Gamal Aburdene-Marcos : Private Client Advisor with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management
Gamal Aburdene-Marcos is a Private Client Advisor with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, where he leverages a commitment to client centered solutions to guide individuals and families toward their financial goals. Originally from Bolivia, Gamal came to the U.S. in 2012 to pursue higher education bringing with him a global perspective and a passion for financial empowerment.
Alongside his work with J.P. Morgan, Gamal is advancing his expertise as an MBA candidate at the George Washington University, sharpening his skills in strategic planning and wealth management.
Sergio F. Alcantara: Morgan Stanley
Sergio F. Alcantara is a financial services professional who specializes in Strategy and Operations. He is currently Vice President, Admin and Operations, for Global Financial Crimes at Morgan Stanley.
Sergio joined the Morgan Stanley team through the U.S. Department of Labor Program, Hiring Our Heroes in May of 2023. He currently oversees financial planning and analysis, personnel and vendor management, business continuity, entitlements, and the day-to-day operations. Additionally, he collaborates with senior management and key stakeholders across the Legal and Compliance Division to drive special projects.
Prior to entering the world of financial services Sergio served in the U.S. Army and retired after 27 years of service. He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sergio’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies from the University of Maryland Global Campus formerly known as the University of Maryland University College, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.
Ruben Barrales: Senior Vice President, External Engagement Wells Fargo & Company
Ruben Barrales is Senior Vice President for External Engagement at Wells Fargo. He works to advance Wells Fargo’s diversity and inclusion efforts for employees, customers, and the communities we serve.
Barrales previously served as president & CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, and of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network. He also led an effort focused on increasing the number of Latinos elected to state and local government.
Prior, Barrales served in the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of White House Intergovernmental Affairs.
The son of Mexican immigrants, Ruben was the first Latino elected to the San Mateo County (California) Board of Supervisors. He was recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine, and he received the “Ohtli Award” from the Government of Mexico for his commitment to improving the well-being of Hispanics in the United States.
Kevin Bigelow: Just4Veterans Center, DOD
A dedicated Veteran Coach at Just for Veterans. After 20 years of service in the United States Marine Corps, I’ve picked up a few things about leadership, perseverance, and the importance of mission success. My military journey wasn’t just about wearing the uniform—it was about building strong teams, overcoming tough challenges, and pushing the limits of what’s possible.
Now, as a Veteran Coach, I’m channeling that same dedication and focus to help fellow veterans navigate the often-complicated world of VA claims. I know firsthand how overwhelming the process can be, and I’m here to make sure no veteran has to go through it alone. Whether it’s deciphering the intricacies of disability ratings or advocating for the benefits you’ve earned, I’m committed to guiding you every step of the way.
Celeste Carrasco: Director, Federal Public Affairs, AT&T
Celeste Carrasco, a Director of Federal Public Affairs for AT&T, is responsible for executing national strategies that achieve corporate legislative and regulatory objectives, presenting company positions to external stakeholders in key issue areas and managing community partnerships with non-profit organizations in the Latino, corporate social responsibility and consumer advocacy communities.
Celeste was honored as City Year Idealist of the Year in 2015 and was honored to receive the herMANA award in 2016 by the MANA organization. She has also been the recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award multiple years running. All recognitions highlight her passion for volunteerism and commitment to the communities she represents.
A dynamic and engaging leader. Celeste is coalition builder at heart, always looking for ways to partner, engage and execute plans. Celeste possesses extensive experience in leading diverse and large teams in network operations and customer care organizations.
Previously, Celeste was an Area Manager in New Jersey, where she led a team of 16 managers, with diverse roles and responsibilities in support of over 200,000 AT&T Business customers. Focused on cost saving initiatives, Celeste was effective in reducing expenses and increasing productivity in her management of the AT&T Business Managed Internet (MIS) budget and human capital objectives. She was also involved with the MIS Pilot Program, which is tasked to create and implement the most efficient model to support AT&T customers by providing the “Highest Quality at the Lowest Cost”. Celeste’s most significant achievements were facilitating the off-shoring of MIS support to Sykes in 2005 and in 2011, the migration of this labor back into AT&T facilities in Bangalore, India, Cyberjaya, Malaysia and Piscataway, New Jersey.
Celeste was recruited in 1996 while she was still a senior at Rutgers University, and became one of the first 10 team members to support the newly launched AT&T WorldNet Dial. From that role, she transitioned to working behind the scenes as a Process Owner for AT&T Virtual Private Network (VPN) Business Services, and later held multiple diverse roles within the MIS organization where she was a driving force behind many of the global virtual center designs in use today.
Due to all her accomplishments, Celeste was one of only fifty leaders across AT&T selected to participate in the 2011 Accelerated Development Program (ADP) – a year-long, intensive AT&T experience designed to advance business acumen and increase strategic perspective as preparation for future leadership opportunities.
Celeste holds a B.A. from Rutgers University, a MC in Project Management and a Masters in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. She is the President of the DC Chapter of HACEMOS, The Hispanic/Latino Employee Association of AT&T, and is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion. A native of Argentina, Celeste and her family live in Washington, D.C.
Mark Elliott: Global Head of Military & Veterans Affairs JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Mark A. Elliott is the Global Head of Military and Veterans Affairs for
JPMorgan Chase & Co. He oversees firm-wide, veteran-focused efforts
around strategic pillars, including: Career and Skills, Business Growth and
Entrepreneurship, Financial Health and Community Engagement.
Over nearly three decades serving in the U.S. Army, Mark commanded units
at the company, battalion and brigade levels. Retiring as a Colonel, his
assignments in both conventional and special missions units took him around
the world including two deployments to Iraq, with his last serving as aide-decamp
to the commander of all forces in Iraq. Most recently, Mark Elliott was
the Director of the Army’s Land Warfare Network at the Pentagon in
Washington, D.C.
Mark joined JPMorgan Chase in 2015 as a senior strategist on Global
Technology Infrastructure’s Strategy and Transformation team where he
supported the firm’s efforts to create new ways of interacting with customers
in a digital environment.
He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in physics from the University of Alabama,
a Masters in Telecommunications Management from Southern Methodist
University, and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the National War College
in Washington, D.C.
David Flores: RSM
A resourceful and determined leader, I bring the expertise of working with diverse teams and isolate an individuals strength to improve the dynamics of the team. Through years of leadership I’ve been able to direct and motivate teams, both in the military and civilian sector, to spearhead complex projects with successful and quantifiable results. My straight forward approach has made me very accessible to my team members by allowing them to come forth and ask any question, bring up any concerns, and have the ability to provide their own input in order to succeed at any task assigned to the team.
I have over four years of active duty service with the U.S. Army assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. As an infantryman, I have accumulated over 27 months of experience working overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. This experience led to the development of my leadership abilities and the skills needed to adapt and overcome difficult situations as they present themselves.
After serving on active duty I transitioned over to a military intelligence battalion with the California National Guard. As a Human Intelligence Collector I provided intelligence assessments on enemy operational capabilities and managed cross-functional teams. Furthermore, this position helped developed the capabilities to adjust to constant changes in the operational environments while analyzing the inflow of information.
Jean Ibañez-Payne
Born in the United States, Jean Ibañez Payne was raised in Colombia,. Jean returned to the United States to finish high school and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1992 serving as a Yeoman until 1996. In 1996, she began her 20 plus years of experience in workforce training, communications, marketing, diversity, program management, and risk management. Jean’s passion has always been helping people work better together and increasing awareness and efforts around Diversity and Inclusion. This passion motivated her to start TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC). In 2014, Jean took a huge leap of faith with the support of her husband and started TIVC. TIVC’s mission is “To Help People Work Better Together” which has quickly become a successful business in the corporate and government environment and has earned the trust of customers across the Country.
Jean is an International Coaching Federation certified coach, Certified Diversity Executive with certification in Lean Six Sigma, Change Management and Emotional Intelligence. She is a member of multiple non-profit boards and holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Business Administration. One of Jean’s biggest accomplishments was authoring the top seller called Reclaim Your Worth which details her life story of abuse, empowerment and building a life in her terms.
Jean is the receipient of the 2022 ALVA Veteran Entrepreneur Award.
Edgar Jimenez
Edgar is currently employed as Director and technology consultant for EJConsulting He spent over 22 years at KPMG and was a Technology Specialist Director in the Commercial Advisory practice. Edgar served as the chair for the Hispanic Latino Network for DC and VA as well as a founding member of the KPMG Involve Committee.
Edgar truly has a passion for community service, evidenced by his work as a Board Member and current president of the board of La Clinica del Pueblo, where he has served for over 15 years, and of Project GiveBack’s Annual Thanksgiving Food Distribution for over 20 years. PGB provides food for around 5000 families around the holidays. La Clinica del Pueblo has provided health services to the Latino Community for over 40 years. Edgar has served with many other health and community service organizations since he was a teenager growing up in the Washington, DC area.
Edgar served as Washington DC chapter President of the Association of Latino Professionals for America, ALPFA-DC, with the sole mission to build and empower Latino men and women. Edgar continues to support Veterans of ALPFA.
Edgar’s community service awards include the 2005, 2010 and 2012 KPMG Washington DC Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Volunteerism. He also received a the 2006 United States President’s Call to Service Award and a 2007 Certificate of Appreciation from Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty.
Edgar served in the United States Marine Corp from November 1983 until November 1990.
Roy Love: President ANSO - Association of Naval Services Officers, Speaker, CAPTAIN USN (Ret)
Roy Love was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the U.S. in 1983. In 1988 he graduated from Townsend Harris HS in N.Y. Following HS, Love enlisted in the U.S. Navy and attended the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) Program in San Diego, California, in 1989. In 1993, he graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Marine Transportation/Business Administration, and received his naval commission via ROTC.
His sea duty assignments are numerous, having served over 12 years at sea. He attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, earning a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in 2008.
He deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom on an Individual Assignment in support of the ARMY 304th Sustainment Brigade, managing and distributing fuel across all of Iraq to support U.S. and allied forces.
CAPT Love reported as Commanding Officer of USS BOONE (FFG 28) in June 2010, where he led the ship in winning the Battle Efficiency award in 2011. He completed his tour on BOONE in December 2011 and assumed Command of Afloat Training Group Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. CAPT Love served in the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Joint Division Chief for PACOM, NORTHCOM, and SOUTHCOM, under the Deputy Director for Regional Operations (J35) from 2014-2016.
In August 2016, he assumed command of Naval Base San Diego (NBSD), the second-largest Naval Base in the U.S. CAPT Love culminated his tour as Commanding Officer of NBSD in July 2019, after leading the base in winning the Commander in Chief Installation Excellence Award.
His final assignment in the U.S. Navy was as Executive Assistant to Commander Navy Installations Command, who leads 10 Navy Regions and 70 Naval Installations worldwide, with over 50,000 employees and over $200 Billion in assets, and a $10B annual operating budget. Captain Love retired from the U.S. Navy after 29 years on active duty.
CAPT Love’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and various U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard unit and service awards.
Dr. Valery Maya, DEL, PMP, BB
As a seasoned leader with over 10 years of experience, I have successfully driven impactful change for Fortune 500 firms across diverse industries, such as finance, healthcare, enterprise software, digital marketing, advertising technology, e-commerce, and government. My strategic approach and focus on leading cross-functional teams have resulted in significant improvements in strategy, process, and profitability for various organizations. With extensive experience in DEI strategy and driving initiatives, I have fostered inclusive environments and promoted diversity within the teams and organizations I have worked with. My unique ability to analyze and solve complex problems, combined with my expertise in project management, agile methodologies, lean six sigma, and data analysis, creates value for clients and ensures continuous growth and development for the organizations I collaborate with.
Jose Melecio II: Senior Program Management/Senior Project Management/Healthcare Management/Senior Healthcare Administrator/Program Management, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Strategic, high performing management professional with over 20+ years of proven experience in Military and private healthcare systems. Extensive experience in iterative process improvements, coordinating and monitoring leadership engagement activities, driving cultural safety, and policy preparation in a healthcare delivery system. Extensive knowledge of VA Healthcare, Veterans Benefits Administration, Veterans Cemetery, and TRICARE/HUMANA. Demonstrated understanding of the federal health care landscape with previous and current experience managing Veterans Health Administration. Bilingual in English/Spanish communications.
Silvana Montenegro: Global Head of Advancing Hispanics & Latinos at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Silvana Montenegro is JPMorgan’s Global Head of Advancing Hispanics & Latinos for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) organization. This first-ever leadership role for JPMorgan Chase provides a unified vision and strategy to advance the unique priorities of the Hispanic and Latino communities, aligning with the firm’s $30 Billion Racial Equity Commitment.
Silvana brings a wealth of experience from her leadership roles in the U.S. and Latin America, as well as a proven reputation for empowering leadership teams and individuals to reach their potential. She is passionate about developing talent, driving an inclusive workplace and excels at connecting the dots to deliver business results.
Prior to her current role, Silvana was the Head of Commercial Banking Talent, Diversity & Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase, where she led and elevated strategic efforts around developing and retaining top talent, as well as promoting an inclusive culture across the organization.
Previously, she played a key role in building and developing Leadership Edge, JPMorgan Chase’s Leadership Center of Excellence. During her 3 years on the team, Silvana was responsible for designing and facilitating several management and executive programs for senior managers, including leading programs for JPMorgan Chase’s Top 1,000 Executives.
Of her 25 years with the firm, she spent 17 supporting the Latin America business in various capacities, including as the Head of Latin America Talent, Diversity & Inclusion, leading the function from the ground up and laying a strong and sustainable foundation for the region. During her time supporting Latin America, she played a critical role in advising Senior Management on talent matters, in addition to leading key strategic efforts. A key example was the set-up of the JPMC Colombia office, where she developed the local HR function and practices, in addition to leading the recruiting and onboarding of over 30 new employees.
Silvana has been featured in several publications and was recently recognized by Latino Leaders magazine as one of the top 100 Latinas in the US.
Silvana is a Brazilian national and US citizen and speaks fluent Portuguese, Spanish and English. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. Silvana currently resides in Westchester, NY, with her husband and two children.
Brian Morales: Wells Fargo
Brian is a Senior Financial Advisor, Senior Vice President-Investments and PIM Portfolio Manager for Wells Fargo Advisors. Brian’s practice focuses on helping high net worth private clients as well as corporate and institutional clients optimize the preservation and prudent growth of their assets. By taking a holistic, needs-based and planning-driven approach with his clients, Brian ensures that his client’s portfolios are risk optimized and that all of his client’s financial concerns are addressed throughout the planning and investment management processes. He is supported by a group of highly experienced specialists and offers securities brokerage, investment management and planning, access to estate planning services, and insurance solutions available through the firm’s affiliates. In addition to advising numerous wealthy families and family offices, Brian works with a variety of non-profit organizations on their reserve management and 401k retirement plan needs.
Brian joined Wells Fargo Advisors in 2006 after 9 years as a Corporate Services Financial Advisor at UBS Wealth Management. At UBS, he was responsible for portfolio construction, investment management and concentrated equity transactions as well as analysis and strategy for corporate executives of publicly-traded companies. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1991 after graduating from the University of Maryland in College Park with a Bachelor of Science degree. He held a variety of management and advisory positions after graduating and prior to joining UBS in 1997.
Brian is a PIM* Portfolio Manager, an advanced designation held by less than 10% of the firm’s Financial Advisors and provides highly customized discretionary investment solutions for clients, guided closely by the recommendations and collective insights of our research partners.
Brian is a periodic guest lecturer on wealth management topics at American University in Washington DC and George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and shares Wells Fargo Advisors’ commitment to the local community. In the community, Brian serves as a Blue and Gold officer at the United States Naval Academy where he guides exceptional high school students through the application, nomination and appointment process. He is the son of a US Air Force pilot and lived with his family in Madrid, Spain. He is a general aviation and military aviation enthusiast and enjoys bass fishing and golf in his spare time. He is very proud of his two children Jack and Rachel and has called Southern Maryland home since 2002.
Marie Robles: SVP-Director of Finance, EagleBank
Marie Robles’ financial expertise spans over 20 years in both the private and public sectors. Ms. Robles is SVP-Director of Finance at EagleBank.
She was previously Chief Financial Officer at Transportation Federal Credit Union where she oversees all functions of accounting and risk. Prior roles include VP of Accounting and Finance at Northwest Federal Credit Union and Funds Accounting Manager at Navy Federal Credit Union. Throughout her career Marie has played a key role in the implementation of processes and procedures for compliance with new accounting and regulatory reporting requirements including risk assessment and documentation of risks and controls for compliance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act. Marie is also passionate about serving the community. She currently serves as Secretary on the National Board of Directors for the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and on the Strategy Development Committee of the National Women of ALPFA. She is also Treasurer for the American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA). Ms. Robles is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Nevada, and she holds a BS in Accounting from George Mason University and a MBA from University of Phoenix.
Joanna Diaz-Soffer: Principal Manager, T-Mobile Government & External Affairs
Joanna Diaz Soffer is the Principal Manager at T-Mobile Government & External Affairs. In her current role she works with internal and external stakeholder organizations, advocating in the public policy space for T-Mobile priorities. She also drives visibility of T-Mobile in the marketplace and its good citizenship with government leaders, diverse organizations, and a variety of external constituencies. Joanna joined T-Mobile in 2020 after working as a consultant on the historic T-Mobile-Sprint merger.
Previously in her role as Associate Vice President at DDC Public Affairs, Joanna worked with clients like T-Mobile to plan and execute their advocacy and policy initiatives. She served clients in the energy, telecommunications, and manufacturing industries. Joanna has utilized her over-a-decade in politics and corporate government relations experience to build and manage successful issue and advocacy campaigns.
Prior to joining DDC Public Affairs in 2017, Joanna served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for a top targeted congressional race in Nevada. Most notably, she served as the Nevada Hispanic Engagement Director for Jeb Bush for President in the 2016 cycle. Originally from Southern California, Joanna worked for Disneyland Resort Government Relations and various state and local political campaigns.
Currently, Joanna serves on the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) Advisory Council, the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocations Business Advisory Council and The Latino Coalition Public Policy Council. Joanna resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter and English bulldog.
Danny Vargas: President, VARCom Solutions and Founder/Chairman/CEO, ALVA
U.S. Air Force veteran, Danny Vargas is a nationally-recognized business, community, and board leader. He was named among the “101 Most Influential Latinos” in America by Latino Leaders Magazine each year from 2020 - 2023 and among Most Influential people in D.C. by Washingtonian Magazine in 2022. and 2023 His community leadership roles include: Chair Emeritus, Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino, where he led the successful national bipartisan effort to pass the bill in Congress; Founder/Chair/CEO of the American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA), helping veterans thrive and recognizing their contributions throughout history; Chair of the Virginia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Chairman of the GO Northern Virginia economic development initiative, and many other boards. In business, he is Founder/President of VARCom Solutions, a national marketing/PR firm; former Chair of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development; former Chair of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce (first Latino to chair a mainstream chamber in Virginia history); and former executive at France Telecom and AOL. As a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2015, he was endorsed by the Washington Post as “one of the region’s more impressive first-time candidates in recent memory.” A Brooklyn native with a tough upbringing, he has advocated for common sense solutions on issues including economic development, workforce, veterans, healthcare, immigration, transportation and more.
Diego Zambrano: Manager of Federal Government Affairs to the United States at Philip Morris International (PMI)
Diego Zambrano currently serves as Manager of Federal Government Affairs to the United States at Philip Morris International. In this role, he advocates for the company’s top priorities, utilizing his expertise and experience to engage with government bodies.
He previously served as part of the Committee on House Administration under the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In this capacity, he worked under House Republican leadership, focusing on fostering diversity and inclusion within the congressional setting. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director and VP of Programs at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI), advancing diversity of thought within the Hispanic community.
Diego’s public service journey began in his hometown of Miami. He began his Congressional career serving as Director of Outreach for retired U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, where he spearheaded her engagement efforts. Prior to that, he served as a Diplomatic Mission Aide at the Colombian Consulate in Miami.
Diego holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Miami.
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