BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Americas for the Arts 501c3
EIN# 32-0261204
Colorado Non-Profit GRANTED October/2008
501(c)(3) GRANTED March/2012
Irene Vilar, Founder/President, AFFILIATION: AFC+A Irene Vilar is an award winning author and Guggenheim fellow, publisher, environmental activist, an active public speaker for multicultural literacy, reproductive and mental health, and social justice. Vilar is the founder and executive director of the Colorado based nonprofit Americas for Conservation + the Arts 501(c)(3). Vilar is a member of the Oxford Union Debate Society, debating on conservation issues and reproductive health and served on the advisory board of the Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry as well as on the boards of the Green Leadership Trust, the Latino Alliance for Literacy Advancement, the Jaipur Literary Festival, the City of Denver Office of Sustainability, and the Denver Metro Nature Alliance. Vilar is the recipient of the City of Denver Office of Sustainability 2016 Love This Place Award for her work as a Community Builder, the 2017 Mayor's Award for Cultural Excellence Imagine 2020, and she is a 2018 El Pomar Foundation Leadership and Service Award Nominee & Honorable Mention.Vilar gave the keynote at the 2010 National Convention of State Senators and Legislators Hispanic Caucus on Latino Mental Health, “Severe Depressive Disorder: Overcoming Adversity and Stigma”.
Robert Mandel, Vice President 2024-2029, AFFILIATION: MANDEL VILAR PRESS: Robert Mandel has been in academic and trade book publishing for over 34 years, 27 of these 32 years as a University Press Director. He has been an Acquisitions Editor for all of his 34 years in publishing and has acquired, edited and published over 1,800 titles during his career. Prior to his publishing career, Robert received his Ph.D. in modern European History from the University of Toronto and his Masters in History and Bachelors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mirta Ojito, Officer 2024-2029, AFFILIATION: NBC | TELEMUNDO NEWS : Mirta Ojito is the Senior Director of News standards for NBC/Telemundo. Her expertise is in the areas of journalism and communications. She is the recipient of numerous awards, and won a shared Pulitzer for national reporting in 2001 for a New York Times series of articles about race in America. She is the author of Finding Mañana: A Memoir of a Cuban Exodus and of the upcoming Hunting Season: Immigration and Murder in an All-American Town. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, an op-ed columnist for The Miami Herald, an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, and Senior Director of News standards for NBC/Telemundo.
Doug Unger, Officer 2024-2029, AFFILIATION: UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS: Doug Unger is the author of five novels, including Leaving the Land, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and winner of the Society of Midland Authors Award. His many honors and distinctions include a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation, a Fulbright scholarship, and the Nevada State Board of Regents Medal for Creative Activities. He is the co-founder of the MFA in Creative Writing International program at UNLV and serves on the executive board of Words Without Borders
Nita Gonzalez, Officer 2024-2029: A proud Chicana born on the eastside of Denver, Nita Gonzales represents the Chicano movement’s legacy of social justice and human rights. Alongside her father, the legendary Chicano activist Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales, Nita learned early on the importance of culture, tradition and the strength of Latino leaders. Nita credits her father’s influence for steering her course in the world down a path for social justice and human rights. She also credits the influence of her mother, Geraldine Gonzales, her grandmother and her tías. With such strong philosophical and intellectual influences, Nita became a teacher and a community activist. She is the president/CEO of the national model for Chicano/Mexicano and indigenous education at Escuela Tlatelolco Centro de Estudios, a school she co-founded with her father in 1970. As a community organizer, Nita was the founder of the Denver Youth Employment and Education Task Force, a founder of the Chicano/Mexicano Education Coalition and a co-founder of the Colorado Latino Forum. She has sat on many boards including Denver Community Oversight and Clínica Tepeyac. She is a member of the President’s Cabinet for Metropolitan State University of Denver. Nita has received numerous awards for her work and her advocacy, including the 2008 Colorado Pioneer Women’s Award, 2005 Metropolitan State College Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Award, 1999 Families First Pat Schroeder Award and the 1995 U.S. Department of Justice Community Service Award. In March 2012, Nita was named one of President Barack Obama’s Champions for Change.
SoYoung Lee, Officer 2024-2029, AFFILIATION: ROCKY RIDGE MUSIC CENTER: Executive/Music Director at Rocky Ridge Music Center, received her Doctorate in Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is an award-winning pianist. SoYoung enjoys her multi-faceted career as a performing artist, administrator, teacher, producer, and arts advocate. A strong believer in the concept of the artist as entrepreneur, she co founded two organizations: Colorado-based AirTurn, a company dedicated to empowering musicians through technology; and Notes at 9,000 at Winter Park, a multi-genre music competition that launches emerging musicians by providing concert opportunities, funding, and mentoring. She is passionate about building community through the arts and serves currently as a trustee on the board of Boulder County Arts Alliance and as a member of the Estes Arts Presents Task Force.
Rudy Arredondo, Officer 2024-2029, AFFILIATION: NATIONAL LATINO FARMERS & RANCHERS TRADE ASSOCIATION, CEO of NLFRTR: Rudy Arredondo represents the interests of Latino small farmers and ranchers nationally in Washington, D.C., organizing and dealing with policy, legislation and regulatory issues and well as environmental justice advocacy. He is an active member of the board of directors of the Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural. He focuses on issues related to land, minority agriculture, rural economic development, small business and entrepreneurship, specifically as they relate to Latino farmers and ranchers in the United States. He is a past member of the Hispanic Lobbyist Association. He is very active with Farm Aid Advocacy Link, R-CALF USA (independent beef producers), and the National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE). He has worked for the DNC, the UFW, and the National Association of Hispanic Publishers. Mr. Arredondo is a recipient of the United Nations Association (D.C. Chapter) Human Rights Award, the Founders Leadership Award of the Hispanic Democratic Club of Montgomery County, the Maryland Governor’s Citation for Health, the Maryland House of Delegates Citation for Health Issues Leadership and the Maryland Senate Citation for Health Leadership. He is also an active member of the National Press Club since 1997. He edits and publishes the National Hispanic Political Reporter.
Toti Cadavid, Vice President 2024-2029, AFFILIATION: U-FULFILLED: Toti launched and led Xcelente Marketing, a top-notch Hispanic marketing agency, and in 2012 Toti founded U-Fulfilled – a company committed to helping people attain their highest levels of success based on the values of authenticity, purpose, and joy. Toti was recognized in 2005 as one of the nation’s Top Latina Business Entrepreneurs by Hispanic Magazine and by The Denver Business Journal as one of the “Top Forty Under 40” business leaders in Colorado. Toti has held leadership positions in a number of local and national business and civic organizations. In addition, former Mayor Hickenlooper appointed her to his Denver Early Childhood Council and to his Latino Commission. Toti holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business, a masters’ degree in Marketing, another master’s degree in Management & Organizational Development, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, all from the University of Colorado. In addition, Toti is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Management Program, the 2004 Leadership Program of the Rockies, the 2005 Leadership Denver program, the 2005 National Hispana Leadership Institute, and the 2005 Dartmouth University Tuck Minority Business Executive Program.
Anti-discrimination statement adopted by the Board of Directors
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Americas for Conservation and the Arts does not, and shall not, discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services and programming. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.