2007 Leadership Training & Mujer Awards Conference – a Success!

The National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) hosted the 14th Annual Leadership Training & Mujer Awards Conference November 10, 2006 at Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX. This event united remarkable Latina keynote speakers, leadership training, professional development, financial advice, entrepreneurship experts, artists and authors for a full day of networking, inspiration and training. NHLI also celebrated the accomplishments of three inspirational Hispanic women for their lifetime commitment to the Latino community. Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, Founder of AVANCE, Inc., Moraima Oyola Pizarro, Founder and CEO of Forjando Un Nuevo Comienzo and Eva Longoria, Actor and National Spokesperson for PADRES Contra el Cancer.

The conference day kicked off with a powerful opening keynote address by Julie Stav, Financial Expert and President of Julie Stav, Inc. Stav addressed the direct relationship between personal financial outlooks and management to one’s personal temperament and self-esteem. Next, the world-renowned Center for Creative Leadership presented a workshop entitled, “Making a Strategic Contribution” to provide attendees with valuable tolls and resources necessary to transform strategic thinking into strategic action.

During lunch participants enjoyed an enlightening panel presentation featuring top Latina authors like Esmeralda Santiago, Dr. Ana Nogales, LTC Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch (Ret), Zarela Martinez and Anita Perez Ferguson. These panelists discussed their secrets for success and obstacles they have overcome in life to be successful Latinas. Four concurrent sessions on diverse topics such as The Practice of Empowerment, Embracing the Natural Healing Within Each of Us, How to Use Media Relations to Help You Succeed, and Latina Entreprenuers – Sharing Their Secrets of Success rounded out the afternoon.

In the evening, our Mujer Awards Gala began with an art exhibit reception by featured artists Sina Sutter, Laura Lopez Cano, and Irene Carranza. Carranza designed this year’s conference poster, and all conference and gala materials featured her artwork.

Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, Chairman Emeritus and Founder of AVANCE, Inc., received the National Mujer Award. In 1973, as a former school teacher, she founded the nonprofit organization that would help low-income parents get their children, from birth to three years of age, ready for school as a means of reducing the high dropout rate among Latinos. Serving 7000 parents and children each year, AVANCE is a nationally recognized model and pioneer of parent education, family support and fatherhood education programs.

Moraima Oyola Pizarro accepted the Regional Mujer Award. Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, from an early age Pizarro was subjected to her father’s physical and emotional abuse — surviving even an attempt to burn her alive. Her experiences as a survivor have guided her in her work with youth and families in their struggle to survive and rise above the circumstances of their own personal and social challenges. Oyola is currently the president of Forjando un Nuevo Comienzo (Forging a New Beginning), an organization dedicated to employing school drop-outs and ex-offenders in the Puerto Rican cities of Guaynabo, Bayamón, Carolina, San Juan, and Cataño.

Actor Eva Longoria, Golden Globe nominee and star of the mega-hit “Desperate Housewives”, served as the 2006 Mujer Chair Award Honoree. One of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents, her incredible talent and creativity is reflected within an impressive list of projects which include major motion pictures, independent films, televised movies-of-the week and sketch comedy, to name a few. Longoria continues to pursue her dreams and remains committed to serving the Latino community. Longoria is the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El Cancer, a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families. In addition, she recently founded the San Antonio-based non-profit organization called “Eva’s Heroes,” which provides an inclusive setting for individuals with developmental disabilities to interact, play, and grow with their typically-developing peers and counseling for their families.

2006 National Mujer Award
Recipient: Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, Chairman Emeritus and Founder of AVANCE, Inc.

In 1973, as a former school teacher, Rodriguez founded the nonprofit organization that would help low-income parents get their children, from birth to three years of age, ready for school as a means of reducing the high dropout rate among Latinos. AVANCE’s successful proven model and Rodriguez have received tremendous national and local recognition. Serving 7000 parents and children each year, AVANCE is a nationally recognized model and pioneer of parent education, family support and fatherhood education programs. AVANCE has been featured in The New York Times (four times), including two editorials, “ABC World News Tonight,” “Good Morning America,” “The McNeil Lehrer News Hour” and included in three First Ladies books (Barbara Bush, First Teachers, Hillary Clinton, It Takes a Village and Rosalyn Carter, Helping Someone with Mental Illness.) AVANCE has been visited by Prince Charles and First Lady Barbara Bush.
Rodriguez was a delegate to the White House Conference on Families, and, by presidential appointment, served as part of the United States Delegation to the United Nations International Commission on the Status of Women, and currently is a member of Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. The recipient of numerous national and community awards, she also is the author of Raising Nuestros Niños: Bringing Up Latino Children in a Bicultural World by Simon and Schuster. Her works are included at the Eugene Barker Center on Texas History at UT of Austin. Rodriguez has her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Texas of Austin, is married to Salvador C. Rodriguez and is the mother of three children.

2006 Regional Mujer Award
Recipient: Moraima Oyola Pizarro, President of Forjando Un Nuevo Comienzo

Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Oyola has always identified with people in need. Her motivation to study psychology and theology was fueled by this. From an early age she was subjected to her father’s physical and emotional abuse — surviving even an attempt to burn her alive. Her experiences as a survivor have guided her in her work with youth and families in their struggle to survive and rise above the circumstances of their own personal and social challenges. Oyola is currently the president of Forjando un Nuevo Comienzo (Forging a New Beginning), an organization dedicated to employing school drop-outs and ex-offenders in the Puerto Rican cities of Guaynabo, Bayamón, Carolina, San Juan, and Cataño. She is also the president of the Coalición de Apoyo Continuo (Coalition of Ongoing Support). The coalition serves the residents of Guaynabo and functions as an umbrella organization for a variety of support agencies. She also is the treasurer of the Agencias Comunales de Puerto Rico (Community Agencies of Puerto Rico). Her life has always been committed to working with those who are marginalized from society. In this work, Oyola is guided by a strong, yet deceivingly simple mission: “We should never take away anyone’s hope-it might be the only thing a person has left.”

2006 Chair Award
Recipient: Eva Longoria, Actor and National Spokesperson for PADRES Contra el Cancer

Actor Eva Longoria, Golden Globe nominee and star of the mega-hit “Desperate Housewives”, is the 2006 Mujer Chair Award Honoree. One of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents, Longoria recently starred in “The Sentinel”, opposite Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland and Kim Basinger and also stars opposite Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez in the independent film “Harsh Times.” A graduate of Texas A&M – Kingsville, with a degree in Kinesiology, Longoria continues to pursue her dreams and remains committed to serving the Latino community. Longoria is the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El Cancer, a non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families. She also works closely with The United Farm Workers (UFW), The Mexican American Legal Defense Educational Fund (MALDEF), Dolores Huerta Foundation and The National Council of La Raza (NCLR). Longoria co-produced and hosted the 2006 National Council of La Raza Alma Awards. She recently founded the San Antonio-based non-profit organization “Eva’s Heroes,” which provides an inclusive setting for individuals with developmental disabilities to interact, play, and grow with their typically-developing peers and counseling for their families. In addition, Longoria was recently honored with the “Latina Visionary and Community Empowerment Award” from the Hispanic Women’s Corporation for her contributions to the Latin community. This November, the Larry King Cardiac Foundation in partnership with the American Heart Association will present her with the “Corazon Unidos Award” for her philanthropic efforts at An Evening with Larry King and Friends, a gala that benefits children and adults in Los Angeles in critical need of cardiac care who lack financial resources or medical insurance.

The 2006 NHLI Executive Leadership Conference and Mujer Awards Gala was made possible by the sponsorship of: State Farm Insurance Companies, Southwest Airlines, McDonald’s Corporation, Wal-Mart, UPS, Lowe’s, Coors Brewing Company, AT&T Foundation, LatinaStyle Magazine, The Cartel Group, Continental Airlines, COMPASS Bank, Nordstrom, Microsoft, DFW International Airport, Nationwide Insurance, Goya Foods, Starbucks Coffee Company, American Family Insurance, Washington Mutual, Ford Motor Company, Lifetime Television, HACU, Altria Group, Inc., US Postal Service, Anheuser Busch, PhRMA, D&P Creative Strategies, AARP, Edwin Gould Foundation, Dell, Inc., General Motors, CCL, ExxonMobil Foundation, Walt Disney World, Fannie Mae and Sodexho.

NHLI is the premier organization in the United States dedicated to developing Hispanic women as ethical leaders through training, professional development, relationship building and community and world activism. NHLI has been serving the Latina community since 1987 through its Mid-Career Leadership Development Program and Latinas Learning to Lead Youth programs. NHLI’s leadership development program is the only in the country that includes two of the top leadership development programs offered in the U.S., Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and Center for Creative Leadership. NHLI has empowered thousands of Latinas to run for office, launch new businesses, maneuver up the corporate ladder, and run successful non-profit organizations among many other successful career paths. Through its regional Latina empowerment conferences, NHLI has provided Latinas across the country with leadership development and training. Latinas Learning to Lead, NHLI’s youth program, prepares and develops the next generation of Latina leaders.