Empower Women, Promote Higher Education
History
The Hispanic Association of Women has had a mission of empowering women and promoting higher education since our inception in 1983. The organization began after three women got together for some “Cafecito” and began discussing a need for an organization that promotes women in our community. Our organization is 100% volunteer membership and is open to anyone who is seeking a higher purpose and opportunities to serve. Our membership is comprised of women from all walks of life, backgrounds, and professions. Throughout the years, our organization has seen tremendous growth and has flourished in our impact in giving back to our local community. We have expanded our reach by partnering with many local agencies and organizations in our community, while maintaining our focus of empowering women through higher education. These partnerships focus on promoting opportunities for the development of leadership skills by providing networking, mentorships, and training. We are very passionate about giving back to this great city and those in our community and, as a collective membership, we are honored to volunteer hours as a group or individually throughout the year.
Purpose
The Association is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under the section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. The purpose of the Association is two-fold:
1.To organize and support women so they may:
promote educational opportunities for all women;
endorse issues of concern to empower women and youth.
2.To establish a collective effort to resolve problems and counter barriers faced by Hispanics.
act affirmatively to achieve full and equal participation in the political, social and economic life of this nation
promote opportunities for the development of leadership skills by providing training and information
form coalitions with other organizations who share the purposes of Hispanic Association of Women, Inc.
promote the advancement of all individuals
History in the making
Founding Members
Esther Sepeda, Tavita Dorrow, and Carmen Salazar
Esther was elected Interim President in 1981 and President in 1982 and 1983.
She also coordinated our first Women's Conference held in mid-1982.
Past Board Members
1981
Esther Sepeda – Co-Coordinator
Tavita Dorow – Co-Coordinator
1982
Esther Sepeda – Co-Coordinator
Tavita Dorow – Co-Coordinator
1983
President – Esther Sepeda
Vice-President – Carmen Salazar
Secretary – Lupe Garcia
Treasurer – Olivia Solis
1984
President-Carmen Salazar
1985
President-Maria Luisa Mercado
Vice-President- Olivia Solis
Secretary-Penny Morin
Treasurer-Olga Riojas
1986
President-Sylvia Martinez
1987
President-Penny Morin
1988
President-Linda DeLeon
1989
President-Mary Pineda
1990
President-Linda DeLeon
1991
President-Penny Morin
1992
President-Mary Jane Botello
1993
President-Beatrice Narvaiz
1994
President – Rose Medrano
1995
President-Mary Jane Cisneros
President-Elect-Adelaida Montemayor
Vice-President – Virginia Alamanza
Secretary-Mary Pineda
Treasurer-Teresa Contreras
Historian-Ana Dominguez
1996
President-Adelaida Montemayor
President-Beatrice Narvaiz
Vice-President – Virginia Alamanza
Secretary-Mary Pineda
Treasurer-Teresa Contreras
Historian-Ana Dominguez
1997
President-Virginia Chavez
President-Elect-Margie Olivarez
Vice-President – Adelaida Montemayor
Secretary-Lupe Gamboa
Treasurer-Adriana Gomez
Historian-SanJuanita Valenciano
1998
President-Margie Olivarez
President-Elect-Elia Glick
Vice-President – San Juanita Valenciano
Secretary-Chris Zavala
Treasurer-Ruby Gonzales
Historian-Nancy Finger
1999
President-Celia Glick
President-Elect-Julie DeLosSantos
Vice-President – Margie Olivarez
Secretary-Ana Dominguez
Treasurer-Mary Pineda
Historian-Beatrice Narvaiz
2000
President-Linda Landin
President-Elect-Christy Martinez
Vice-President – Janie Ramirez
Secretary-Delores Pena
Treasurer-Gracie Cervera
Historian-Bessie Saldana
2001
President-Christy Martinez
President-Elect-Janie Ramirez
Vice-President – Dela Esqueda
Secretary-Jenny Blanco
Treasurer-Gracie Cervera
Historian-Mary Lou Garcia
2002
President-Janie Ramirez
2003
President-Janie Ramirez
President-Elect-Kathy Carillo
Vice-President – Lisa Velasquez
Secretary-Frances Boal
Treasurer-Rose Medrano
Historian-Bessie Saldana
Parliamentarian-Linda Flores
2004
President-Kathy Carillo
President-Elect-SanJuanita Valenciano
Vice-President – Margie Olivarez
Secretary-Sylvia Guerra
Treasurer-Mary Pineda
Historian-Janie Elguea
Parliamentarian-Mary Lou Garcia
2005
President-SanJuanita Valenciano
President-Elect-Renee Gonzales
Vice-President – Sylvia Guerra
Secretary-Bibi Licon
Treasurer-Mary Pineda
Historian-Connie Gray
Parliamentarian-Janie Elguea
2006
President-Renee Gonzales
President-Elect-Maria Resendiz
Vice-President – Connie Gray
Secretary-Bibi Licon
Treasurer-Margie Olivarez
Historian-Sylvia Guerra
Parliamentarian-Vacant
2007
President-Margie Olivarez
President-Elect-Ruby Gonzales
Vice-President – Norma Pike
Secretary-Brenda Hernandez
Treasurer-Patricia Martinez
Historian-Erika Ponce
Parliamentarian-Alice Lozada
2008
President-Margie Olivarez
President-Elect-Ruby Gonzales
Vice-President – vacant
Secretary-Brenda Hernandez
Treasurer-Patricia Martinez
Historian-vacant
Parliamentarian-vacant
2009
President-Ruby Gonzales
President-Elect-Brenda Hernandez
Vice-President – Isabel Gutierrez
Secretary-Cecilia Sebranek
Treasurer-Esther Pena
Historian-Dahlia Hood
Parliamentarian-Patricia Romero
2010
President-Ruby Gonzales
President-Elect-Brenda Hernandez
Vice-President – Isabel Gutierrez
Secretary-Cecilia Sebranek
Treasurer-Esther Pena
Historian-Dahlia Hood
Parliamentarian-Patricia Romero
2011
President-Brenda Hernandez
President-Elect-Esther Pena
Vice-President –
Secretary-
Treasurer-
Historian-
Parliamentarian-
2012
President-Brenda Hernandez
President-Elect-Esther Pena
Vice-President –
Secretary-Rebecca Ramirez
Treasurer-Ruby Gonzales
Historian-
Parliamentarian-
2013
President-Esther Pena
President-Elect-Dr. Rosalinda Jimenez
Vice-President – Marissa Bell
Secretary-Rebecca Ramirez
Treasurer-Shawna Hernandez
Historian-Esther DeLeon
Parliamentarian-Alice Lozada
2014
President-Esther Pena
President-Elect-Marissa Bell
Vice-President – Rebecca Ramirez
Secretary-Monica Tracy
Treasurer-Shawna Hernandez
Historian-Esther DeLeon
Parliamentarian-Alice Lozada
2015
President-Alice Lozada
President-Elect-Sylvia Juarez
Vice-President – Michelle Hernandez
Secretary-Elma Moreno
Treasurer-Shawna Hernandez
Historian-Esther DeLeon
Parliamentarian-Ruby Gonzales
2016
President-Alice Lozada
President-Elect-Sylvia Juarez
Vice-President – Michelle Hernandez
Secretary-Elma Moreno
Treasurer-Shawna Hernandez
Historian-Margie Olivarez
Parliamentarian-Jessica Carrillo
2017
President-Sylvia Juarez
President-Elect-Sandi Turner
Vice-President -Karla Vargas
Secretary-Elma Moreno
Treasurer-Britni Hernandez
Historian-Margie Olivarez
Parliamentarian-Ruby Gonzales
2018
President-Sylvia Juarez
President-Elect-Elma Moreno
Vice-President -Karla Vargas
Secretary-Giovanni Ramirez
Treasurer-Britni Hernandez
Historian-Margie Olivarez
Parliamentarian-Ruby Gonzales
2019
President-Elma Moreno
President-Elect-Britni Hernandez
Vice-President -Martha Soliz
Secretary-Leticia Rodriguez
Treasurer-Shawna Hernandez
Historian-Sandy Cruz
Parliamentarian-Alice Lozada
2020
President-Elma Moreno
President-Elect-Loni Marie Eads
Vice-President -Martha Soliz
Secretary-Leticia Rodriguez
Treasurer- Shawna Hernandez/Brittany Sikes
Historian-Sandy Cruz
Parliamentarian-Carmen Vige
2021
President-Loni Marie Eads
President-Elect-Destiny Chavarria
Vice-President -Martha Soliz
Secretary-Gina Estrada/Elma Moreno
Treasurer-Brittany Sikes
Historian-Sandy Cruz
Parliamentarian-Carmen Vige
2022
President-Destiny Chavarria
President-Elect-Andrea Moreno Juarez
Vice-President -Marissa Crawley
Secretary-Elma Moreno
Treasurer- Brittany Sikes
Historian-Miranda Ruvalcaba
Parliamentarian-Alice Lozada
2023
President-Andrea Moreno Juarez
President-Elect-Martha Soliz
Vice-President -Marissa Crawley
Secretary-Saidi Soliz
Treasurer- Destiny Chavarria
Historian-Miranda Ruvalcaba
Parliamentarian-Alice Lozada
2024
President-Elma Moreno
President-Elect-Jacqueline Vega
Vice-President -Rebekah Bernal
Secretary-Rosie Castillo
Treasurer- Destiny Chavarria
Historian-Margie Olivarez
Parliamentarian-Sylvia Juarez
2025
President-Jacqueline Vega
President-Elect-Catherine Paulino Salcido/Danna Guerrero
Vice-President -Rebekah Bernal
Secretary-Rosie Flores
Treasurer- Rosie Castillo
Historian-Margie Olivarez
Parliamentarian-Sylvia Juarez