Hispanic Excellence: Standouts in Business & Nonprofit

SUNRISE, Fla. --In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Florida Panthers will be recognizing South Florida community members making a difference in various different fields through a "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence" content series.
From Hispanic business owners and educators to creators, healthcare workers, media members, activists and more, the "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence" will recognize individuals nominated by their peers, colleagues and families for the positive impact they are making in South Florida and beyond.
Honorees' stories and achievements will be highlighted continuously throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, digitally at FloridaPanthers.com and via Panthers social media platforms @FlaPanthers and @FlaPanthersCARE.
Last week, the Panthers celebrated honorees in the field of
education
.
In this week of "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence," the Panthers are proud to highlight ten honorees in the field of business and nonprofit.

Maria Alonso

Independent Board Director, USCB Financial Holdings LLC
Maria Alonso currently serves as an Independent Director of USCB Financial Holdings, LLC, the holding company of U.S. Century Bank, one of Florida's largest community banks. Throughout her 30+ year career in for-profit and nonprofit management, Maria has had the privilege to serve the South Florida community. Both as the immediate past President and CEO of United Way Miami and former Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Bank of America, Maria has worked to identify, connect, and leverage opportunities that benefit the community as well as participating partners and organizations. Maria has served on the boards of Miami's most pivotal organizations including having served as Board Chair for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and, at Beacon Council, was a co-chair of the One Community One Goal initiative. She is on the board of New World School of the Arts and has also served on the boards of the Miami Dade College Foundation, Camillus House, and many others. Maria is a member of the Latino Corporate Directors Association, National Association of Corporate Directors and International Women's Forum. As a first generation American, Maria is proud of her Cuban roots and Hispanic heritage.

Brenda Desir

Compliance & Lending Analyst, Urban League of Broward County
Brenda Desir was born and raised in Spanish Harlem, New York, and relocated to South Florida 20 years ago. Brenda has served the Urban League for 15 years in different capacities. Through her role in the Entrepreneurship Center, Brenda helps connect entrepreneurs and small minority business owners to funding that will launch, grow, and sustain their businesses. Brenda's integrity, passion, and commitment has helped secure over $800,000 in loans for small minority businesses since becoming a Community Development Financial Institution in 2020. As the need for capital grows, Brenda remains innovative in finding solutions to bridge the gap and help create generational wealth in our community.

Henry Estrada

VP of Club Operations, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County
As Vice President of Club Operations, Henry Estrada is charged with leading the day-to-day operations for all thirteen Boys & Girls Clubs in Broward County, serving 2,000 youth daily and over 10,000 youth annually. He leads the Club Experience, program strategy, safety, grant administration, and personal management of 150+ staff members for the organization which is ranked as a Top 10 organization within the Boys & Girls Clubs of America footprint. Henry is not just an employee of BGCBC, he is an alumnus. Henry joined the Marti Huizenga Club in the early 90's when it first opened. He went on to work part-time at the Club while attending college and when he was 21, he was named full-time Athletic Director. Henry's 30-year professional career have all been with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. Henry is married to his wife Michelle, who he met at the Club, and they have two daughters who both attend the same Club where Henry grew up.

Orlando Gonzales

Executive Director, SAVE
Orlando Gonzales is the Executive Director of SAVE. In his current role, he works to advance SAVE's mission to promote, protect and defend equality for people in South Florida who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. SAVE is recognized as South Florida's longest serving organization dedicated to protecting LGBTQ people against discrimination. Throughout his career, Orlando has been involved with businesses and non-profit organizations with an impact on both the local and national levels. Public service has always been an integral part of his life, focusing on organizations that promote human rights and the educational advancement of people of color and the LGBT community. He has also served on the board of trustees of the Point Foundation and has been an active alum of Georgetown University and of the National Urban Fellows program. During a time when the rights of the LGBTQ community has been under constant strain of being repealed and protections are threatened to be curtailed, Orlando has made it his personal mission to provide a voice for the concerns of this community.

Kelly Gonzalez

CEO, ProKel Mobility
Kelly Gonzalez leads the fastest growing government procured privately owned transportation company in the U.S. His vision to innovate processes and customize logistics solutions for some of the largest municipalities in the world has solidified him as one of the most sought out transportation experts in the past decade. In 2020, Kelly moved his local headquarters to North Miami Beach and started managing NMB's Public Transportation Trolley Shuttle contract. In the first six months of operation, the transportation system saw a 110% increase in ridership which accounts for 10,000+ riders a month. Kelly takes part in dozens of community engagements and youth success development programs, including North Miami Beach Police Athletic League (PAL). Across the U.S., Kelly has a Small Business Incubator Program aiming to assist small business and interns. This program assists startups, provide free workspaces, mentors new entrepreneurs, and in some cases, helps small companies get access to capital in the form of government procured grants.

Maria Hernandez

Chief Program Officer, United Way of Broward County
Maria Hernandez is a senior level non-profit executive who has successfully designed and administered human service programs, and clinical interventions in the areas of health, behavioral health, education, prosperity, homelessness, and emergency services within organizations in New York and Florida. She joined United Way of Broward County in June 2013 as the Vice President of Program Operations. In 2017, she took on the role of Chief Program Officer with primary accountability for the operations of the Community Impact Department, Commission on Substance Abuse, and Mission United. Maria also oversees United Way emergency response efforts for natural disasters, as well as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Maria is a board member for the Homeless Continuum of Care (COC) and the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Prior to this, Maria was the Director of the Family Support Services Department at Family Central, Inc. She was also a Program Director at the Children's Home Society of Florida and Supervisor at New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Heidi Alzate Kaufman

Non-Profit Consultant
Heidi Alzate Kaufman is a lead consultant that works with numerous local, national, and global diverse social impact organizations by helping them understand how to run a Fortune 500 company while still maintaining the mission of helping people. She helps organizations with their Board development and governance, fundraising, marketing, leadership coaching, her connections with other non-profits and strategic planning. As a first-generation American, her mother immigrated to this country from Columbia with nothing but the clothes on her back and her older brother, who was a toddler at the time. Without a strong support system, Heidi would not have been able to achieve her higher education or have a successful career as a minority Fundraising Executive leader. This is what drives her passion to pay it forward for the nonprofit and philanthropic community.

Malena Mendez

President & CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County
Malena Mendez joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County in January 2021 after holding multiple positions at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts for more than 18 years. Malena brings strong leadership skills and significant experience in fundraising, sponsorship, marketing, events, and relationship management to her current role. Soon after joining BBBS, Malena, supported by her staff and board, launched the Broward Bigger Better Stronger campaign with the goals of pairing down the waitlist and raising $1 million in support of programming and staffing. Within eight months, 76% of children on the waitlist were matched with mentors and $1.1 million was raised. Malena currently serves on the Board of Governors at the Tower Club and is a member of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Broward, and Leadership Florida.

Tania Andre Montanez

Founder & CEO, The Mavuno Project
Tania Andre Montanez is a full-time human trafficking advocate and missionary. Tania founded The Mavuno Project with a mission to prevent, protect, and inspire purpose to the children who the project reaches with their human trafficking prevention seminars. The Mavuno Project is an international organization reaching children in the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean. Tania is a child sexual abuse survivor, and she incorporates her story in all seminars to inspire hope and purpose. Tania's goal is that no child become a victim to these horrible crimes.

Ana Rodriguez

Administrative Technician, Florida Power & Light
Ana Rodriguez is an Afro-Latina who was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Out of high school, Ana began her 16-year career at Florida Power & Light. Ana Rodriguez provides support to the Broward County and Southwest external affairs team. This involves coordinating and processing event sponsorships. Ana also coordinates community events, such as community activations and volunteer opportunities. Ana is intentional in her efforts to practice inclusivity in everything she does. She has been a mentor for the Girls Rule program and Career Bound program with Junior Achievement of South Florida. She also sits on the leadership team with the Young Professionals Network Emerge Broward, coordinating various programs to grow their membership. Ana is the mother to a creative young lady named Makayla.
Later in the season, all of these "Celebration of Hispanic Excellence" honorees will be recognized during ¡Vamos Gatos! Takeover Night presented by Ford on Saturday, Jan.14, 2023, when the Panthers take on the Vancouver Canucks at 7 p.m. at FLA Live Arena.
For more information, please visit
https://www.nhl.com/panthers/fans/vamosgatos
.