Central Iowa Team

The Iowa Latinx Project is directed by a collaborative leadership team. The all-volunteer team was drawn from across the economic and social sectors representing the diversity of Latino leadership in the region. Together, we are worked to analyze the statistics and stories presented in Nuestro Iowa and develop strategies to advance our community and our state broadly to fulfill our mission and vision.

Central Iowa Collaborative Leadership Council

"*" Indicating Founder

"**" Indicating 2023 Chair

Ana Coppola, Chair, Polk County Health Department **
Dawn Martinez Oropeza, Chair, Al Éxito***
Rob X Barron, Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact, Iowa Political Network *
Frank Dunn-Young, City of Des Moines
Gabriela Fuentes, Plan Parenthood
Gabby Guerra, Al Éxito
Junior Ibarra, Ibarra Realty Group
Erica Johnson, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice*
Juan Pablo Sanchez, Greater Des Moines Partnership
Claudia Schabel, Schabel Solutions

Sub-Committees

"*" Indicating Leader

Business

*Claudia Schabel, President and CEO, Schabel Solutions
*Juan Pablo Sanchez, Director of Inclusive Business Strategies, Greater Des Moines Partnership
Joe Enriquez Henry, League of United Latin American Citizens

Education

*Gabby Guerra, Al Éxito
*Rob Barron, Executive Director, Iowa and Minnesota Campus Compact
Maria Alonzo-Diaz, Member At-Large, Des Moines School Board
Kate Bennett, Education Community Impact Officer, United Way of Central Iowa
Eduardo Bolaños Jackson, Restoration and Safety Coordinator, Hoover High School
Dawn Martinez Oropeza, Al Éxito
Anadelia Morgan, Member At-Large, West Des Moines Community Schools Board of Education
Yvette Sanchez, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Specialist, Kraus Group

Health

*Ana Coppola, Public Health Planner, Polk County Health Department
*Gabriela Fuentes, Senior Advocacy Strategist, Planned Parenthood of the North Central States
Dr. Nalo Johnson, President and CEO, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation
Daniel Zinnel, CEO, Proteus, Inc.
Betty Mond, Bilingual Counselor, Catholic Charities
Kay Tannatt, Coordinated Intake Manager, Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa

Housing

*Frank Dunn-Young, Senior City Planner, City of Des Moines
*Junior Ibarra, Team Leader, Ibarra Realty Group
Amal Barre, Vice President of Planning and Strategy, Oakridge Neighborhood Services
Julian Casseli, President/Owner, Caselli Construction
Ryan Doyle, Real Estate and Land Development Manager, Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity
Joel Ibarra, Owner, Monarca Properties & Monarca Construction
Gerardo Perez, President, Andrew’s Roofing
Clint Sloss, Project Manager, Hubbell Realty Company

Immigration

*Erica Johnson, Executive Director, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice
Sonia Parras Konrad
Alejandro Murguia Ortiz
Tom Chapman
Marya Moriel de Banuelos
Derma Rivera Aguirre

Statewide Iowa Team

Hampton

Valeria Gonzalez, North Iowa Area Community College

Marshalltown

Magali Marquez, (Check Bio)

Ottumwa

Himar Hernandez, Iowa State University Extensions

Sioux City

Victor Diaz Galindo, Sioux City High School
Dr. Jennifer Gomez, Sioux City School District
Ricardo Osorio, Siouxland Mental Health

Storm Lake

Joanne Alvorez, Plains Mental Health
Emilia Marroquin, Upper Des Moines

Waterloo

Claudia Rivera

West Liberty

Carmela Lechuga. West Liberty Bank
Omar Martinez
Ed Moreno, Gentle Family Dental**

Research Consultant

Yadira Guzman

Latinx Project Coordinator, Dawn Martinez Oropeza, Al Éxito

Al Éxito Fiscal Sponsor

Past Founding Members

Nathan Blake, Iowa Attorney General
Kenia Calderón Cerón, Green State Credit Union
Miguel Contreras, Flock DSM
Suzanna de Baca, Business Publications Corporation
Alejandro Hernandez, Drake University**
Alex Jimenez, Wildflower
Noemi Mendez, Capitol View Elementary School
Barbara Quijano Decker, Catholic Charities

Consultants

Joel Huting

Vandegrift Huting Consulting, LLC

CO-FOUNDER AND QUANTITATIVE LEAD

Darcie Vandegrift

Vandegrift Huting Consulting, LLC

CO-FOUNDER AND QUALITATIVE LEAD

Yadira
Guzman

University of Minnesota

MA CANDIDATE

Central Iowa Story
Session Participants

Fatima Calderón

María Elisa Campos

Juana Colin-Hernández

Isabel Contreras

Merced Cruz

Diana Echeverria

Orlando Fuentes

Jovita Gómez

Rodrigo Gonzáles

Jorge Gutiérrez

Rocio Hermosilla

Jocelyn Hernández

Melissa Hidalgo

Junior Ibarra

Victor Jiménez

Dr. Nalo Johnson

Josefina López

Jesús López

Pilar Martínez-Reyes

Fátima Martínez-Soto

Daizy Martínez-Soto

Edwin Méndez

Leticia Moreno

Agustin Oropeza

Sonia Reyes

Courtney Reyes

Celeste Treviño

Lissette Villalba Torres

Three anonymous participants

Iowa Story
Session Participants

Marshalltown
Marco Antonio Andrade Eliazarrara
Natalie Andrade, Facilitator
Yesica Castellanos Avalos
Gabriela Duban
Yadira Guzman, Facilitator
Magali Marquez*
Janet Merlos Garcia
Jesus Merlos Garcia
Guadaluoe Mondragon
Araceli Roberts
Reyna V. Cazares

Ottumwa
Pablo Alvarado
Naily Alvarenga
Alexander Botello
Bryan Carapia
Ashley Castro
Alicia Chacon
Diego Coronel
Kelly Garcia
Himar Hernandez*, Facilitator
Christian Lopez
Wilfrido Morales Rivas
Genessis Rico
Graciela Rivera
Junaita Zavala, Organizer

Sioux City
Valeria Alcala
Carlos Andrade
Maria Azpeitia
Alma Barrera
Eric C
Jordy Cambara
Yeno Condon
Juan De Anda
Victor Diaz Galindo, Facilitator
Maria Francisco
Nancy Fuentes Gusteuseh
Josue Omar Hernandez Lopez
Ricardo Osorio, Facilitator
Alejandra Payes-Contreras
Karina Pedroza
Rebecca Rojas
Diana Serrano
Monica Zermeno
Sara Zoe

Storm Lake
Joanne Alovrez*, Facilitator
Liliana Hernandez Castro
Vrenda Love
Xochitl Montano
Emilia Marroquin
Maria Ramos
Simri Rodriguez
Gudalupe Munoz Rocha

Waterloo
Victor Gonzalez
Jose Jaramillo
Margarita Jaramillo
Maria Luster
Carolina Mendez, Facilitator
Eduardo Ramirez
Claudia River*
Toribia Ramirez

West Liberty
Rob X. Barron, Facilitator
Dana Dominguez
JJ Garcia
Carmela Lechuga
Luz Martinez
Ed Moreno
Mario Padilla

Resources

https://www.medicareplans.com/medicare-coverage-resource-of-immigrant-populations/spanish/