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Fernando BarruetaCEO

Since December 2001, Fern has served as CEO of the Hispanic College Fund. As CEO, Fern is responsible for strategically directing all facets of the Hispanic College, with a focus on fundraising.

Prior to 2001, Fern worked 30 years in commercial real estate in the Washington metropolitan area. In 1986 he formed his own real estate firm, Barrueta and Associates. Barrueta and Associates was the largest Hispanic owned commercial real estate brokerage firm in the area since its inception and the largest in the country in 1989, with more than 40 brokers and a practice that included office, retail, and industrial leasing; investment sales; and commercial mortgage financing and management.

Fern's professional affiliations include: former president of the Washington Board of Realtors, founder and former president of the Washington Commercial Association of Realtors, founder of the Franklin Square Association, and founder of Security One Bank, now known as John Marshall Bank. In addition, Fern currently serves on the boards of the University of the District of Columbia, Building Hope, the Real Estate Associate Program (REAP), and the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Fern was named Realtor of the Year in 1991 by the Washington, D.C. Association of Realtors (WDCAR) and “Washingtonian of the Year” in 2003 by Washingtonian magazine. He was honored as a Hispanic Hero by U.S. Hispanic Youth Entrepreneur Education (USHYEE) and received a D.C. Visionary Award from Bisnow Magazine in 2008.

Barrueta earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Georgetown University in 1965.

Idalia FernandezPresident

Idalia joined the Hispanic College Fund in 1999 as the organization's first program manager. In 2007 she was named president of the fund. As president, Idalia guides the strategic development, programs, fundraising, event management, compliance, and finances of the Hispanic College Fund.

Prior to joining the Hispanic College Fund, Idalia was a financial analyst at the headquarters of General Dynamics, a multi-billion dollar government contractor. From 1991-1998, her various roles at General Dynamics included budgeting, financial analysis, government contract compliance, and internal auditing.

Idalia currently serves on the board of the Latino Student Fund - a D.C.-based nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and educational support to K-12 Hispanic students. She is also the co-founder and President of Latinas Investing Power, an investment club in the Washington, D.C. area and is a 2007 National Hispanic Leadership Institute (NHLI) Fellow. Idalia has been a keynote speaker and panelist for corporate, university, and government-sponsored events including the Guilford College Soy Un Líder Conference, the Clark Construction Concrete Youth Awards, and the Kennedy Space Center's Education Conference, Attracting Hispanic Students to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Disciplines and Careers.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, Idalia honors her Honduran and Cuban roots. She immigrated to the United States in 1976.

Idalia earned a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in French from Boston University and an MBA from Averett University.

George CushmanVice President of Programs

George is responsible for the development and execution of the fund's comprehensive set of programs. George works extensively with students, community partners, and sponsors in order to execute all Hispanic College Fund programs, which include the Hispanic Youth Symposia, Hispanic College Fund Scholarship Program, Latinos on Fast Track (LOFT), and Hispanic Young Professionals (HYP).

George has spoken on issues of Hispanic education and professional careers at conferences around the country and recently supported underserved populations as a peer review panelist for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists. Prior to the joining the Hispanic College Fund, George was president of Quantum Resources Corporation, a $100 million national company based in Richmond, Virginia that provides recruiting services, job board management, and professional technical contract labor to hundreds of corporations across the country.

George received his degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1974.

Ingrid EmbreeChief Development Officer

Ingrid serves as the head of fundraising at the Hispanic College Fund. Ingrid comes to the Hispanic College Fund with a history of helping nonprofit organizations meet their operational objectives, develop fundraising capacity, and achieve legislative victories.

Prior to joining the Hispanic College Fund, Ingrid was director of business development for Aristotle, Inc., a diversified political and online consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Her previous experience includes senior development and management roles at Internet and fundraising consulting firms Kintera and Capitol Advantage.

As the child of refugee immigrants who arrived in this country with no resources and no knowledge of the language, Ingrid understands the vital role education plays in helping individuals achieve their personal dreams and, by extension, build a stronger society.

Ingrid earned a bachelor's degree in business from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

Kathryn GradyDirector of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Kathryn is responsible for fundraising for the western Hispanic Youth Symposia as well as securing national gifts from western funders.

She joined the Hispanic College Fund in 2008; prior to that she worked for the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) at the University of Southern California as a development officer and director of special projects, where she launched and oversaw all aspects of the annual TRPI conference series. She also directed a number of successful TRPI initiatives including the Latino College Dollars directory and projects for McDonald's, Coca-Cola, The Walt Disney Company, The Sallie Mae Fund, and many others. Prior to that position, she was the executive director of a nonprofit medical association, as well as an association management and convention planning consultant.

She is a native of Missoula, Montana and a graduate of Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Lindsay BernstenDeputy Director of Programs

Lindsay is responsible for overseeing and managing projects for the Hispanic College Fund's student programs.

Lindsay became involved with the Hispanic College Fund in 2004 when she volunteered for the first Maryland Hispanic Youth Symposium, which was held at her university. Originally from Maryland, Lindsay spent one year studying in Chile during college and has traveled extensively in South America.

She graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in modern languages and linguistics, with a focus on Spanish and Russian.

Lisa SandovalDirector of Communications

Lisa manages public relations for the Hispanic College Fund. In addition, she is responsible for immediately addressing media inquiries and managing the fund's websites.

Prior to joining the Hispanic College Fund, Lisa was a paralegal for an environmental law firm in Washington, D.C. Before moving to D.C., Lisa ran an outreach program for battered women at a nonprofit in her hometown of El Paso, Texas. While in college, she completed a thesis on immigration detention centers in the Canary Islands based on the research she conducted while studying abroad in Spain. Growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border has fueled her passion for supporting the Hispanic community.

Lisa earned a bachelor's degree in international studies and Hispanic studies from Vassar College in 2006.

Andrew GonzalezHispanic Youth Symposium Director, Western States

Andrew is responsible for managing and developing the Hispanic Youth Symposia programs in Western states. He also undertakes program logistics as well as fundraising.

Prior to joining the fund, Andrew was a Hispanic College Fund Scholar. During college, he was involved in student government, KCSC Radio, the Chico State Model United Nations program. He also volunteered for various youth outreach programs both in his local community and overseas.

Originally from Santa Paula, California, Andrew became interested in education after witnessing the low high school and college graduation rates in his local community, which was heavily populated by Latinos.

He graduated from California State University, Chico in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in international relations.

Beatriz Paz MontielDirector of the Hispanic College Fund Youth Institute

Beatriz is responsible for managing the day-to-day planning and implementation of the Hispanic Youth Symposia on the east coast. Beatriz joined the Hispanic College Fund in January 2007 as the national operations manager and has since advanced to her current title.

Prior to 2005, Beatriz held several executive positions. She formed part of the U.S. start-up team for Grupo Posadas, a corporation which operates more than 90 hotels in Mexico, South America, and the United States and worked for the Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Resorts in sales and conference management. Prior to 2000, Beatriz served as a consultant for the Nicaraguan government on a variety of projects, including the restructuring and updating of ENEL, Nicaragua Electrical Company.

Beatriz has served on several boards, including the Nicaraguan-German Chamber of Commerce, Asociación de Líneas Áreas, and La Voz Hispana for Education, a grass roots organization dedicated to helping Hispanic parents learn how to navigate the U.S. Education system.

Anna SilvermanDonor Relations Manager

Anna is responsible for engaging, strengthening, and increasing donor involvement and sponsorship, and acts as the liaison between the Hispanic College Fund's programs and their sponsors.

Prior to joining the Hispanic College Fund, Anna was a legal assistant for an international law firm in Washington, D.C., and worked in client services for Sotheby's Paris.  Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Anna cultivated a dedication to Hispanic education advocacy while volunteering with Adelante!, a group that provides academic support and college preparation for at-risk Hispanic students.

Anna graduated from the University of Virginia in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Spanish, French, and Art History.

Auri DuarteScholarship Program Manager

Auri ensures that all portions of the Hispanic College Fund's $2 million scholarship program run effectively and efficiently. Her primary responsibilities include managing the full scholarship cycle of more than 40,000 applicants and serving as the primary point of contact throughout the year for all Hispanic College Fund Scholars.

Auri is currently a big sister for a 14 year old Latina teenager through the Big Brother/Big Sister program. She also teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) to a group of non English-speaking adults who are working hard to learn the language.

Bilingual in English and Spanish, Auri was born in California and raised in El Salvador until 1994. A first-generation college graduate, Auri's own understanding of linguistic, cultural, and financial barriers facing Hispanics drives her passion to help young people reach their full potential through education.

Auri earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Trinity University in Washington, D.C in 2007.

Holly TriskaNASA MUST Program Manager

Holly administers the NASA MUST (Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology) scholarship program which is designed to facilitate the educational success of students from undeserved populations who wish to enter careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. She works to ensure that MUST scholars flourish during and after college by participating in professional development workshops, mentorship, and a NASA internship.

Prior to joining the Hispanic College Fund, Holly served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua and worked with a Guatemalan nonprofit. During her time abroad, she focused her efforts on small business development and capacity building. She is a current mentor for the Big Brother/Big Sister program and is a member of their D.C. council.

Holly graduated with a bachelor's degree in international business from Minnesota State University in 2004.

Rosa CastilloVolunteer and Alumni Programs Manager

Rosa ensures that all Hispanic College Fund programs are adequately staffed by volunteers and develops programs and services to further involve and benefit alumni as well as new volunteers.

Prior to arriving at the Hispanic College Fund, Rosa worked in the Episcopal Church as a director of Christian education in the Diocese of Southern Virginia. Rosa also worked with young people as a counselor at Joint Action in Community Service, Inc. and Prep for Prep in New York City. Before her career in the nonprofit sector, Rosa was a corporate paralegal in Boston and New York.

Rosa earned her bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science from Boston University in 1996.

Vicmar PazDevelopment Coordinator

Vicmar is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the development staff and managing Hispanic College Fund events, which include golf tournaments throughout the year, as well as the annual gala. She manages vendor relations, which entails negotiating contracts and serving as the primary point of contact for all vendors.

Born in Mexico, Vicmar joined the Hispanic College Fund in 2006 with prior experience working with diverse populations within the project management field. Prior to joining the Hispanic College Fund, she worked as the assistant to the editor for the London Theatre Review, where she designed and created the magazine's layout. In addition, Vicmar promoted the importance of a college education to sixth graders while serving as a facilitator for the Kids to College Program.

Vicmar earned her bachelor's degree in communications from Marymount University in 2005.

Jacqueline GriegoLos Angeles Hispanic Youth Symposium Director

Jacqueline is responsible for the implementation of the Los Angeles Hispanic Youth Symposium and its year round programming.

Before joining the Fund, Jacqueline worked as an accounting associate for Quigley & Miron. During college, she was active in student government, campus ministry, and volunteered for several community based education organizations.

In 2005, Jacqueline earned her bachelor's degree, with honors, in business management from Holy Names University in Oakland, California. In 2007, she graduated from the Riordan Fellows Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

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