While at NYU Bellevue (faculty practice and resident training) she ran the Women’s Health portion of the NYU medical school student health program and directed the Bellevue Teen Pregnancy clinic. She also initiated her work in global health with medical missions in Central and Latin America. Most of her time has been spent in clinical work as well as a current board member with Grounds for Health; an NGO whose mission is to eradicate cervical cancer.
She’s now in private practice at Mansfield Ob GYN Associates for 13 years. She is also currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut Storrs through EL Instituto where she teaches her course in Women’s Health issues in the Latinx and African American communities.
The author of numerous articles and materials regarding family violence, her writing and teaching encourages critical thinking and supports improved practice. She is co-author of the book, Domestic Violence Advocacy: Complex Lives/Difficult Choices, Sage (2014).
Will Perez is a Management Consulting professional who helps organizations plan and deliver on their transformational strategies. He is a Managing Director at Slalom Consulting where he has worked since 2012. He has also held prior leadership positions at The Hartford Financial Services Group, Accenture, and Virtusa. He was born in Aguada, Puerto Rico and is a lifelong Connecticut resident where he attended the University of Connecticut and earned a degree in Computer Science and Engineering.
He has volunteered his time to numerous non-profits in Hartford and is a member of the Latino Endowment Fund giving circle. He joined the Hispanic Health Council Board in 2019.
She is currently the Director of Internal Communications at Hartford Healthcare. She became acquainted and impressed with the work of the council during a 20-year career as a writer for The Hartford Courant, covering health issues with a focus on underserved communities.
Dr. Luis F. Diez-Morales is currently the Chief Medical Officer and Executive VP of Charter Oak Health Center. Prior to Charter Oak Health Center, he joined Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center in 1984 as Director of Medical Ambulatory Services and as Systems Medical Director of Ambulatory Services. He was also the Medical Director for the Curtis Robinson Men’s Health Institute and The Center for Health Equity. He was the Chairman of the Continuing Medical Education Committee for Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center.
He attended Notre Dame High School in his hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico, and the University of Puerto Rico for both his bachelor’s degree and medical school. He completed his Residency in Internal Medicine at Wayne State University where he was also Chief Resident, followed by a Fellowship in Endocrinology at the University of Connecticut.
She has worked at Hartford Healthcare for sixteen years where she has held several leadership positions. She is currently the co-chair of the system Hispanic/Latinx Colleague Resource Group and Vice Chair for the Hispanic Health Council Foundation Board. She enjoys teaching, mentoring, and coaching and has a strong passion for advocacy.
Many would describe her as a compassionate and powerful force that uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and never settle. Jennifer’s personal mission is to be a trailblazer in driving sustainable change in bettering our communities and improving health inequality.
At Gallup, she led research to develop a workplace inclusiveness audit and consulting practice. Prior to Gallup, Dr. Kearney was director of the Executive Leadership Council Foundation (an association of Fortune 200 executive-level corporate African-Americans), Education Program Officer at the Prudential Foundation, consultant for the National Medical Association, Research Associate for the Harvard University Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, the Council for Graduate Management Education (a cooperative of top-tier ivy-league graduate business schools at Harvard) to promote minority student recruitment, and a project coordinator on research for a peer-led social inoculation intervention to prevent smoking and drug use in adolescents at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She began her professional career as a Boston Public Schools special education teacher, and promotion to high school administrator.
Dr. Kearney received her Doctorate and Master’s degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Administration, Planning and Social Policy, a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Boston College, attended Hampton University, graduating from Northeastern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
He is an enthusiastic volunteer in the community and currently serves the town of East Windsor as a member of the Board of Finance and Chairman of the Pension Board.
She recently served as the director of the BSW program and the Puerto Rican/Latin@ Studies Project at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Her research and teaching interests include an examination of coloniality, white supremacy, implicit bias and their effects on intersectional identities, and the importance of critical consciousness on advocacy and allyship. She is the co-author of the 3rd edition of Racism in the United States: Implications for the Helping Professions (forthcoming 2021).
Prior to joining the City of Hartford, Karen was the Global Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Learning Advisor for Cigna corporate.
She currently serves as a member of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Latino Endowment Fund, Foundation Board of Director-Charter Oak State College, El Show de Analeh Production Team Member, for the American Red Cross – Leadership Training Program, Latino Resource Group serving as its Team Lead.
Cecilia has a passion to make a difference in people’s lives, and to make a difference in this world, “the beauty of helping people is the satisfaction you get to see how you’ve touched their lives.”
Born and raised in the vibrant Bronx, NY, Dr. Loarte-Rodriguez proudly embraces her Afro-Latina Boricua (Puerto Rican) heritage. Now living in Connecticut, she finds joy in dancing, traveling, reading, and spending time with her incredibly supportive husband, their three phenomenal children, her father, and two rescue dogs. Guided by deep-rooted values of family, community, and service, she remains committed to leaving the world better than she found it.
Prior to entering full-time academia, Heather’s earlier career included serving as a statewide Patient Navigator for the American Cancer Society, where she worked across hospital systems throughout Connecticut to support thousands of newly diagnosed cancer patients and their caregivers. Her work focused on increasing access to prevention, early detection, and survivorship resources—building strategic hospital partnerships and improving patient quality of life. Heather’s diverse career includes impactful roles at the American Cancer Society, UConn Health, and Goodwin University, where she has secured major grants and national accreditations, and taught courses in public health, wellness, and healthcare management. Her commitment to student-centered teaching and evidence-based practice drives her work in both academic and community settings.
Heather is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Health Sciences at the University of Bridgeport. She also holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Management and Organizational Leadership from Bay Path University and a Bachelor’s in Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University. Heather’s passion lies in empowering students and communities through wholistic health education, innovative program design, and inclusive, trauma-informed practices.
He has experience evaluating not only prospects but entire communities to determine their primary interests and motivations, and a demonstrable track record of applying those interests to successful community projects.
Ken’s entire adult life has been defined by service. He served our country as a United States Army Infantry Officer. He was deployed in support of Desert Storm. In addition, he was the Mayor of a city in Colorado.
Ken is also a published author. His book, “Parables on Leadership Values”, was released in 2023. Ken has an MBA from the University of Denver and is a certified project manager.
