Orlando Comas is the Sr. Director of Strategic Growth for the Miami Herald Media Company, leading sales teams responsible for key accounts generating nearly $20 million in annual revenue. He develops growth strategies that drive sales of the company’s digital media as well as diverse products and services, generating double-digit growth in revenue for the organization.
Orlando has more than two decades of experience in sales and marketing, with a focus of digital advertising. He joined MHMC in 2001 as Digital Media Consultant and has held a number of positions within the Miami Herald, Knight Ridder Digital, McClatchy Interactive and McClatchy (parent company of MHMC). He has led the company’s digital transformation by implementing strategic programs for 30 newspapers in 28 U.S. markets.
Orlando has a B.S. in Business with a minor in Marketing and a Master’s in International Business from Florida International University in Miami. Born in Puerto Rico and fluent in Spanish, he is married with one daughter and lives in Weston, Florida
Arminda “Mindy” Figueroa
Founder and CEO at Latin2Latin Marketing + Communications (L2L) & Advisory Board Chair
Founder and CEO, Latin2Latin Marketing + Communications (L2L) is celebrating her 12th year at the helm of L2L, a multiple award-winning engagement solutions agency headquartered in downtown Fort Lauderdale with satellite offices in NY, NC and Puerto Rico. A true maverick, Figueroa is a long-recognized leader in the traditional, multicultural, direct and digital marketing fields. She has built a successful career focused on generating awareness of the essential role of the multicultural market in corporate America. Prior to launching L2L, Figueroa was Project Director for Scholastic Media, and oversaw the launch of the #1 ranked PBS children’s television series, Maya & Miguel. Previously, she held senior marketing positions at The Bravo Group (a Young & Rubicam agency), Univision.com, Verizon and Anheuser-Busch.
Figueroa is the published author of An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Surviving a Business Implosion featured in Money Matters Top Tips To Success – Volume 2; and, sought-after presenter at industry seminars and conferences. Most recently, she served as one the two featured speaker at sold out Customer Experience and The New Majority Trends for 2020, guest panelist for Women In Business Roundtable of South Florida Business & Wealth; Latinas & Power Symposium in Connecticut, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce – Women’s Council & Digital Marketing Seminar, Fort Lauderdale Hispanic Business Group, CHAT Summit (Cultural Heritage Alliance for Tourism), Radio Ink, The Conference Board on Diversity & Inclusion; and Hispanic Unity of Florida’s E Summit on women entrepreneurs. She has written, co-authored and published several articles related to healthcare patient education and other topics in multiculturism in Portada, Huffington Post Latino Voices and has been quoted in Adage, Billboard Magazine, Miami Herald, Money Matters, HearPreneur, Bloomberg SFL, Telemundo, Univision, Sun Sentinel among other publications.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria, Figueroa served as an advisor to Gov. Rick Scott for the South Florida relief efforts for Puerto Rico and is the proud founder of the philanthropic grassroots organization, Adopt a Puerto Rican Family. Figueroa served on the board of the Hispanic Federation for 16 years and helped raise more than $25M as part of the gala committee.
Today, she serves on the board member of the Tower Club of Fort Lauderdale, member of the Corporate Advisory Council of Hispanic Federation, Hispanic Leadership Council of Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau; a founding member of the Women’s Council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Marketing Council of Hispanic Unity. She has been recognized by El Diario/La Prensa as one of the “50 Most Influential Latinas,” by South Florida Business Journal as one of the top “Influential Business Women of 2017,” and she also received the Golden Mouse Award for Multicultural Marketing Leader of the Year by the Florida Chapter of Women in Ecommerce. In 2018, she was awarded the Diversity in Business by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, she was selected as one of the FACES of Latin Marketing by the 50 FACES of Gold Coast Magazine.
Ms. Gianni has 15+ years of global experience in digital strategy, marketing, and operations. Her passion lies in instilling a people-first perspective into the heart of global operations and executing strategies that position organizations to meet their goals. In her current role at Bixal, Erika is VP of Operations, where she is combining a data-driven mindset with state-of-the-art digital practices to lead the organization through an ever-evolving marketplace and streamline operations. Previously, at a large, global technology company Erika transformed the way customers tried, purchased, and used solutions by leading a team of user experience designers to redefine the customer buying experience. In addition, at a global footwear company, she developed the Americas eCommerce division from the ground up. Erika also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras where she collaborated with community leaders to plan and conduct small business training. As an alumna of FSU for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Erika is proud to serve on the advisory board for the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication. She also holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an M.S. in User-Centered Design from Brandeis University.
My name is Yerddy Lanfranco. I came to New York from the Dominican Republic when I was 10 years old, back in 1994. My mom and I left everything behind in the Dominican Republic to come to NY to chase the American dream. We landed with many dreams and hopes, but nothing material in our hands. Throughout the years we went through many ups and downs, but we always worked with excellence and dedication to achieve our goals. During college while studying at Hunter to pursue my BA/MA in Economics and Mathematics, I received the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award. This award changed my life forever. With a scholarship, mentorship, and internship, I was able to get into Citigroup and start my career in Analytics. 20 years later, I have been able to accomplish a lot of things, which I am very proud of. Working in fortune 500 companies such as Barclays, TD Ameritrade, Verisk Analytics, Publicis, and now Interpublic Group of Companies. I was also able to obtain my second master’s in Business Analytics from NYU Stern. It has been a beautiful journey, in which I have given back to my community by becoming Board Vice Chair of the Global Connections for Women Foundation, mentoring COOP and Steven Golus Foundation students, and guest lecturing for so many universities including NYU, Columbia, City College, Baruch, and now Florida State University. There is so much work to do ahead, which is why I am honored to be considered for the Advisory Board of the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University. As I move from New York to Florida this summer, I see the importance in taking a larger role in the community of Hispanics in Florida and how we can help the future generations achieve their own dreams and goals. Thank you in advance for the consideration and for giving me the opportunity to be amongst such a prestigious set of professionals.
Dr. Sindy Chapa is the Director of the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University (FSU). She is one of the country’s leading researchers on cross-cultural consumer behavior and how it relates to marketing, advertising, and all other aspects of business. A faculty researcher at FSU, Dr. Chapa, also teaches popular courses on Hispanic marketing and advertising strategy. Dr. Chapa previously served on the faculty of Texas State University where she co-founded the Center for the Study of Latino Media and Markets.
Dr. Chapa co-authored Hispanic Marketing: The Power of the New Latino Consumer and has been published in other books and top academic journals. Her work can be found in the International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, International Business & Economics Research, Journal of Marketing Communication, Journal of Spanish Language Media, Journal of Consumer Behavior, Journal of Multidisciplinary Business Review, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, and in Consumption, Markets, and Culture: Resonant Representations. She is a member of the Coca-Cola Company Hispanic Council and serves in the executive committee of FELAFAC (The Latin American Schools of Communication), ALMMACR (Association of Latino Media and Market Communication Research), and on the editorial review board of the Journal of Spanish Language Media and Journal of Cultural Marketing.
Dr. Chapa earned both an MBA and Ph.D. in International Business from St. Thomas University and the University of Texas-Pan American. She is originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico. She is also the proud mother of three boys, all going through the very same processes of acculturation she highlights in her research.
Lourdes Garcia has served as a marketing and advertising manager and entrepreneur executive with over 29 years of experience, specializing in the U.S. Hispanic market. She began her career at a Miami advertising agency in the media department and worked her way to public relations and eventually fulfilled the role of Account Executive, moving several years later to a nationally recognized advertising agency as Senior Account Executive. She worked with accounts such as: American Express, Republic Bank, and P&G.
Utilizing her advertising knowledge and repertoire of the Hispanic market, Lourdes switched to the other side of the industry to work in broadcast radio. She worked for over a decade in radio becoming the National Sales Manager for Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) overseeing the group of radio stations based out of Miami. She led a National and Regional sales department and implemented the first sponsorship opportunities in Spanish radio for the MLB Fla. Marlins & NHL Florida Panthers. Subsequent to her time in radio, Lourdes founded Himarc & Associates, an advertising consulting firm where she assisted clients on a national scale in developing media campaigns and promotional strategies for the U.S. Hispanic market. Her catalogue of clients included: Marshall's, Kraft Food, and Miller Beer to name a few.
She was an active member of the Small Business Administration (SCORE) division, where she helped business owners in the development of advertising plans. Lourdes is also an Addy Award recipient. She received her B.S. degree in Communications from Florida International University in 1985.
In the Fall of 2003, Felipe Korzenny, Ph.D., became Professor of Advertising and Integrated Marketing and Management Communication at Florida State University (FSU). He received a B.A. in Advertising from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, Mexico; an M.A. in Communication Research from Michigan State University; and a Ph.D. in Communication Research from Michigan State University. Prior to joining Florida State University, Dr. Korzenny founded Hispanic & Asian Marketing Communication Research (H&AMCR) to help Fortune 1000 companies open doors to culturally diverse markets. H&AMCR was one of the first companies in the United States to explore multicultural market research. In 1999 H&AMCR merged with Cheskin to serve clients with integrated research and consulting services. He is co-author of the book written with his wife, Betty Ann, Hispanic Marketing: A Cultural Perspective, published by Elsevier, 2005, and Hispanic Marketing, 2nd Edition: Connecting with the New Latino Consumer, published by Routledge, 2011.
Betty Ann Korzenny, Ph.D. is the Co-Founder and Senior Advisor of the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University. She is co-author with her husband, Dr. Felipe Korzenny, of the book, Hispanic Marketing: A Cultural Perspective, published by Elsevier, 2005, and Hispanic Marketing, 2nd Edition: Connecting with the New Latino Consumer, published by Routledge, 2011.
Her professional responsibilities prior to FSU, were as COO of Hispanic & Asian Marketing Communication Research and Cheskin. She also has held management positions in aerospace, technology and banking institutions with responsibilities for strategic planning and organizational development.
Korzenny received a Ph.D. from Michigan State University in Administration and Higher Education, an M.A. from Michigan State University's Program of Graduate Education Overseas in Education, and a B.A.from Vassar College in Child Study/Education. Her multicultural interests have predominated in both her academic and business experience.
Marketer, entrepreneur and thought leader. Currently president of a full service advertising agency specialized in helping brands understand and market to U.S. Multicultural and Hispanic consumers. Frequent speaker sharing expertise in marketing and the U.S. Hispanic segment.
Specialties: Full service advertising and marketing communications; specialized in helping companies market to HISPANIC and MULTICULTURAL consumers. Strategy, creative development, broadcast production , market research, experiential marketing. Our client experience includes NAPA AUTO PARTS, Cox Communications, Starz, Encore, Discovery Channel, ING, Beazer Homes USA, Georgia Lottery, American Cancer Society, AutoTrader.com, Pollo Tropical, and Wachovia.
As Executive Director of ELEVATE at Omnicom Media Group, Michael Roca advocates for a more equitable media and marketing ecosystem by highlighting the business imperative of engaging diverse segments. He has also helped marketers such as Diageo, Google, and P&G diversify the mix of their media partnerships by shining a light on the capabilities of diverse owned, operated, and targeted media. He has a proven track record of success in building culturally relevant and effective media strategies that drive brand growth and loyalty among diverse segments.
He holds a BA in Communications from St. John’s University and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University. Michael also advances DE&I causes on the corporate front as the executive sponsor of OMG’s Hispanic/Latin BRG while also sitting on the board of directors of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC), and the advisory council of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF).
Michael resides in America’s most vibrant and eclectic city, Miami, with his wife and their three children.
Leif Roll is Vice President of Marketing at State Farm's corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois. He is passionate about product development and innovation and committed to my team and their development. As an executive, Leif is known for his creativity, technical knowledge, and getting things done through his highly engaged and competent team.
Leif joined State Farm in 2000 as an Assistant Vice President of Marketing, where he helped launch State Farm’s foray into banking and mutual funds.
In 2004, he was promoted to Vice President of Marketing Strategy and Marketing Communications. He assumed his current position as department head for Enterprise Marketing & Sales in 2013.
Prior to coming to State Farm, Leif spent 18 years in the banking industry, working for Mellon Bank, First Union Bank, and KeyBank, where he focused on marketing and product development. In this capacity, he specialized in building credit, deposit, and investment products for the retail, small business, and private banking lines of business.
Leif received his undergraduate degree from Denison University, in Granville, Ohio, and his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina.
Leif lives with his beautiful wife, Ginia, in Bloomington. They have three wonderful children: Jensen, Giles, and Georgi, two dogs, one cat, and many fish.
As Zubi Advertising’s Vice President of Media Integration, Isabella oversees all strategic media planning and execution for Zubi’s clients, as well as new business development efforts. She has over 30 years of media experience with many of the largest advertisers in the US Hispanic market across multiple categories. Her passion for marketing to diverse audiences is evidenced in her commitment to always elevating the industry profile, while helping marketers understand and capitalize on the biggest growth opportunity in the U.S. Her mantra of “in constant pursuit of the perfect balance between art and science” demonstrates her passion for cultural connections, creative innovation and applying the latest technology to measure and optimize performance.
She currently serves as the Chair for The Hispanic Marketing Council, as well as member of the RAB’s Audio Advisory Board, and Advisory Board member for Texas Tech University’s Institute for Hispanic and International Communication. She also serves on the South Florida March of Dimes Board. In 2018, she was honored as a “Hispanic Woman of Distinction” in Miami. Isabella earned dual degrees in Journalism and Spanish Language & Literature from the University of Maryland. She also studied at Universidad La Complutense in Madrid, Spain.
Peter R. Villegas is Co-Chairman of Mercury, an international public strategy firm focused on providing results for the world’s most successful companies, leading advocacy groups, governments, political parties, NGO’s, and prominent and political figures.
Peter serves as a national leader, developing and managing the execution of local, regional and national strategies that position companies as a leading corporate citizen across the U.S. with a focus on the multi-cultural communities.
Peter’s responsibilities include managing relationships with key local, state and national political, community, business and civic leaders. Recognized as a regional and national corporate leader, Peter has led various corporate, civic, political, and community issues and initiatives, totaling 30 years of experience in corporate America including subject matter expertise in the financial services and consumer goods industries.
In 2019 & 2020, Peter was recognized by Latino Leaders Magazine as one of the Most Influential Latinos in the country.
Peter is also a Board member of the following organizations:
• California State Athletic Commission, Vice Chair
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Secretary
• Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute
• National Association of Latino Appointed & Elected Officials
• U.S. Conference of Mayors Business Council
• Delta Aeroméxico Corporate Leadership Advisory Council
• Hispanas Organized for Political Equality Advisory Board
• Florida State University Center for Hispanic Marketing
• UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Senior Fellow
• Inland Empire Economic Partnership, Chairman
• Latino Leadership Institute
• Georgia Association Latino Elected Officials
• Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Advisory Board
• CHOC, Latino Advisory Board
Joseph “Joe” Facundo
Sr. Environmental Consultant at National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS)
Mr. Facundo was a Senior Environmental Consultant with over 40 years of experience as a Systems Technologist within the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS). He was an expert in meteorological observational systems and data processing platforms. As a Subject Matter Expert, he played a key role in commissioning major NWS systems and managing a variety of observing programs while collaborating with the FAA, DoD, and the World Meteorological Organization at both national and international levels.
After retiring from Federal Service, Mr. Facundo continued to serve as an Environmental Consultant to both small and large companies, offering valuable insight into NOAA’s mission and supporting business development efforts. He remained actively involved with the NWS’ Weather Ready Nation initiative and the American Meteorological Society, where he authored extended abstracts, joint journal articles, and co-authored a chapter in the book Mesoscale Meteorology. His contributions earned him numerous awards during his time at NOAA, as well as the AMS Certificate for Outstanding Support for his work on the Network of Networks AMS committee.
Mr. Facundo was a dedicated supporter of the Hispanic Marketing Center for several years and strongly believed in its mission to expand marketing efforts toward multicultural communities. He participated in the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Legislative Session in Washington, D.C., and the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference as a panelist. He also championed Historically Black Colleges and Universities through his involvement with the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences-Meteorology (NCAS-M), where he advocated for student development—including at the Ph.D. level—by facilitating internships and recruiting students into NOAA. He also provided ongoing support to NCAS-M’s academic centers of excellence.
A Vietnam-era veteran, Mr. Facundo graduated from Florida State University in 1978. He began his federal career as an FSU intern in the mid-1970s while studying meteorology. Throughout his career and as a consultant, he remained closely connected to FSU, supporting the Veterans Program and collaborating with meteorological scientists at the university.
Mr. Facundo’s legacy lives on through his lifelong dedication to public service, mentorship, and the advancement of meteorological sciences and diversity in federal service.