Join us for an empowering evening of insight, connection, and celebration at the 4th Annual Uplift Latina Forum on Latina Equal Pay Day, Wednesday, October 8, at Azul Chicago. Experience a distinguished lineup of Latina leaders and allies who are driving impact, shaping change, and inspiring the next generation.
Presented in partnership with NBC/Telemundo Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Tech, and Today’s Inspired Latina, this signature forum brings together community, culture, and inspiration in one powerful gathering. Don’t miss your opportunity to be part of the conversation and movement.
Emma Olivera, MD – Chapter Co-Chair, National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
Dr. Emma B. Olivera, MD, FAAP is a bilingual, board-certified pediatrician and child health advocate dedicated to advancing health equity and representation in medicine. A proud Chicago native, she provides compassionate, family-centered care at Advocate Medical Group while also serving as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford.
Dr. Olivera completed her pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and holds dual bachelor’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago, along with her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Beyond her clinical practice, she mentors future healthcare leaders as a faculty advisor for LMSA Midwest and contributes nationally through leadership roles with the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement (MOLA).
Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Hispanic/Latino Doctor, Dr. Olivera has been featured in outlets including CBS, WGN, Univision, Telemundo, and VIX. She is passionate about pediatrics, health equity, mentorship, and empowering the next generation of Latino physicians.
Pattie Amaro, Director of Talent Acquisition, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Pattie Amaro is a seasoned Talent Acquisition Leader and current Director of Talent Acquisition at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, where she designs and executes enterprise-wide recruiting strategies to meet evolving organizational needs. With over a decade of experience in healthcare and corporate recruitment, she has led large-scale hiring initiatives, managed national recruiting teams, and advanced programs in technology recruiting, university partnerships, and sourcing solutions.
Her career includes leadership roles at Option Care Health and Health Care Service Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IL, MT, NM, OK & TX), where she drove innovative strategies to attract diverse, high-performing talent across multiple markets and business units.
Pattie holds a BA in Business Administration from DePaul University and is currently pursuing her MA in Applied Professional Studies with a focus on Organizational Leadership. Beyond her professional work, she serves as an Advisory Council Member with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and a mentor with Chicago Innovation’s Ladder program, reflecting her passion for youth empowerment, workforce readiness, and community engagement.
Veronica Ramirez, AVP of Investment Operations, Nuveen (a TIAA Company)
Veronica Ramirez is Assistant Vice President of Global Investment Operations at Nuveen, a TIAA company, where she has built a 17+ year career driving operational excellence across investment accounting, reconciliation, and client service. She leads teams responsible for ensuring accuracy and efficiency across diverse strategies, supporting account launches exceeding $4B in AUM, and spearheading major system conversions and outsourcing initiatives.
Previously, Veronica held leadership roles at CNA Insurance and began her career as a staff auditor with First Chicago NBD. A strong advocate for mentorship and collaboration, she has played a key role in business transformation initiatives and in developing future leaders within her teams.
Veronica earned her MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois Chicago. She is passionate about advancing first-generation college students and actively participates in Nuveen and TIAA’s community impact and business resource group initiatives.
Amanda Grzetic, Director of Strategic Growth & Partnerships, Assure Home Healthcare
Amanda R. Grzetic is Director of Strategic Growth & Partnerships at Assure Home Healthcare, where she leads sales strategy, market expansion, and partnership development across Illinois. With nearly two decades of experience in healthcare sales and marketing, she has held leadership roles with Champion Care, Tutera Senior Living, Shepherd Premier, and Encore Senior Living, consistently driving revenue growth and building high-performing teams.
A proud first-generation graduate, Amanda earned her BBA in Healthcare Administration from Northeastern Illinois University (Magna Cum Laude). Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to mentorship and representation, often speaking on leadership and empowerment for women and Latinas in healthcare. She is also a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts of the USA, continuing her passion for service and community leadership.
Andrelina Rodriguez, Head of Automation R&D, Americas – Siemens
Andrelina C. Rodriguez is Head of Automation R&D, Americas at Siemens, where she leads product development and the global R&D footprint for Smart Infrastructure Building Products from the Chicago/Buffalo Grove Center of Competence. A veteran engineering leader, she previously served as Siemens’ Director of Software Engineering and Engineering Manager/Scrum Master, and earlier drove complex device integrations at Motorola Mobility (Google/Lenovo). Her expertise spans large-scale systems integration, building automation, IoT, embedded and cloud solutions, and cross-functional program leadership.
Committed to inclusion and community, Andrelina has co-led DE&I initiatives within Siemens and co-founded the Illinois Venezuelan Alliance. She holds both an MS and BS in Computer Science from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (summa cum laude) and is multilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Lynette Correa-Velez, M.Ed., Founder & CEO, Pagame Project
Lynette Correa-Velez, M.Ed. is the Founder & CEO of the Pagame Project, an AI-powered career coaching and economic mobility platform focused on closing the women’s wage gap globally. With over 20 years of experience in human capital empowerment, she has coached and co-empowered more than 30,000 diverse learners across the U.S. and internationally.
A highly awarded career coach and recognized DEIAJ thought leader, Lynette has earned more than 18 honors for her work in career and leadership development, workforce innovation, and equity in tech. She has served in leadership roles at City Colleges of Chicago–Kennedy-King College, HACE, and Joliet Junior College, and is an alum of accelerator and fellowship programs including Nasdaq’s Circle Fellowship, 1871 WMNTech and LTNTech, and the Colorwave Tech Fellowship.
Bicultural and bilingual in English and Spanish, Lynette is a first-generation college graduate, social entrepreneur, and advocate for inclusive tech ecosystems. She also serves on the Equal Pay Coalition Steering Committee at Women Employed and the Associate Board of Directors at Chicago Innovation.
Hannah Fernandez, Managing Partner, ROI Business Funding | Illinois District Director, SCORE
Hannah Fernandez is the Managing Partner at ROI Business Funding, where she specializes in helping small business owners access capital ranging from $50K to $5MM. Through her expertise, she bridges the “missing middle” finance gap, providing solutions that traditional banks often cannot, while building long-term partnerships that fuel business growth and job creation.
In addition to her work with ROI, Hannah serves as the Illinois District Director at SCORE, where she leads statewide mentorship and training programs that support thousands of entrepreneurs annually.
With a career spanning more than a decade in entrepreneurship, finance, and community leadership, Hannah has become a trusted advisor, keynote speaker, and panelist on topics including access to capital, women in business, and leadership development. She is deeply committed to advancing opportunities for women, minorities, and underserved business populations, and her leadership continues to make a lasting impact on small business ecosystems across Illinois and beyond.
Gema Ortega, Executive Director of Academic Affairs, Dominican University
Dr. Gema Ortega is an Associate Professor of English and Executive Director of Academic Affairs at Dominican University’s Chicago campus. A scholar of Comparative World Cultures and Literatures, she specializes in colonial and de/postcolonial theory, diasporic identities, critical race and ethnic studies, and literary and cultural translation.
At Dominican University, she has held leadership roles including Director of the Writing Program and Translation Studies and Director of the Transition Bridge Program, where she championed inclusive curriculum development and multilingual, equity-minded pedagogy. Her career also includes teaching and community engagement roles at Saint Xavier University, City Colleges of Chicago, and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
Dr. Ortega earned her PhD in Comparative and World Literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her work reflects a deep commitment to academic leadership, cultural inclusivity, and advancing educational opportunities for diverse student populations.
Refugio Atilano, Author of The Latino Leadership Playbook | Director of Cultural Competency, AbbVie
Refugio A. Atilano is an award-winning cultural leadership professional, author, and DEI advocate committed to advancing equity and driving impact across global communities. He currently serves as Director of Cultural Competency in the Office of Health Literacy at AbbVie, where he focuses on meeting the diverse needs of patient populations and integrating cultural understanding into healthcare strategies.
Refugio is the author of The Latino Leadership Playbook, a resource widely recognized for empowering Latino professionals with tools to navigate career and leadership pathways. His work has earned him honors as a DEI leader and Global ERG leader, reflecting his dedication to leveraging culture as a catalyst for organizational success and community impact.
With a background spanning healthcare, aviation, and business transformation, Refugio has led enterprise-wide strategic initiatives at AbbVie, United Airlines, Baxter, and U.S. Cellular, consistently delivering innovation, customer experience improvements, and organizational alignment.
Alfonso Barrera, Founder, HispanicPro – The Hispanic Professional Network
Alfonso Barrera is the Founder of HispanicPro – The Hispanic Professional Network, the nation’s leading networking organization dedicated to advancing Latino professionals through events, digital media, and corporate partnerships. For more than two decades, he has built platforms that connect thousands of professionals with career, business, and leadership opportunities across industries.
An entrepreneur, connector, and community advocate, Alfonso Barrera has partnered with Fortune 500 companies, leading universities, and civic organizations to design and deliver impactful programming that advances diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. He also served on the Executive Committee of SCORE Chicago as Vice Chair Emeritus of Diversity & Inclusion, where he mentored entrepreneurs and championed small business growth.
Through HispanicPro and his broader work, Alfonso continues to shape spaces where Latino leadership, talent, and culture thrive.
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