridges earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Frostburg State University. He received his certificate in Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Communications from Towson University.
Kevin Anderson
Panelist
Kevin Anderson is Founder & CEO of Cardinal Atlantic Holdings, an economic and community development firm targeting scaled social impact and investment in urban centers. With specializations in real estate and education technology, CAH advises funds, corporations and governments on economic and community development strategy and projects.
Anderson previously served as Senior Vice President for Global Partnerships at EVERFI, Inc., an educational software company for financial literacy and life skills education where he led government relations and conducted business development. Anderson helped create and launch the company’s diversity content while securing public and corporate partnerships to support digital innovation in school districts across America. A SaaS company, Anderson helped lead EVERFI’s growth from 32 employees to over 600, and from $6mm in revenue to over $120mm during his tenure.
Before joining EVERFI, Anderson was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of City First Homes, Inc. - a $6 million community land trust created to support workforce housing and ensure ongoing affordability for working families in the District of Columbia. Launched in 2008 as the District’s most aggressive affordable housing initiative, City First Homes navigated the financial crisis stabilizing mixed income development and created over 100 units of affordable housing.
Prior to his appointment at City First Homes, Anderson was Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Equity Capital at the Jair Lynch Companies, Inc., a for-profit real estate and community development firm in Washington, D.C. He was responsible for the financial management of JLC’s public, corporate and real estate ventures. Anderson helped establish JLC’s initial investment fund, a $120 million facility for commercial and housing development in the DMV region.
In 2000, Anderson served in Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams’ administration as Special Assistant to the City Administrator and Chief of Staff at the D.C. Department of Transportation. He helped usher an era of accountability and transparency in city operations and managed the restructuring of DDOT to a cabinet-level agency. Anderson led the hiring of over 100 new employees, the establishment of a local trust fund for street and infrastructure maintenance and implementation of performance metrics to meet citizen needs. Mayor Anthony A. Williams proclaimed March 31, 2004 “Kevin Anderson Day” in the District of Columbia.
Anderson began his professional career at the investment banking firm of Pryor, McClendon, Counts & Co., Inc. in Philadelphia, PA as an Institutional Bond Salesman. He served pension funds, insurance companies, investment advisers, and money center banks. Anderson provided coverage for PMC’s landmark financings as lead manager for the $320 million Atlanta Hartsfield Airport financing and the $390 million Denver Airport financing.
Anderson is the former Chairperson of the NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors (National Education Association), and recently completed 19 years of service on the Board of Trustees of Lawrence Academy. He is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2006 and Leadership Prince George’s Class of 2008. Anderson has held and holds professional licenses and designations in securities trading, commodity futures trading, and economic development finance. He has also prepared financial reports for expert testimony in D.C. Superior Court and local jurisdictions.
A native of Washington, D.C., Anderson graduated from Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA. He holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University, and has completed finance, leadership, and executive education at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University, and the National Development Council. Anderson lives in Upper Marlboro, MD with his wife, The Honorable Tiffany H. Anderson, daughter, Kendall, and twin sons, Kennedy and Kolby.
Kevin M. Harris
Panelist
Author and Personal Development Coach, I give people the tools they need to go after the lives they want. I am the founder of Harris Empowerment Institute (H.E.I.), LLC, an educational organization that specializes in leadership, health, relationship, personal, and professional development.
I have always demonstrated a strong desire to lead through my personal everyday walk. I have a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Business Administration and a Master’s of Science degree in Leadership with a focus in Leader Development. I am one of John C. Maxwell’s Leadership Team members and I am thrilled to be an independent certified coach, teacher and speaker with the John Maxwell Team. Over a fourteen year span, I have held major leadership roles. During my eleven years of serving in the United States Navy I lead in many different aspects. Commander Dell Epperson stated that “Kevin has a natural command presence, a rare gift for such a young Sailor.”
These days, I am a sought after mentor, leader, and coach, I am excited to help others focus and grow into the leader they are destined to become. My forthcoming book, Next Level Living from A-Z: 26 Keys to Unlocking True Potential, will break down strategies for living intentionally into manageable parts. An evolving leader myself, I am focus on leading others at an optimal level. I often encounter individuals who are wondering if they are a good leader. Through my coaching, they walk out not only knowing, but growing into the leader they desire to become.
I am in constant pursuit to become one of the best Leadership Experts in the world today and expect to be learning and growing until my very last breath. As a man after God's own heart, I feel I have a calling to serve and enable others to reach the highest levels in their leadership development both personally and professionally.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Luncheon
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Speaker
MDHBC – President
Tu Decides Series Book – Author
Hispanic/Latino Franchise Leadership Council, Vice-Chair
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Speaker
Javier has been involved in he tax industry since 1990. In 2000, Javier opened his first office in Brooklyn and by 2005 he had few thousands of clients by creating a marketing strategy focused in the Latino community.
In 2007 Javier founded Los Taxes Franchise as the First Latino Franchise of Tax Preparation in the Nation. “Para Nuestra Gente,” For our People, stated the company’s commitment to meet the financial needs of Hispanics individual and business taxpayers, especially in tax preparation and accounting. In March of 2019, Los Taxes Franchise and Toro Taxes, a franchise based out of the west coast, merged becoming the largest Latinx owned Franchise in nation with over 200 units representing any industry. In 2022, Toro Taxes was ranked among the 500 best franchises in the world by Entrepreneur magazine.
In 2005, Javier and other Real Estate professionals in NY started the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals - NAHREP NYC Chapter, where he served as its President. In 2007, Javier funded the NAHREP Metro DC Chapter where he served as its President for two years. Javier was also served as a member of the NAHREP National Corporate Board of Governors. He also served as the Treasurer and Executive Board member at the New York City Hispanic Clergy Association for Justice, Inc. Javier served as volunteer guest speaker to several community organizations in several states. Javier currently served on the board of the After-School Dance Fund, and he is the current President of the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference.
In 2014, the U.S. Small Business Administration honored Javier Solis with the SBA Small Businessperson of the Year. In 2018, the governor of Maryland appointed Javier to the Maryland State Board of Individual tax Preparers. In 2018, the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce awarded Los Taxes as the Small Business of the Year in the State of Maryland. Javier has received awards from: The Brooklyn Borough President; The US Senate; The US House of Representatives; Baltimore County Executive, City of Baltimore; and many other entities.
In 2019 Javier completed the Sandford University Latino Entrepreneur Initiative hosted by the Latino Business Action Network. He completed the Montgomery Leadership Program in Maryland; and in the same year he published his first Book “Tu Decides”, which became a Best Seller in Amazon. He is now working on his second book to legalize the registered mark of the book series “Tu Decides”.
Angel Nuñez
Benediction
Experience – The Bishop has been in ministry for over 40 years and is the Bishop of the Bilingual Christian Fellowship and holds a Doctorate Degree in Divinity with a Masters in Theology. As Senior Pastor of the Bilingual Christian Church of Baltimore for over 32 years, he still travels as an International Evangelist winning souls for Christ. He has traveled to 52 countries carrying a prophetic mantle and challenging word to the church to rise up and fulfill her destiny in Christ. Bishop Nuñez provides an apostolic oversight to pastors and leaders, equipping them to effectually serve the body of Christ. History – Bishop Nuñez was born in New York City. His father abandoned the home before his birth, and at the tender age of eight he lost his mother to cancer. This left him in the care of the government institutions, and forced him to live from home to home. But, God's hand was always upon him and through divine intervention he was placed with a Christian family for a few years. It was in this home where a lasting imprint of God's love was deposited into his life. Even after growing and succumbing to a life of violence and drugs, God' seed of love bore salvation and healing to his broken heart.
Bishop Nuñez is married to Deborah Nunez, and has five beautiful children and four grandchildren.
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
WSP - Vice President
MDHCC - Chairman of the Board & President
MDHBC - Conference co-Chair & Vice President
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
Marco V. Ávila, P.E. is a registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the
State of Maryland. He has been
practicing his Civil Engineering
Profession for over 37 years (25 Years
with WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff). He
has experience providing engineering and program/project management services for major infrastructure projects in the public and private sector, including transit, highways, bridges, Public-Private Partnership (P3) and telecommunications. He has a consistent track record of cost-effective project delivery under demanding circumstances. Marco is fluent in Spanish and speaks Portuguese.
While working as a Vice President/Civil Engineer/Program Manager for
WSP-USA, Marco has gained the trust of his clients and peers. Apart from loving engineering, Marco is an active member of local chapters of several societies: including American Society of
Highway Engineers (ASHE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering Companies- Maryland (ACEC/MD), The Engineering Society of Baltimore (ESB), Engineers Without Borders, and Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MDHCC), Advisory Council for St. Jude-Baltimore, Board Member at Sail Baltimore, Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG)-Inner Circle Baltimore Director, among other organizations.
Brooke Lierman
Guest Speaker
Brooke Lierman is a mom, civil rights attorney, and the first woman Comptroller of the State of Maryland. After serving for eight years as a State Delegate representing part of Baltimore City, she gave up her seat to run to be our state’s elected CFO. She ran a strong grassroots campaign, campaigning relentlessly in all corners of the state to prevail in a contested primary and general election in 2022, winning with over 60% of the vote. As our Comptroller, she is focused on championing policies and pursuing partnerships that ignite economic empowerment, equity, and resilience.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Exhibitor's Hall
18th MDHBC
Exhibitor's Hall
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Doing Business with Local,
State and Federal Governments
Mario Acosta-Velez
Moderator
Vice President - Local Engagement / Corporate Social Responsibility / Public Policy at Verizon
Mario Acosta-Velez
Moderator
Mario Acosta-Velez is Vice President of Local Engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility for Verizon East / Central Region, where he leads strategy development and execution focused on regional high-impact Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and local engagement initiatives. Mario is an inclusive leader with 15+ years leading transformative CSR, Community Engagement and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives, building and driving external national and local strategic partnerships that elevated Verizon's profile as a CSR and DE&I leader.
In this capacity, Mario leads Verizon’s regional philanthropic giving, stakeholder engagement, community engagement, technology education initiatives, and strategic partnerships with community and business organizations to further philanthropic and impact investments within diverse communities, including social impact areas such as education, workforce development, digital inclusion, and economic / community development.
Mario has been a leader in the business sector building long-term collaborative partnerships with many national, regional and local chambers of commerce and business organizations.
He served on the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board of directors from 2008 to 2022, serving as Chair of the Board from 2012-2015.
He currently serves on the board of directors of the Board of Trade.
Throughout his career, Mario has received leadership awards including: Washington Business Journal 2019 Business of Pride Award; Out and Equal 2017 Outstanding Champion Award; Washington Business Journal 2014 Minority Business Leader; Hispanic Heritage Foundation Leadership Award; Hispanic Executive Magazine Leadership Feature; Hispanic Corporate Social Responsibility’s Hispanic Corporate Achiever Award, among others.
He is a graduate of the Harvard University’s 2005 Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, and is the first member of his family to obtain two graduate degrees: M.A. in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Puerto Rico. He also obtained a BA in Political Science.
Naddia Clute
Panelist
Naddia Clute is a bilingual business consultant for the MD SBDC covering the area of Montgomery County. She brings over 10 years of hands-on working experience with small businesses in the area that include business administration, operations, accounting, financing, employee recruitment and human resource management. Naddia's bilingual skills also allow her to support and lead the Hispanic Business Center.
Naddia provides a variety of support from a pre-venture business stage, ready to open for business, financing, clients ready to hire employees, clients looking to obtain minority certification with the state, accounting, and recordkeeping using QuickBooks. In addition, Naddia is very familiarized with different web applications that can help business owners in the area of business management, project management, time tracking of employees, proposal writing etc.
Roger Campos
Moderator
Founder Minority Business RoundTable and former Assistant Secretary Maryland Department of Housing and Governor's Business Ombudsman.
Roger Campos
Moderator
Appointed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Mr. Campos serves as Assistant Secretary for Business Development Project C.O.R.E (Creating Opportunities for Renewal & Enterprise) and small business development. In early 2015, Mr. Campos was appointed by the Governor and served two years in the Cabinet as Maryland’s first Business Ombudsman responsible for investigating and resolving complaints, issues or problems between businesses, economic development organizations, communities and federal, state, and local agencies; and overseeing and administering Maryland’s first customer service standards…Changing Maryland for the Better. Mr. Campos is the Founder, Chairman and past President & CEO of the Minority Business RoundTable (MBRT), the first national organization for CEOs of the nation’s leading Hispanic American, African American, Asian American and Native American-owned businesses. Founded in the year 2002, MBRT has provided a national and international forum for the 6 million CEOs of large and small, minority, veteran, HUBZone and women-owned businesses to address public policy issues. Prior to serving as President & CEO of MBRT, Mr. Campos was Vice President of Government Relations for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities where he served as chief executive managing Washington, D.C. operations. He has a distinguished public service career having served four years in the White House, Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget setting up Presidential Commissions, Councils and reorganizations of federal programs; Special Assistant to the first Secretary of Energy; Served as Special Consultant to the Administrator, Small Business Administration where he drafted the standard operating procedures for the U.S. federal government’s 8(a) minority business program; and served in the Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Email:Jackson1@co.pg.md.us
Denise Hayes
Panelist
Mrs. Denise Hayes is a Business Opportunity Specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)-Baltimore District Office. In this position, Mrs. Hayes provides guidance to small businesses to aid in the development of small business principles and strategies to enhance their ability to compete successfully for 8(a) and non-8(a) contracts in the Federal marketplace. Leading to this career path, Denise received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing in 2012, and her Master of Science in Business Administration in 2015, both from Morgan State University.
Prior to joining the SBA team in 2020, Mrs. Hayes served as the Outreach and Policy Manager for the Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Office of Small and Minority Business Policy. In this role, Mrs. Hayes coordinated the initiation, planning, and implementation of public relations campaigns and outreach activities to promote the interests and activities of the State’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Certification Programs, and the Federal Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program. Before this, Mrs. Hayes was Morgan State University’s Assistant Business Diversity Manager for four years. In this role, she was responsible for assisting with the University’s supplier diversity outreach efforts for the MBE, SBE, and SBR programs. She also assisted in the oversight of the University’s compliance with State supplier diversity programs. She was responsible for calculating the University’s minority and small business participation and coordinating statutory reporting to the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs.
Mrs. Hayes’ passion about the success and growth of small businesses is clearly demonstrated as she assists in conducting trainings to small businesses eligible to apply for the 8(a) program and other SBA contract certification and business development programs. Through these workshops and other speaking engagements, she informs the public about the benefits of Federal contracting certifications, eligibility requirements, and provides business development and networking tips. She also represents the SBA at events locally and nationally in various capacities such as an organizer, a panelist, a presenter, or an exhibitor. At these events, Mrs. Hayes is the subject matter expert when it comes to informing businesses about the Federal contracting certifications as well as the benefits of each certification.
Eduardo Hayden
Panelist
Eduardo D. Hayden is a native of Bogota, Colombia and moved to the U.S. in 1979. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Florida International University in 1996, and a Master’s of Science in Leisure Services Administration from Florida State University in 1998. As the Small Business Outreach Manager for the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs, Mr. Hayden coordinates 3 primary outreach programs, 1) T.I.P.S. Webinar Series – business training focusing on state procurement and best business practices, 2) Ready, Set, GROW! A procurement connections workshop helping vendors have access to opportunities, and 3) Small Biz Resource Connections Webinar – informational webinars to connect vendors with resource partners offering services to small and minority owned businesses. Prior to joining state government Mr. Hayden had a successful career in banking for 8 ½ years, where he served the small business sector, including many from the Latin American market. Mr. Hayden spent 10 years working with Baltimore County Police Department as an Outreach Counselor and Hispanic Youth Liaison, where he used entrepreneurship principles & created the LYON Program (Latino Youth Outreach Network), where he ran school-based programs throughout Baltimore County serving the Latino youth population. His program was awarded the 2012 Governor’s Crime Prevention Award for Outstanding Proactive Crime Prevention Programs in Maryland , and the prestigious 2012 Baltimore County Police Foundation award for Crime Prevention. Prior to his work with the Baltimore County Police, Mr. Hayden also worked for the state of Maryland’s Child Protective Services. He was the first male adult to receive the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Content of Character Award in Baltimore County, Maryland. Mr. Hayden also realized a life-long dream when he was selected as a franchise professional soccer player in the late 90’s. Mr. Hayden believes however, that his greatest blessing is his beautiful wife and kids, and his opportunities to serve those in need.
Karen Barbour
Panelist
Dynamic. Groundbreaking. A force in the market. An influencer with a track-record of performance excellence, surety knowledge expert and hands-on builder of a powerful collaborative network of business ties. These are the hallmarks of a career underscored by a fierce commitment to enabling the competitive positioning and growth of client companies - and of a leader willing to go to Capitol Hill to drive legislation for the benefit of start-ups, small businesses and Fortune 1000 firms alike. She is the first bonding agent to win Maryland Small Business Person of the Year by the US Small Business Administration and the first to be inducted into the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Winning Women Program (ey.com)
Karen Barbour, founder and president of The Barbour Group, LLC is a veteran of the surety bonding industry, starting her career in surety as a home office bond underwriter in 1985, where she is well known as an innovator and expert within the industry.
How to Franchise
your Hispanic Brand
David Smith
Panelist
David Smith works as the Senior Manager, Diversity Programs at the IFA. He has over 10 years of experience working at several national trade associations as an advocate for diverse communities. Most recently, David worked as the Programs & Initiatives Manager for the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC), the trade association for diverse-owned private equity firms and hedge funds. There, he managed several programs which helped NAIC member firms gain access to institutional investors and he also facilitated research projects to educate the marketplace about diversity in finance. Prior to NAIC, David worked at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), where he worked with nonprofit organizations and banking institutions to leverage the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to help direct capital investment into low-moderate income communities. David also worked as the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce (UBSC), the nation’s largest network of Black-owned businesses. David earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and earned his Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).
- Email:dsmith@franchise.org
Ericka Garza
Panelist
Franchises are my passion. I built my career by gaining leadership experience with some of the best companies, including 7-Eleven ,Yum! Brands, Boston Pizza International and Nokia before being named president of Au Bon Pain in 2021. I scale franchises into multimillion-dollar profit centers by…
-Building mutually beneficial franchisee partnerships.
-Operating as one system to serve and delight customers.
-Building strong teams and upskilling capabilities.
-Creating an accountability culture by setting performance metrics and celebrating success.
My consistent track record of success comes from embracing a collaborative approach to strategy, actively engaging with cross-functional teams, executives, and boards to establish a strong connection between the company's vision, mission, and day-to-day operations. This collaborative mindset allows us to leverage diverse perspectives, unlock the full potential of our workforce, drive innovation, and make informed decisions that propel the organization towards its strategic objectives.
I am a dedicated mentor and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. One of the most significant milestones in my professional journey has been playing a pivotal role in launching and collaborating with YUM! Brands' female executives (KFC, Taco Bell, The Habit Burger and Pizza Hut) to establish the groundbreaking EmpowHER conference, specifically designed for women in franchising. EmpowHER is an annual conference that brings together leaders from various franchisees across the United States, serving as a platform to empower, inspire, and recognize the remarkable contributions of women to the growth and prosperity of Yum! Brands. It celebrates the exceptional achievements and resilience of women in the franchising industry, showcasing their vital role in driving the overall success of the company.
I’m exceptionally proud to be one of the first Latinas to become president of a restaurant industry franchise organization in the United States. I was appointed to lead the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) first Hispanic Latino Franchise Leadership Council, a network for Hispanic franchise leaders throughout the United States.
My areas of expertise include:
Franchise Development & Management | Revenue Growth & Profitability Optimization | Cross-Functional Collaboration | DEI | Thought Leadership | Franchises | M&A | P&L | Brand Management | Innovation | Business Development | Business Strategy & Execution | Process Improvement
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Speaker
MDHBC – President
Tu Decides Series Book – Author
Hispanic/Latino Franchise Leadership Council, Vice-Chair
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Speaker
Javier has been involved in he tax industry since 1990. In 2000, Javier opened his first office in Brooklyn and by 2005 he had few thousands of clients by creating a marketing strategy focused in the Latino community.
In 2007 Javier founded Los Taxes Franchise as the First Latino Franchise of Tax Preparation in the Nation. “Para Nuestra Gente,” For our People, stated the company’s commitment to meet the financial needs of Hispanics individual and business taxpayers, especially in tax preparation and accounting. In March of 2019, Los Taxes Franchise and Toro Taxes, a franchise based out of the west coast, merged becoming the largest Latinx owned Franchise in nation with over 200 units representing any industry. In 2022, Toro Taxes was ranked among the 500 best franchises in the world by Entrepreneur magazine.
In 2005, Javier and other Real Estate professionals in NY started the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals - NAHREP NYC Chapter, where he served as its President. In 2007, Javier funded the NAHREP Metro DC Chapter where he served as its President for two years. Javier was also served as a member of the NAHREP National Corporate Board of Governors. He also served as the Treasurer and Executive Board member at the New York City Hispanic Clergy Association for Justice, Inc. Javier served as volunteer guest speaker to several community organizations in several states. Javier currently served on the board of the After-School Dance Fund, and he is the current President of the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference.
In 2014, the U.S. Small Business Administration honored Javier Solis with the SBA Small Businessperson of the Year. In 2018, the governor of Maryland appointed Javier to the Maryland State Board of Individual tax Preparers. In 2018, the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce awarded Los Taxes as the Small Business of the Year in the State of Maryland. Javier has received awards from: The Brooklyn Borough President; The US Senate; The US House of Representatives; Baltimore County Executive, City of Baltimore; and many other entities.
In 2019 Javier completed the Sandford University Latino Entrepreneur Initiative hosted by the Latino Business Action Network. He completed the Montgomery Leadership Program in Maryland; and in the same year he published his first Book “Tu Decides”, which became a Best Seller in Amazon. He is now working on his second book to legalize the registered mark of the book series “Tu Decides”.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Jenna (JJ) Rodrigues
Panelist
Leads an agile team of HRBPs spanning across the enterprise. My team focuses on supporting our businesses, while providing business and end user feedback to optimize HR processes and HR delivery. Thrives at the intersection of people and process, while leveraging a management consulting background and skill set to reimagine and execute enhanced experiences.
Special Guest Speaker Gov. Maryland
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
WSP - Vice President
MDHCC - Chairman of the Board & President
MDHBC - Conference co-Chair & Vice President
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
Marco V. Ávila, P.E. is a registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the
State of Maryland. He has been
practicing his Civil Engineering
Profession for over 37 years (25 Years
with WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff). He
has experience providing engineering and program/project management services for major infrastructure projects in the public and private sector, including transit, highways, bridges, Public-Private Partnership (P3) and telecommunications. He has a consistent track record of cost-effective project delivery under demanding circumstances. Marco is fluent in Spanish and speaks Portuguese.
While working as a Vice President/Civil Engineer/Program Manager for
WSP-USA, Marco has gained the trust of his clients and peers. Apart from loving engineering, Marco is an active member of local chapters of several societies: including American Society of
Highway Engineers (ASHE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering Companies- Maryland (ACEC/MD), The Engineering Society of Baltimore (ESB), Engineers Without Borders, and Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MDHCC), Advisory Council for St. Jude-Baltimore, Board Member at Sail Baltimore, Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG)-Inner Circle Baltimore Director, among other organizations.
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Speaker
MDHBC – President
Tu Decides Series Book – Author
Hispanic/Latino Franchise Leadership Council, Vice-Chair
Javier N. Solis, CFE
Speaker
Javier has been involved in he tax industry since 1990. In 2000, Javier opened his first office in Brooklyn and by 2005 he had few thousands of clients by creating a marketing strategy focused in the Latino community.
In 2007 Javier founded Los Taxes Franchise as the First Latino Franchise of Tax Preparation in the Nation. “Para Nuestra Gente,” For our People, stated the company’s commitment to meet the financial needs of Hispanics individual and business taxpayers, especially in tax preparation and accounting. In March of 2019, Los Taxes Franchise and Toro Taxes, a franchise based out of the west coast, merged becoming the largest Latinx owned Franchise in nation with over 200 units representing any industry. In 2022, Toro Taxes was ranked among the 500 best franchises in the world by Entrepreneur magazine.
In 2005, Javier and other Real Estate professionals in NY started the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals - NAHREP NYC Chapter, where he served as its President. In 2007, Javier funded the NAHREP Metro DC Chapter where he served as its President for two years. Javier was also served as a member of the NAHREP National Corporate Board of Governors. He also served as the Treasurer and Executive Board member at the New York City Hispanic Clergy Association for Justice, Inc. Javier served as volunteer guest speaker to several community organizations in several states. Javier currently served on the board of the After-School Dance Fund, and he is the current President of the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference.
In 2014, the U.S. Small Business Administration honored Javier Solis with the SBA Small Businessperson of the Year. In 2018, the governor of Maryland appointed Javier to the Maryland State Board of Individual tax Preparers. In 2018, the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce awarded Los Taxes as the Small Business of the Year in the State of Maryland. Javier has received awards from: The Brooklyn Borough President; The US Senate; The US House of Representatives; Baltimore County Executive, City of Baltimore; and many other entities.
In 2019 Javier completed the Sandford University Latino Entrepreneur Initiative hosted by the Latino Business Action Network. He completed the Montgomery Leadership Program in Maryland; and in the same year he published his first Book “Tu Decides”, which became a Best Seller in Amazon. He is now working on his second book to legalize the registered mark of the book series “Tu Decides”.
Joseline Peña-Melnyk
Member of House of Delegates
Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee for the House, Maryland General Assembly. & Vice Chair of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus. -
Joseline Peña-Melnyk
Member of House of Delegates
Member of House of Delegates since January 10, 2007. Chair, Health and Government Operations Committee, 2022- (member, 2007-, vice-chair, 2019-22; government operations subcommittee, 2007-14; public health & long-term care subcommittee, 2007-14; government operations & long-term care subcommittee, 2015-17; chair, public health & minority health disparities subcommittee, 2015-22; member, government operations & estates & trusts subcommittee, 2017-19; government operations & health facilities subcommittee, 2020-21; insurance & pharmaceuticals subcommittee, 2022-). Member, Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, 2019-; Legislative Policy Committee, 2019-. Vice-Chair, House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Work Group, 2021- (chair, health determinants subcommittee, 2021-). House Chair, Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services, 2011-14. Member, Regional Revitalization Work Group, 2013-19; Joint Oversight Committee on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, 2014; Public Safety and Policing Work Group, 2015-16; Joint Committee on Behavioral Health and Opioid Use Disorders, 2015-21; Punitive Damages Work Group, 2016-17; Opioid Work Group, 2018. Chair, Affordable Care Act (ACA) Work Group, 2018. Member, Joint Covid-19 Response Legislative Work Group, 2020-21. Member, Anne Arundel County Delegation, 2007- (capital budget subcommittee, 2018). Member, Prince George's County Delegation, 2007- (vice-chair, law enforcement & state-appointed boards committee, 2007-08, member, 2015-; vice-chair, county affairs committee, 2008-10; chair, washington suburban sanitary commission committee, 2011-12; chair, bi-county committee, 2013-14; member, education committee, 2017-). Prince George's County Co-Chair, Bi-County Delegation, 2011-14. Member, Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, 2007-; Women Legislators of Maryland, 2007-; Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2016-; Maryland Military Installation Legislative Caucus, 2017-. Vice-Chair, Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, 2019- (chair, 2014-17; treasurer, 2017-18). Member, Maryland Legislative Transit Caucus, 2019-.
Member, Task Force on Health Care Access and Reimbursement, 2007-08; Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland, 2008-09. House Co-Chair, Task Force to Study the Procurement of Health and Social Services by State Agencies, 2009-10; Task Force to Study the Procurement of Health, Education, and Social Services by State Agencies, 2010-12; Governor's Wellmobile Program Advisory Board, 2011-. Presidential Elector, Maryland, 2012. Member, Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Council, 2013-16; Governor's Commission to Reform Maryland's Pretrial System, 2014; Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee, 2015-22. Co-Chair, Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission, 2017-23. Member, Maryland State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2019-.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, U.S. Department of Justice, 1997-99.
Member, City Council, College Park, representing District 4, 2003-06. Former member, Recreation Board, College Park.
Born in Dominican Republic, June 27, 1966. Attended John F. Kennedy High School, Bronx, New York; Buffalo State College, B.A. (criminal justice), 1987; University at Buffalo School of Law, State University of New York, J.D., 1991. Admitted to District of Columbia Bar, 1994; Pennsylvania Bar, 1994. Attorney, Defender Association of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1991-92. Maryland Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellow, Center for Dispute Resolution, University of Maryland School of Law, 2008. Co-Chair, Latino Leadership Council, Maryland Democratic Party, 2010-. Delegate, Democratic Party National Convention, 2012, 2020. Eastern Region Board of Directors, Women in Government. Member, North College Park Civic Association; West College Park Civic Association; College Park Rotary Club. Rising Legal Star, Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, 2007. Municipal Super Star, Maryland Municipal League, 2008 (certificate of appreciation, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011). Maryland's Top 100 Women, Daily Record, 2015, 2018, 2021. Outstanding Legislator of the Year, Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 2017. Power 30 Health Care, Daily Record, 2021. Married; three children.
Hon. Wes Moore
Special Guest Speaker
Wes Moore is the 63rd Governor of the state of Maryland. He is Maryland’s first Black Governor in the state’s 246-year history, and is just the third African American elected Governor in the history of the United States.
Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, on Oct. 15, 1978, to Joy and Westley Moore, Moore’s life took a tragic turn when his father died of a rare, but treatable virus when he was just three years old. After his father’s death, his family moved to the Bronx to live with Moore’s grandparents before returning to Maryland at age 14.
Moore is a proud graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and College, where he received an Associate’s degree in 1998, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Afterward, he went on to earn his Bachelor’s in international relations and economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
While at Johns Hopkins, Moore interned in the office of former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke. Moore was the first Black Rhodes Scholar in the history of Johns Hopkins University. As A Rhodes Scholar, he earned a Master’s in international relations from Wolfson College at Oxford.
In 2005, Moore deployed to Afghanistan as a captain with the 82nd Airborne Division, leading soldiers in combat. Immediately upon returning home, Moore served as a White House Fellow, advising on issues of national security and international relations.
In 2010, Moore wrote “The Other Wes Moore,” a story about the fragile nature of opportunity in America, which became a perennial New York Times bestseller. He went on to write other best-selling books that reflect on issues of race, equity, and opportunity, including his latest book “Five Days,” which tells the story of Baltimore in the days that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.
Moore built and launched a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU, which reinvented freshman year of college for underserved students to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform, Edquity, in 2018.
It was Moore’s commitment to taking on our toughest challenges that brought him to the Robin Hood foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the Robin Hood foundation distributed over $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty, including here in Maryland.
While the Robin Hood foundation is headquartered in New York City, Wes and his family never moved from their home in Baltimore.
Moore has also worked in finance with Deutsche Bank in London and with Citigroup in New York.
Moore and his wife Dawn Flythe Moore have two children – Mia, 12; and James, 9.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Jenna (JJ) Rodrigues
Panelist
Leads an agile team of HRBPs spanning across the enterprise. My team focuses on supporting our businesses, while providing business and end user feedback to optimize HR processes and HR delivery. Thrives at the intersection of people and process, while leveraging a management consulting background and skill set to reimagine and execute enhanced experiences.
AI and Data to drive
innovation in your business
Carolina Seldes
Moderator
ITnova - Chief Executive Officer
MDHBC - Board Member & www.mdhbc.org
Webmaster
Carolina Seldes
Moderator
Carolina is the Chief Executive Officer of ITnova, LLC. She founded ITnova in 2011 in response to innovative software technology needs in the US. She has over 20 years of experience working with the government sector, including education, aerospace, defense, and transportation agencies. Carolina is an Electronic Engineer, and she has a master’s in finances. In addition, Carolina is certified PMP, CompTIA Cloud Essentials, ITIL v3, CompTIA Sec+, and currently works on the CISSP certification. Carolina loves spending time with her family, and she is a newly cycling addict.
Rachel Goodman
Panelist
Rachel Goodman, PMP, CSM is the Chief of the Division of Airport Technology & Innovation at the Maryland Aviation Administration, where she is responsible for implementing cutting-edge IT portfolio management practices. In her role, she oversees management, procurement, budgeting, and strategic planning for various offices, including Communications Systems, Project Management, Infrastructure Services, Enterprise Services, and Information Security Services. With over 20 years of experience in the information technology field, Rachel has gained expertise in research, enterprise computing, and telecommunications while working in both government and corporate sectors.
Prior to her current role, Rachel served as Technical Advisor to the CEO of MAA, where she provided guidance and collaboration in areas such as performance management, customer experience, financial management, and contract management. She also founded Sphere International, LLC, where she managed efforts across international markets and provided innovative strategies. Rachel has previously worked as a contractor for Faith Group, LLC, and Inspired Data Solutions, LLC, renowned aviation industry powerhouses, providing exceptional consulting and engineering services. Furthermore, at Talk with Us, she was responsible for core database systems and provided administrative support to executives, including board members and investors.
Rachel was born and raised in Maryland, and she holds designations as a Project Management Professional and Certified ScrumMaster. She has also received training in Innovation Strategy from Cornell University and plans to continue her education there.
Walter (WarNov) Novoa
Panelist
Systems Engineer with 20 years of experience, including 13 years as a Cloud Solutions Architect specializing in Microsoft Azure, constantly guiding customers and partners on how to leverage the Cloud to meet their specific needs. Recognized as a trusted advisor to his clients, with exceptional skills to understand their requirements and transform them into technical solutions by collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. Noted for his exceptional ability to design successful enterprise-level technical solutions in the cloud that today include integration with Generative Artificial Intelligence solutions with ChatGPT and other OpenAI services. With a strong background in cloud architectures and backend development, he is passionate about PaaS and Serverless technologies.
Rob O'Connor
Panelist
Rob O’Connor is the father of two daughters and the first CIO for the Office of Comptroller of Maryland. With over 25 years tech experience, and most recently as the CIO in Baltimore County, Rob focuses on building teams and a positive work culture to solve the complex issues facing technology departments. Rob is a graduate of UMBC and a lifetime Marylander. Rob started in Baltimore County in 1999 as an engineering supporting mission critical public safety and public health systems. After being promoted to division manager in 2008, Rob quickly became the County’s first CTO, then CIO. The growth and change his department brought to County Agencies and Service, he looks to bring to the Comptroller’s office. Rob enjoys sports, time with friends and family, and contributing back via charity and volunteer work.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Exhibitor's Hall
18th MDHBC
Exhibitor's Hall
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
The 18th Annual MD Hispanic Business Conference and Expo is honoring Senator Ben Cardin with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Senator Benjamin L. Cardin
U.S. Senator Maryland
Special Recognition Jessica Cook will accepting on his behalf
Senator Benjamin L. Cardin
U.S. Senator Maryland
Benjamin Louis Cardin (born October 5, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Maryland, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representative for Maryland's 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 2007. Cardin served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1967 to 1987 and as its speaker from 1979 to 1987, the youngest person to ever hold the position. In his half-century career as an elected official, he had never lost an election.
Cardin was elected as U.S. Senator to succeed Paul Sarbanes in 2006, defeating Republican Michael Steele, the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, by a margin of 54% to 44%. He was reelected in 2012 taking 56% of the vote.[1] He became Maryland's senior U.S. senator on January 3, 2017, upon Barbara Mikulski's retirement. Cardin won reelection to a third term in 2018, taking 65% of the vote. On May 1, 2023, he announced that he would retire and not seek re-election in 2024.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Hispanic Chambers Business Recognition
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
WSP - Vice President
MDHCC - Chairman of the Board & President
MDHBC - Conference co-Chair & Vice President
Marco V. Ávila, P.E.
Introduction to Guest Speaker
Marco V. Ávila, P.E. is a registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the
State of Maryland. He has been
practicing his Civil Engineering
Profession for over 37 years (25 Years
with WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff). He
has experience providing engineering and program/project management services for major infrastructure projects in the public and private sector, including transit, highways, bridges, Public-Private Partnership (P3) and telecommunications. He has a consistent track record of cost-effective project delivery under demanding circumstances. Marco is fluent in Spanish and speaks Portuguese.
While working as a Vice President/Civil Engineer/Program Manager for
WSP-USA, Marco has gained the trust of his clients and peers. Apart from loving engineering, Marco is an active member of local chapters of several societies: including American Society of
Highway Engineers (ASHE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Council of Engineering Companies- Maryland (ACEC/MD), The Engineering Society of Baltimore (ESB), Engineers Without Borders, and Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MDHCC), Advisory Council for St. Jude-Baltimore, Board Member at Sail Baltimore, Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG)-Inner Circle Baltimore Director, among other organizations.
Susana Marino
Speaker
Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Developer of internal and external partnerships with interest in growing entrepreneurial ecosystems, economic development and access to capital.
Susana Marino
Speaker
Susana Marino is the Executive Director at Northern Virginia Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce (NOVAHCC). The chamber seeks to train and grow the 21st-century business leaders and their global workforce by building a multi-ethnic and international business community that provides access to business connections, opportunities, tools and resources.
Susana launched the chamber in 2018 to fill the service gap for Latino and other minority-owned businesses in the Washington Metropolitan region. Ms. Marino seeks to deliver a community-building approach coupled with providing bottom-line results for CEOs and business owners, catalyzing access to capital, workforce development, leadership training, and international commerce for those companies ready to expand their business to new markets overseas.
Susana's strategic direction, energy, and leadership have procured herself over 45% growths with new members and partners in the first year of NOVAHCC operations and she has organized over 27 groundbreaking events bolstering and expanding business for member companies, expanding members and constituents’ international capacity to explore overseas markets.
Carmen Ortiz-Larsen
Speaker
MDHBC: Founding Member and Co-Secretary
HCCMC: President
AQUAS Inc. President and CEO
Carmen Ortiz-Larsen
Speaker
Ms. Larsen is an accomplished executive, project manager, business management and technology systems consultant. She is the CEO of AQUAS, Incorporated, a company which she founded in 1990. The company was inducted in the Business Hall of Fame for Montgomery County in 2011 and was recognized in the Top100 MBE’s for the State of Maryland in 3 different years. AQUAS is the architect of a US Department of Agriculture’s national system to track and report on the cost and outcomes of inspecting the quality of meat, poultry, and eggs. Ms. Larsen founded Bioethx, an international program to promote ethics in clinical settings, following her development of a large-scale system to track ethical concerns in the Veterans Health Administration. Ms. Larsen served as a Business Center Consultant for the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the US Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency, and for the Gaithersburg / Germantown Pathways Community Grant. She is the President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Montgomery County and serves on the Executive Board for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and Holy Cross Healthcare System. She has assisted over 200 small businesses in the DMV area in creation, sustainability and growth strategies, and in developing bids and proposals.
Ms. Larsen is a Physics graduate of Georgetown University, studied International Law at American University, attended Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She holds certifications in project management, public transit, studied international law and ethics in healthcare. Born of Ecuadorian immigrants in Rome, Italy, she is a US Citizen that migrated to the United States at age 16. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian.
- Email:clarsen@aquasinc.com
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference
Jennifer Rios
Speaker
Ms. Jennifer Rios is an accomplished CEO with 15+ years of experience in technology, logistics, program management, and professional consulting, with both civilian and service-disabled veterans. Ms. Rios served for 13 years in the United States Army, obtaining the rank of Staff Sergeant (Airborne). During that time, Ms. Rios supported Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, assisting the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
Ms. Rios uses innovative and effective solutions by creating business strategies that align with corporate organizational structures while providing strong development in workforce planning, and applying solid Leadership on all fronts. Ms. Rios brings a unique blend of experience in strategic thinking and business savviness to her work. A highly regarded and influential leader with a strong personality, Ms. Rios is an influential woman in an often male-dominated environment, including the technology workplace and during her service to the United States Army.
Ms. Rios serves on the Board of Directors for Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Montgomery County, the Board of Directors for the Silver Spring Business Improvement District in Montgomery County, the Board of Directors for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), the president of the Board of Directors for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Prince George County, and the Board of Directors for the Marlboro Pointe Homeowner Association in Prince George County serving as the Vice President.
Ms. Rios earned an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from Central Texas College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Campbell University in two and a half years. She obtained her Master of Business Administration in Digital Entrepreneurship from Strayer University. She also earned three certifications in High Growth Digital Startup Management, Digital Business Operations, and Technology and Product Management. Ms. Rios is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Business Administration at Capella University with a specialization in Leadership. In addition, Ms. Rios was certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI) as a Project Management Professional (PMP) in 2021.
Juan Umanzur
Speaker
Salvadorian Chamber of Commerce
CEO and Founder of Umanzor and Associates of Long and Foster
Juan Umanzur
Speaker
A top-producing Realtor for 20 years, Juan is ranked among the top 1% of agents nationwide. With a background in business administration and the restaurant industry, Juan came to real estate with the goals of becoming a top expert in the field and providing incomparable customer service. Over the years he has built a successful team, Umanzor and Associates, which serves clients in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.
Juan is a skilled negotiator with in-depth knowledge of the Washington, D.C. market and a warmth that puts clients immediately at ease. He is adept at handling the most complicated transactions, including bank foreclosures and short sales, and freely shares his expertise with other Realtors.
In 2006, Juan and his team joined the top-producing Bethesda Gateway office, where he quickly earned the respect of his colleagues, and where his business has skyrocketed. The key to succeeding in real estate, he'll tell you, is simple: treat everyone like familia.
Michel Zajur
Speaker
Michel immigrated to the United States from Mexico City with his family in the early 1960's when he was just a child. He was taught the value of hard work by working in his family’s restaurant, La Siesta Mexican Restaurant. La Siesta quickly became a staple in Richmond and remained in business for over thirty years. During its many years as a local establishment, La Siesta received many culinary achievements, but none greater than what would soon come. After a long while, it became more than a restaurant, it became a local hotspot for the Hispanic community. Not only for delicious food, but also as a place to gather and obtain information on everything going on in the community. As the necessity for information constantly grew so did Michel and his wife Lisa's passion to provide it. This passion and commitment to the community led to the establishment of multiple educational programs, as well as, the birth of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber & Foundation.
Michel Zajur attended college at Virginia Commonwealth University, a diverse school in Richmond, Virginia where he furthered his passion for helping the Hispanic community. Michel then married his wife and partner Lisa a passionate driven local educator and together they began to make a serious impact on the educational systems and communities throughout Virginia. As a result of his work with outreach programs and his involvement within the community, Michel founded a statewide organization, the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (VAHCC), in May of 2000. The VAHCC serves as the bridge linking the Hispanic business community within the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2003, the Virginia Hispanic Foundation was established as an effort to further provide education, information, and resources to the Hispanic community. Michel serves on many different boards throughout Virginia and has been appointed by Governors Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Bob McDonnell to serve on various commissions, task forces, and transition teams. Michel serves as leader and public speaker for many businesses and is a consultant for multiple organizations looking for his expertise in helping them connect to the Latino community. Michel has received numerous awards throughout his career which include: the National Conference of Community Justices Humanitarian Award in 2002, the Minority Small Business Champion Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2006, and the Global Excellence Award from the Virginia International Business Council in 2011. Michel was recognized as “One of the 25 People You Need to Know in the State” by Virginia Business Magazine, and was acknowledged as one of Richmond’s most influential and inspiring people by Boomer Magazine in 2012. In September of 2012, Michel received the Ohtli Award which is the highest award bestowed by the Mexican government upon a non-Mexican citizen. In June 2016, Michel was recognized as one of 30 people who have “helped shape the Richmond Virginia community” in the Richmond Times- Dispatch's newspaper’s Metro Business 30th Anniversary Special Edition. In 2018, The Richmond Times-Dispatch honored him as the “2018 Hall of Fame Inductee during their Person of the Year award ceremony. Michel has a passion for building bridges and extending ladders in order to construct a better community for all.
- Email:info@vahcc.com
Hispanic Business Celebration
- Closing Remarks
Carmen Ortiz-Larsen
Aquas Inc.
MDHBC: Founding Member and Co-Secretary HCCMC: President AQUAS Inc: President and CEO
Carmen Ortiz-Larsen
Aquas Inc.
Ms. Larsen is an accomplished executive, project manager, business management and technology systems consultant. She is the CEO of AQUAS, Incorporated, a company which she founded in 1990. The company was inducted in the Business Hall of Fame for Montgomery County in 2011 and was recognized in the Top100 MBE’s for the State of Maryland in 3 different years. AQUAS is the architect of a US Department of Agriculture’s national system to track and report on the cost and outcomes of inspecting the quality of meat, poultry, and eggs. Ms. Larsen founded Bioethx, an international program to promote ethics in clinical settings, following her development of a large-scale system to track ethical concerns in the Veterans Health Administration. Ms. Larsen served as a Business Center Consultant for the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the US Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency, and for the Gaithersburg / Germantown Pathways Community Grant. She is the President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Montgomery County and serves on the Executive Board for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and Holy Cross Healthcare System. She has assisted over 200 small businesses in the DMV area in creation, sustainability and growth strategies, and in developing bids and proposals.
Ms. Larsen is a Physics graduate of Georgetown University, studied International Law at American University, attended Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She holds certifications in project management, public transit, studied international law and ethics in healthcare. Born of Ecuadorian immigrants in Rome, Italy, she is a US Citizen that migrated to the United States at age 16. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian.
- Email:clarsen@aquasinc.com
William Villanueva
Panelist
MDHBC Board Member & Founding Member - Formerly Deputy Director, Office of Fair Practices, MAA and now Owner/Vice President of Finance, Restoration Pro Labor
William Villanueva
Panelist
•30+ years’ Senior Level Operations Management Experience
•Skilled in all phases of General Operations Management, including Finance, Human Resources, Manpower Management/Utilization, Business Development, Marketing, Auditing, State Procurement, MBE/DBE Program Compliance, Government Contracting, (Federal, FAR/DFAR, State, Local) RFP Proposal Preparation, Tracking, Budgeting, Contracts Administration, New Systems Implementation, Logistics, Program and Project Management.
•Highly proficient with Windows 10 Microsoft 365, (Outlook, Word, Quick Books, PowerPoint, Excel, Project, Publisher) and WebEx
•Self-directed with strong motivational skills.
•Strategic thinker, planner, goal oriented and results driven.
18th MDHBC
Maryland Hispanic Business Conference