Read biographies of feature guests for the 2017 international Women's Day Celebration being held Wednesday, March 08 at Early Society Chicago.

Moderator

Siera Santos, Sports Broadcaster, CSN Chicago

Siera Santos joined CSN Chicago in October 2015 as the White Sox reporter and anchor of Fast Break.  While she primarily hosts the midnight program in the off-season, Santos covered White Sox slugger Jose Abreu’s return to Cuba last year, creating a long-format documentary about his homecoming after defecting.

Prior to joining CSN Chicago, Santos was a sports anchor/reporter for CBS affiliates KCBS/KCAL in Los Angeles, CA, where she hosted KCAL's Sunday night "Sports Central" program and handled social media updates for "Thursday Night Football" and "March Madness" postgame shows. Prior to making the jump to Southern California, Santos was a sports journalist at CBS affiliate KWTV in Oklahoma City, OK where she handled numerous multimedia duties including reporting, shooting, producing, editing, and fill-in anchor. Santos got her start as a news reporter/multimedia journalist at NBC affiliate KOAA-TV in Colorado Springs, CO covering national news stories including the Waldo Canyon Fire and Aurora Theater Shooting.

Santos graduated with honors from Arizona State University as the Outstanding Undergraduate Student. Among her numerous career achievements include earning the distinction of being the first woman to ever win the award for "Best Television Sports Anchor" from the Broadcast Education Association.

Discussion Panelists

Stella Gaytan, Executive VP, Partnership Development, Monterrey Security

Stella serves as Executive Vice-President of Partnership Development with a high level of expertise in business development, account management and customer service.  In this role she manages executive-level relationships from initial contact through the client management process.  Her success stems from her innate ability to develop strong relationships and establish rapport with clients by demonstrating knowledge of their business and discretely working with them on their issues of concern.  Stella believes customer satisfaction is ensured through consistent follow-up regarding any key concerns and priorities.  She has authored and delivered effective presentations in person as well as remotely to an executive audience regarding our services, engagement results and recommendations.  Under her direction, Monterrey Security has formed strong partnerships with the Chicago Fire Police Training Academy, colleges and social service organizations to support youth and various charities.  Stella currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Catholic Charities, including the Latino Advisors’ Subcommittee,18th Street Development Corporation and her local school board. 

Having been with the organization since its conceptual phase, Stella has played an integral part of shaping its message and leadership team. Working hand in hand with company president Juan Gaytan, Jr., she has helped the company achieve recognition in Hispanic Business Magazine as one the fastest 100 growing Hispanic businesses in the U.S. and securing partnerships at Lincoln Park Zoo, University of Illinois at Chicago, retailers like Wal-Mart and iconic museums including The Field Museum.  As a direct result of her sales and marketing efforts, Monterrey Security has maintained a position in the top 500 of all Hispanic Businesses in the U.S. for the past five years.

The success achieved under Stella’s sales and marketing direction has led Monterrey Security to become the premier security firm serving Midwest clients large and small.

Stefany Jacobo, Miss U.S. Latina, Finance Coordinator, USHLI

History was made on October 1, 2016 as Stefany Jacobo of Crown Point, Indiana took home the first ever Miss U.S. Latina title for her state.

Stefany was born and raised in Acambaro, Gto., Mx. She immigrated to the U.S. with her family at the age of 10 not knowing she would later hold a National Title. The 24-year-old Latina beauty earned her Bachelor’s degree in Science of Public Affairs at Indiana University. She currently works as a Finance Coordinator at the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. Here, in conjunction with her title, she has been able to fulfill her passion of working with students in underserved communities.

During her national title reign, she will continue the work she was doing statewide as Miss Indiana Latina 2015 of helping to make a life-long impact on students and community members. She is committed to fostering a culture of education across the country as Miss U.S. Latina 2016, thus being "more than a model - a ROLE model."

Maria Pedroza Barnett, Director of Communications, Oak Street Health

Maria is the Director of Communications at Oak Street Health. In her role, she is helping build a growing organization's communication operations functions. Oak Street Health is a  Chicago-based company that builds primary care offices in medically-underserved communities, helping to bridge the healthcare access gap where it is needed most. The company currently has 20 clinics in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.

Maria manages relationships with media and community and public leaders, as well as internal stakeholders on behalf of the company. Throughout different points in her career, Maria has worked with major companies on initiatives that aim to better represent and serve the growing Latina market.

Maria is a graduate of Harvard University and lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

Carina E. Sánchez, Executive Director, Public Building Commission of Chicago

Carina E. Sánchez is a dedicated, public servant who has over 15  years experience in government working for the citizens of Chicago and Illinois. Carina currently serves as the Executive Director of the Public Building Commission of Chicago. She is the first Latina to serves in this position. In her role, she oversees the agency which serves a full-service, public developer, that plans, designs and constructs municipal buildings such as  schools, libraries, parks, firehouses and police stations. Since 2011, the PBC has completed more than $1.9 billion worth of capital construction projects in the City and surrounding areas.

Prior to her current role, Carina was the Deputy City Clerk for the Chicago City Clerk. She was responsible for the coordination and day-to-day processes of the office to ensure uninterrupted and effective operations. She managed about 100 employees and a $10 million operating budget that generated around $150 million in revenue for the City through the vehicle wheel tax compliance of over 1.3 million vehicles. She oversaw and managed the historic transition from seasonal sales of Chicago Vehicle Sticker to a year-round sales program which brought $35 million of new revenue to the City.

Carina previously worked as an Outreach Liaison for the Cook County Board President (2010), Manager of External Affairs for Illinois State Treasurer’s Office (2007-2010), Director of Policy and Community Relations for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and liaison for the Office of the Governor  (2005-2007), and various other support positions within Illinois state government. 

Ms. Sánchez is a graduate of the University of Chicago where earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Latin American Studies. She also holds a Masters in Business Administration from National Louis University. The native Chicagoan is a proud mother and eldest daughter of Mexican immigrants. She lives in Lakeview with her son, husband and dog.

Time is running out to register. Don't miss out! 

The college graduate underemployment epidemic is easing.

​And the stereotypical image of young people stuck in parents’ basements, working as baristas at Starbucks and wondering why they burdened themselves with $30,000 in student loan debt is becoming outdated.

There are still too many recent graduates in jobs that didn’t require them to go to college, but the situation is improving. A highly cited report several years ago found 53.6 percent of recent college graduates were out of work or underemployed in 2011. But recently released data from a separate source shows that in 2014 only about 33 percent of people fresh out of college didn’t have jobs that required college educations, and after age 22 their career paths were much improved. READ MORE AT DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE

Multicultural marketing has created a marketing economy based on segmenting the population by ethnicity. While ethnicity segmentation has worked for the past several decades, as I pointed out in an earlier column, that foundation is starting to crack. Our industry is experiencing a paradigm shift. As we attempt to make sense of this existential crisis of marketing models, we should consider how we segment and why.  READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

Networking is an incredibly broad term that seems overwhelming, but when broken down, it’s a terrific resource for small business owners. Meeting people in person and establishing true relationships is a major part of growing a business, but also in creating a support system for entrepreneurs. 

​Building a community that understands your journey as a small business owner is incredibly helpful and valuable. Not only do they provide insight and ideas, but these people can truly empathize with the rollercoaster that is owning a business. READ MORE AT BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

The accomplishments of Hispanic women are many, but too often in our American workforce they go unsung and under-compensated. The Latina pay gap remains 54 cents in her paycheck for every dollar paid to her white, male colleagues for the same work. It is a stubborn pay gap, some say generations old. That’s why it’s important to recognize Hispanic women in posts like this one, but more-importantly on pay day.

​Moreover, the bilingual fourth estate is more-essential than ever to keeping Hispanic communities informed about what’s coming from the Trump administration. READ MORE AT HUFFINGTON POST

Want to make your business networking more effective? Here are ten tips to keep in mind.

Effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another.

Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.

Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections. READ MORE AT BUSINESS KNOW-HOW

Educational attainment among U.S. Latinos has been changing rapidly in recent years, reflecting the group’s growth in the nation’s public K-12 schools and colleges. Over the past decade, the Hispanic high school dropout rate has declined and college enrollment has increased, even as Hispanics trail other groups in earning a bachelor’s degree.

The issue of education is an important one for Hispanics. Roughly eight-in-ten (83%) cited education as very important to their vote in the 2016 election, ranking it alongside the economy, health care and terrorism as a top issue. READ MORE AT PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Only ethnic demographic to increase homeownership rate

The homeownership rate for Hispanics increased in 2016, contrary to other ethnic groups, who all saw a decrease in homeownership.

The homeownership rate among Hispanics increased to 46% in 2016, up from 45.6% the year before, according to a report from the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the overall homeownership rate dropped from 63.7% in 2015 to 63.4% in 2016. At the same time, the African-American rate also dipped from 43% to 42.2% and the Asian-American rate dropped from 56.5% to 55.5%. READ MORE AT HOUSINGWIRE

The only way to advance in a career—that is, to advance in the influence and impact you have on others—is to become someone whom others respect and with whom they want to work. For me, the biggest hurdle I had to overcome professionally was, quite honestly, me. During my thirties and early forties, I had to rewire some of my basic programming. I had to change how I tended to think and behave at work. Even now, I still find that self-awareness is key.
As I reflect, there were three particularly important lessons along my path to greater impact:

Learning to welcome negative feedback. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

Oregon’s Latino population continues to grow, spurring communities to improve their outreach.

A report by the Oregon Community Foundation titled “Latinos in Oregon” estimates 12 percent of the state’s population is now Latino, compared to 8 percent in 2000.

In some Eastern Oregon communities, the growth has been even more rapid.

Umatilla School District superintendent Heidi Sipe said 65 percent of her students are Latino and 70 percent have a mixed ethnic background. In 2001, 42 percent of the district’s students were Latino.

“What families need at 42 percent Hispanic is far different than what they need at 70 percent Hispanic,” Sipe said. “We’re always adjusting.” READ MORE AT EAST OREGONIAN

It's been a tense week for immigrants and people of color throughout the country, but there was some good news in California: a new study by the advocacy group National Council of La Raza points out that the state's Latinos, as a group, are doing much better in many areas.

"Latinos in the Golden State: An Analysis of Economic and Demographic Trends" reveals an increase in the median household income for the state's Latinos, and a decrease in their poverty rate. Median incomes for California Latinos rose more than $5,000 annually. READ MORE AT NPR

Norwegian American Hospital (NAH), which has served the community of Humboldt Park for over 120 years, began a new phase in the development of the hospital with a groundbreaking ceremony of the first-floor transformation project on January 27 at 10:00 A.M. The event, hosted by José R. Sánchez, President and CEO, was held at the hospital located at 1044 N. Francisco Avenue in Chicago.

Several local elected officials were present at the event supporting the improvement project such as Congressman Danny Davis, State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, State Representative Cynthia Soto, and Councilman Roberto Maldonado, among other important officials. Also in attendance was the multi-prized and renowned architect Juan Gabriel Moreno of JGMA who will oversee this project and Skendor Construction.

“We want to provide our patients with a facility that will enhance our ability to provide the highest-quality medical care not just today, but for the next generation,” says President and CEO José R. Sánchez. “Today, it’s clear that we turned the corner on the transformation of Norwegian American Hospital. We accomplished goals that were set when I arrived six years ago. We can point to progress in almost every area where we needed to see improvement,” Sanchez emphasized, who is currently the first Latino President of a hospital in Chicago and in the State of Illinois.

NAH is investing more than $5 million dollars in the health of the community through the construction of a new modernized emergency department with a ‘Fast Track’ program’ to treat an additional 5,000 patients a year. There will be an extended residency clinic for the new Family Medicine Program which will begin in July to meet the needs of a growing community and to ensure higher levels of patient care and service. In addition, the renovations will allow Corporate Health to expand and meet the high demands of businesses within the community. This project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

“We want everyone who enters the first floor of the hospital to feel a sense of hope, dignity, and a more comforting future,” said architect Juan Gabriel Moreno. “All of this will be accomplished by using color, light and 100% recyclable materials, all in efforts to transform the experience patients have within the building,” claimed Moreno, who oversees the renovation.

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More on NAH
From its start in 1894, Norwegian American Hospital has been deeply committed to serving the Humboldt Park community. Norwegian American Hospital is a 200-bed, acute care facility. We provide healthcare treatment that’s patient-centered and focused on quality of care, ranging from everyday care to treatment for your most critical needs.
The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and has achieved Primary Stroke Certification from the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP). Our Hospital professionals pride themselves on providing excellent medical care while striving to care for our patients, their families and friends with thoughtfulness and respect. Visit www.nahospital.org for more information.

More on JGMA
JGMA founded by Colombian architect, Juan Gabriel Moreno, received the “Excellence in Community Design” from Richard H. Driehaus Foundation thanks to his work “The Center” for Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). JGMA was also included in the “Top 50” design firms in the country by Architect Magazine and is also considered one the best architecture company by Modern Interiors in 2015. In parallel, it was recognized with three AIA Chicago Design Awards in that same year. Without a doubt, his architectural works are already part of the city’s history. Visit www.jgma.com for more information.

Successful entrepreneurs know that networking is not a numbers game. It’s not about how many business cards you pass out or collect. It’s not about how many products you can sell or whom you can instantly impress, exploit or schmooze to get what you want.

Proper networking is a gradual process of making genuine connections with people and cultivating those relationships for the long term. READ MORE AT ENTREPRENEUR

Leaders have long recognized that a diverse workforce of women, people of color, and LGBT individuals confers a competitive edge in terms of selling products or services to diverse end users. Yet a stark gap persists between recognizing the leadership behaviors that unlock this capability and actually practicing them.

Part of the problem is that “diversity” and “inclusion” are so often lumped together that they’re assumed to be the same thing. But that’s just not the case. READ MORE AT HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

The threat of deportation from the United States may put pregnant Hispanic women and their babies at risk, researchers suggest.

In their study, the researchers from the University of Michigan discovered that the chances of both preterm birth and having low birth weight babies went up for pregnant women affected by a large-scale federal immigration raid in Iowa in 2008.

The finding comes as many Hispanics' deportation and discrimination fears mount in the United States. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that calls for construction of the long-discussed border wall between America and Mexico. READ MORE AT U.S. WORLD & NEWS REPORT

Many people (including me) offer advice on what it takes to be better at networking. One thing often is left out of that equation, however: Networking involves interacting with others, so it's worth asking what the average person believes it takes to become great. If we want to make the kind of impression that works to build a powerful personal network, we must be cognizant of others' expectations and adjust our behavior accordingly. READ MORE AT ENTREPRENEUR

Over the past decade, the number of Hispanics in the U.S. with pets in their homes skyrocketed from 11 million to 20 million as the pet ownership rate among Latinos grew from 40% to 55% between 2007 and 2016, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in the report Hispanics as Pet Market Consumers.

This exceptional growth rate is due not only to the rapid growth of the Hispanic population but also to the accelerating degree of Hispanic acculturation. READ MORE AT PR NEWSWIRE

Miami’s real estate market may have cooled a bit, but it is poised for long-term success and sustainability. And the world-famous beaches and tropical weather are only part of the equation. Despite a millennial-led nationwide trend to rent and wait on or avoid buying real estate, Miami’s strong Hispanic demographic positions the Magic City with a population that still strongly believes in family and homeownership. READ MORE AT MIAMI HERALD

Here's something we can all agree on: the next four years are going to be one heck of a ride. In order for us to maintain our sanity, we need to rely on each other to stay on track. Success and confidence never typically come easy, but as long as you have some sort of motivation to keep you going, you're ready to take on the world.

Check out some incredible quotes by these Latina all-stars for some quick inspiration today. READ MORE AT LATINA

The financial services industry is no stranger to the Hispanic market. Many of the largest national and regional banks, insurance companies, tax preparation and investment firms have been targeting the Hispanic market for years. In 2014, the financial/insurance category spent a total of $352 million in measured Hispanic-targeted media (Nielsen, SSG). According to AHAA, from 2006 to 2010, expenditures by the financial services category saw a major increase in allocation of overall ad spending to the Hispanic market.

However, a closer look at the data by industry sub-category shows these numbers are heavily skewed... READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST