This is the second of a five-part series. Part one is available here.
Gery Paredes Vásquez is the Race and Gender Equity Director for the YWCA in Madison. In her role, she supports the YWCA through creating programming, curricula development and community empowerment rooted in race and gender equity. Paredes Vásquez has 12 years of experience in program development, training, co-facilitating, and consulting, in both English and Spanish. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Prescott College.
Ian Bautista is the senior director of civic engagement at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, a seasoned nonprofit executive leader working to make a positive impact on the future by working inclusively with a broad-based constituency of other leaders from all industries. Previously, Bautista was the executive director of the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative in Milwaukee and president of Comunidad, a community building consulting practice. He is a former president of the United Neighborhood Centers of America.
Patricia Contreras is the Vice President of Global Public Affairs for Rockwell Automation, Inc., the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, where she oversees the company’s federal and state government affairs activities, external communications, media relations, corporate responsibility and environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting functions as well as the community relations and contributions group. Prior to that, Contreras served as Director of Global Community Relations and Contributions for Rockwell Automation. She is the first Latina to lead the company’s global public affairs function. Contreras represents Rockwell Automation on national corporate advisory councils including FIRST, MIND Research Institute, and Georgetown University New Strategies. Locally, she serves on the board of the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network, United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Campaign Cabinet and Volunteer Council, and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Committee for Hispanic Serving Institutions Advisory Board.
Dr. Stephen Quintana, the current Department Chair of Counseling Psychology at UW-Madison, has been working in counseling psychology since 1989. Much of his research has focused on multiculturalism and children. Quintana has received several awards and recognitions, including being named the Gimbel Child and Family Scholar for his work to promote ethnic, racial, and religious understanding in 2001. In addition to being department chair, Quintana is the Associate Editor for Journal of Counseling Psychology. Quintana received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Notre Dame.
Alex Zacarias is an award-winning producer and independent filmmaker who lives in Green Bay. He founded 3N Production Company and has been the digital visual arts director at the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay since 2014. He is a creative entrepreneur intersecting art, commerce and community, according to his Linkedin profile. He has experience in writing, directing, and editing skills of English and Spanish language television programming including documentaries, news, adult/children’s educational series, and corporate/industrial videos.
Dr. Armando Ibarra is an associate professor in the School for Workers at the University of Wisconsin Extension. He has extensive and diverse teaching, research and organizing experience. Ibarra’s research and fields of specialization are Chicano/a Latino/a working communities, adult education on issues of diversity in the workplace, international labor migration, leadership development, organizing workplaces, and applied research. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California-Irvine, and joined the School for Workers faculty in January 2011.
Lorissa R. Bañuelos is the Director of Marketing and Investor Relations at New North Inc, the regional marketing and economic development organization for the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin. She oversees marketing efforts, along with serving as a daily point of contact for regional firms invested in New North. She also leads the planning and execution of events, including the annual New North Summit, and the distribution and marketing of New North Inc.’s branding tools. The Madison native is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with a degree in business administration. She held a series of marketing and leadership roles throughout her time at UWGB, including implementation of strategic initiatives for the College of Health, Education and Social Welfare. She also held positions with Kimberly-Clark Corporation in Neenah and Cumulus Broadcasting in Green Bay, along with the Wisconsin Historical Society Press and Art Gecko, both in Madison, while a student. She is an active volunteer in the Green Bay community, working with organizations such as Junior Achievement and Golden House, to make a positive impact.
Christian Albouras represents Madison’s southwest side on the Common Council, elected in 2019 after serving on the Madison Police Policy and Procedure Review ad-hoc Committee since its inception in 2015, the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission since 2016, and the Board of the Latino Chamber of Commerce since 2018. InBusiness Magazine named him one of the area’s 40 Under 40 in 2017, and the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council named him Business Development Professional of the Year in 2018. Christian earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Part three coming tomorrow!
