Board | napahispanicnetwork

nchn board

"It takes amazing people to make a winning team."

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The Board is composed of dedicated leaders from across the Napa Valley that bring forth their unique and diverse perspectives, background, and skills. They govern, sets policies, and supports its fundraising and programing to carry out the NCHN’s Mission. Leadership is integral to our amazing Board. We are dedicated to helping the Latino people through fundraising, organizing committees, community events and any other causes to support our Napa County. Our collaborative Board shares diverse perspectives and ideas to keep us motivated. Our teamwork is essential to all our success within the network and community.

executive board

Jorge Gonzales

president

Gonzalez is the Chief Administrative Officer of Gonzalez Vineyard Management LLC. He studied Chicano Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara and is an alumna of the Latino Business Scaling Program through the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Raised in the Napa Valley, he comes from a long line of agricultural workers whose ancestors originally migrated to the valley from Mexico. He is a first generation Mexican-American. He actively took part in community advocacy throughout his educational career. Those experiences and exposure to strong role models, fostered a deep appreciation for the Latino immigrant community that has contributed to agriculture. He applies his knowledge and passion to the development and growth of his family’s vineyard management company. He is strongly committed to the success of the Latino Community.

Vice president

Cathy Gillis

Gillis teaches English and Coordinates Online Education at Napa Valley College. She coordinated the college's Puente Program targeting Latinos for 15 years and continues to be the honor society faculty advisor. At the University of Riverside she was the ESL and Testing Director, helping under-served students pass the writing entrance exam through tutoring. She is involved in community events to improve pathways to education and resources for our Latino community.

Treasurer

Hugo Nevarez

Nevarez is an accountant and IRS Enrolled Agent born and raised in Durango, Mexico. He moved to Napa and fell in love with the beautiful valley, wine and way of living. He was the Senior Manager of the Napa County Farm Bureau and is currently the Director of Finance and Administration at Cope Family Center. He is an active community advocate who is dedicated in helping open the doors for the underprivileged. He serves on our executive, events, and scholarship committees.

Events Co-chair

Lucia Ortega Villasana

Villasana has over 26 years of experience in the field of fundraising – developing and managing public and private sector partnerships, Fortune 100 corporate foundations, national and private community foundations. Through her work in governmental affairs, she earned the title of Principal Investigator within the UC system and received over $20M in competitive grant awards. While at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, she contributed to the historic National Ad Council’s campaign, Tus Palabras de Hoy, in collaboration with Univision.

Villasana has consulted with the UC statewide program, The Puente Project and has volunteered as a board or committee member with the The Mexican Museum of San Francisco, The Chicana Latina Foundation, Puertas Abiertas and the County of Napa Valley Hispanic Network.

She lives each day with a reminder that “Si Se Puede” and sees no barriers to what the future holds for underserved students who also believe in higher learning.

Board Member

Rosalinda Hurtado

Hurtado was born and raised in the beautiful Napa Valley. She is a Social Studies and AVID teacher at Napa High School and has completed 10 years in teaching. She is an active member in the community and has participated in numerous committees in education. She is a first generation to go to college and graduate with a degree. She is married with three beautiful children and proud of her heritage, culture, and traditions.

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Parliamentarian

Steve Potter

Potter graduated from local schools before starting his public service career at the Napa County Sheriff’s Department. In 1987 he joined the Napa Police Department where he had a wide variety of assignments. He attended management courses that helped him culminate his law enforcement career as the Chief of Police for Napa. He later moved over to City Hall where he currently works as the City Manager. He has always valued relationship, participating on the Board of Directors for several local non-profits and mentoring for the Puente Program at NVC. He especially enjoys working with NCHN because of the work they do helping Latinx young adults.

BOARD MEMBER

Maria Alvarez

Alvarez is an Industrial Hygienist at Intrinsic Environment Health and Safety. She has a Master of Public Health in Global Health and Environment from UC Berkeley and earned a B.S. in Global Public Health and B.A. in Psychology from Dominican University of California. Maria was born in Jalisco, Mexico and moved to Napa at seven years old. As a first generation Latina student who faced adversities and financial burdens, she always wanted to give back to her community and fellow Latino students. Maria continues to mentor many students in Napa and at her Alma Mater, Dominican University.

Director of Public Information

Fabiola Alvarez

Alvarez is the Program Manager at 10,000 Degrees where she partners with Napa high schools to support first generation students get to and through college. She earned a B.A in Sociology and a minor in Spanish Language and Literature from UC Santa Barbara. As a first generation Latina graduate, Alvarez enjoys working with students and families in Napa to ease the anxieties associated with attending higher education. Her passion for supporting students has led her to expand her outreach efforts in Napa County to support more families with scholarships, financial aid, and college applications. Alvarez looks forward to continue supporting more Latino first generation college bound students.

Board Members

Melissa Moize – Events Co-Chairs
Liz Habkirk - Scholarship Chair

Ambassadors

The NCHN’s Board of Directors appoints our Ambassadors to serve as advocates and advisors to the board. Ambassadors are normally individuals who have served on our board of directors, or individuals who have supported our work for numerous years.