Executive
Management Team
 Mr.
E. Francisco Lopez, MPA, JD.
President and CEO
Key responsibilities include, partnership development, program oversight,
fundraising, marketing, and fiscal management. An immigrant to the
United States, Mr. Lopez also serves on several community and national
boards. He also provides customized training in the areas of leadership
and board development. Mr. Lopez, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree
from Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations,
a Master of Public Affairs from Cornell's Graduate School of Public
Affairs, and a Juris Doctorate at Howard University School of Law.
He also served in the United States Army receiving an honorable
discharge and a distinguished service medal.
 Jessica Andrade
Special Projects Coordinator
Jessica is a native of El Paso, Texas. She successfully put herself through school, attaining her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. She had the extreme pleasure of working closely with Ambassador Richard McCormack, her mentor and colleague, at the Center for the Study of the Presidency in Washington, D.C. After that successful semester, Jessica was an intern for the Honorable Congressman Silvestre Reyes, where she worked on issues such as social security and healthcare along the El Paso border. Following her undergraduate studies, she worked as a Marketing Director for a consulting company in El Paso. She now brings her talent to our nation’s capitol with the strong determination to help as many immigrant and migrant students pursue their dream in government and politics.
Ms. Andrade is responsible for coordinating all marketing related, public relations, and special event projects. She also serves as special aide to the President and CEO.
 Talom Essonani
Program Coordinator/Office Manager
Miss Essonani is originally from Togo West Africa. She immigrated to the United States in July 2000 and holds a Masters Degree in Sociology and Education Sciences from the University of Benin in Togo. Her extensive experience includes working with several Human Right Organizations and networks in Togo and in Africa, as the Executive Director of African Center of Democracy Human Right and Protection of Detainees. She also serves as the President of the Coalition for Child Right Protection of Togo (COPET). As an active citizen in her community, she participated actively in writing the agenda for Women World Conferences in Begin and in African Regional Committees Nairobi, Accra, and Dakar Conferences.
Her previous experience in the U.S. includes working at Service Employee International Union (SEIU), working as a program assistant of the Local 82 Education and Training Program for more than three years, and other immigrant’s advocacy and empowerment organizations. She is currently President of International Women Development Organization (IWODO). Besides being a successful woman, she is a mother of three wonderful civilians: Magui (17) who is in medical school at UDC, Ming (16) who is a member of the National Honor Roll Society at Benjamin Banneker High School, and Jonathan 9 E.L. Haynes, who loves math and language. She would like to conclude with these three phrases, which represent her ideologies.
“Being a good leader is my destiny”
“Fighting for Human right, Democracy and Justice is My Passion”
“Empowering the unseen population anywhere in the world is my weakness”
 Ernesto Ortiz Ariza
2006 Fellow
Mr. Ernesto Ortiz is originally from Mexico City, Mexico and migrated to the United States in 1995. He is a graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College where he received his Associates of Arts in Political Science. Ernesto has been involved with several Youth Leadership Programs both as a participant and later as a staff member. He was named the Georgia Migrant Student of the Year in 2004. Ernesto plans to continue to work for his bachelors in the fall of 2007. One of his professional goals includes working with international affairs in the political arena and coming back to help the empowerment and civic participation of the Latino community in the United States, through education and leadership training.
Summer Program Staff 2007
 Irene
I. Vega
Program Fellow
Ms. Irene Vega is originally from San Luis, Arizona, a small town
that borders the Mexican state of Sonora. She is a graduate of Arizona
State University where she earned dual degrees in Political Science
and Chicana/o Studies. She has worked extensively with Latino youth
in the areas of employment and training, counseling, academic advising
and tutoring, etc. She is passionate about higher education and
advocates for it in her professional and personal life.
After two years in the workforce, Irene will return to Arizona
State University in the Fall of 2005 to pursue a Masters Degree
in Higher and Post Secondary Education. One of her professional
goals includes working within recruitment and retention programs
for first generation students at the University level. Regardless
of where her professional assignments take her, she knows that she
will be involved with the Latino community's youth and their education.
Program Trainers and Facilitators
Trainers and Facilitators include the list below, but are not limited
to only this list:
- Patricia Campos, Legislative Director, UNITE-HERE
- Cesar Moreno, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement,
(LCLAA)
- David Fernandez, Esq., Fernandez and Associates
- Zenaida Mendez, National Women's Organization
- E. Francisco Lopez, MPA, JD, BCLI President and CEO
- Fernando Cruz Villalba, Parent Involvement and Board Development Specialist
- Jose Vargas, Vargas and Associates, Work Force Development and Community Development
- Congressional Representatives
- Congressional Staff
- US Agency Officials
- Office of Migrant Education (OME)
- US Department of Education
- US Department of Labor
- US Department of Agriculture
- US Department of Health and Human Services
- Federal Depository Corporation, FDIC
- Citibank, Washington, DC
- National Education Association, NEA
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Edmundo
Milholo
Mrs.
Louisa Mitchell
Mr.
Fernando Guillen