Growing up undocumented in Arizona, Reyna Montoya experienced constant fear of deportation, family separation, and lack of educational opportunities. Through her journey, she realized families like hers had no space to process the traumatic impact to unjust immigration policies on thir mental health and well-being. Reyna founded Aliento to co-create a space where undocumented youth and mixed-status families can process their emotions, embark on their healing journeys, and develop leadership skills to advocate for their community. 

Since its inception, Aliento has impacted over 50,000 people. Close to 11,000 youth including those who are undocumented, DACA recipients, or part of a mixed immigration status family have been supoorted by Cultiva, Aliento's Arts and Healing programs. Cultiva has improved healthy levels of anxiety and stress, coping skills, resiliency, and agency among its participants through workshops, open mics, and therapy sessions. During the pandemic when mixed-status families were excluded from receiveing the federal stimilus, Aliento supported almost 500 families with nearly $250,000 in direct support for these families. In the 2020 and 2022 elections, Aliento educated nearly 100,000 voters which led to the passage of Prop. 308, in-state tuition rates for DACA recipients in Arizona. To build youth leadership and advocacy skills, Aliento partners with more than 430 schools and institutions, providing trauma-informed training for educators and sponsoring paid internships and fellowships.

Now, Aliento aims to continue supporting the Latino and immigrant community's access to mental health programming and resources. With a mission to transform trauma into hope and action, Aliento is commited to creating positive change for the people it serves and the generations to come.

Daniel is a native of Arizona and was born and raised in Tucson.  In 2007, Daniel moved to Phoenix to work for Congressman Ed Pastor in his district office. It was during that time, Daniel became passionate about working within higher education. It is what eventually led Daniel to work for Arizona State University where he recently celebrated his 10th year and is currently working as an Assistant Director with the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

At a very early age, Daniel’s parents instilled into him what it meant to volunteer, lead and care for his community.  He has been doing that ever since. In 2012, Daniel was awarded the Valle del Sol 40 Hispanic Leaders Under 40 distinction. Daniel has raised over $14,000 in breast cancer awareness through the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk, where he has walked a total of 240 miles to raise awareness. In 2018, Daniel was named Mr. Phoenix Pride, which started his volunteerism with the organization.  That year he helped raise $47,000 for the Phoenix Pride Scholarship program. Since then, Daniel has served on its board of directors as Vice President and currently serves as the President of the Board. In 2020, during a global pandemic, Daniel was elected to serve the Imperial Court of Arizona, a non-profit that raises money for other non-profit organizations throughout the State.  During his 2-year tenure, Daniel, along with his counterpart, raised $110,000 for other non-profit organizations which include, One n Ten, Peacework medical, Ripple Phx, Southwest Human Development and AZ K-9 Rescue, to name a few. 

In addition to all this, Daniel still finds time to promote one of the longest running and most prestigious pageants in the country, Miss Gay Arizona America.  Daniel is the proud uncle of Zoe Alice and currently resides in central Phoenix with his husband Nick and black lab Olivia.

Elena Canez is a distinguished community leader known for her exceptional dedication to supporting migrant workers and enhancing community health. As a leader at Adelante Health Care, Elena has made a significant impact by providing essential medical supplies, health presentations, and holiday turkeys to migrant workers. She organized care packages with hygiene products and transportation for farm workers and their families, and founded Madrecitas, a program honoring women farm workers with luncheons and gifts.

Elena’s commitment to the community extends beyond her professional role. She actively engages in organizing health programs, participating in health fairs, and facilitating family support services. Her dedication often involves working late into the night, driven by a passion for social justice, discrimination, and the well-being of marginalized communities. Elena’s leadership is marked by her ability to empower others, build community cohesion, and foster positive change without seeking personal recognition.

Facing various challenges, including personal sacrifices and securing sponsorships for families in need, Elena has demonstrated resilience and a profound commitment to community welfare. Her creative solutions include collaborating with local businesses to address resource limitations, creating sustainable partnerships to support community programs.

Elena’s contributions have been recognized through her role on the City of Phoenix board and her impact on both her community and AZ Complete Health. Her efforts have significantly improved access to healthcare services and health outcomes, making a meaningful difference in the lives of many. Elena’s selfless dedication and leadership exemplify the values of compassion and service, making her a deserving honoree for the Profiles of Success award.

Erina has extensive non-profit experience from local social service organizations like the AZ State Board of Education, AZ Department of Economic Security, Southwest Key Programs, and her volunteer work with The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.  She continues to serve and advocate for her community through her work at Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona. In her position as Sr. Program Coordinator, Erina ensures families and children who have experienced trauma build resilience by receiving quality art-based programs in a safe, culturally enriched, inclusive environment. As an immigrant child from Mexico Erina learned at an early age the positive impact of contributing to her community. Arizona became home to her and her mother when they sought safety and the opportunity for a new beginning. Being the eldest of 7 amazing siblings, it is in her nature to be protective and nurturing. With the support of her loving husband, she has made it a mission to break negative cycles and build new positive opportunities. Together they have raised 2 kind and confident human beings who cultivate their love and culture from Mexico and El Salvador. Erina’s commitment is rooted in the support she has received and the gratitude she holds for teachers, mentors, neighbors, colleagues, and strangers who shared their kindness and who also helped raise her.  

Fernando "Fernie" Quiroz has been recognized as one of the "Most Influential Hispanic Award Honorees" for Leadership and Community Involvement.  He has been a strong role model for our community and has dedicated himself in making a true difference.  Born into a migrant farm working family he became the first in his family to earn a college degree from the University of Arizona.  Early in his career Mr. Quiroz began to work on sganize citizenship forums and classes for farm working families. 

He is currently the Executive Director of Arizona California Humanitarian Coalition, a Non-Profit Organization dedicated in providing services to all immigrants.  For Mr. Quiroz, the American Dream is a vibrant idea, a reality worth the sacrifice that he takes great pride in helping them achieve.  He has become an active leader and sits on numerous boards throughout Arizona ranging from issues on affordable housing, education, health care and farm workers rights.

Lydia is a dedicated leader with a long history of advocacy and social justice work. Currently leading the Chicanos Por La Causa Advocacy Team, Lydia has been actively involved in critical issues such as Census, Redistricting, Covid-19 information, and voter rights, including combating voter suppression. Her previous roles include working with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Elections Department, the Arizona Attorney General’s office, and the Arizona Clean Elections Institute.

Born and raised in California, Lydia’s advocacy journey began in the early 1990s with migrant rights groups in response to anti-Latino policies. During Prop 187, she was part of a state-wide campaign supporting amnesty applicants. After moving to Arizona, Lydia engaged with LULAC to protect voting rights and played a key role in founding the Somos America Coalition in 2006 to address anti-immigrant legislation.

Lydia dedicates considerable time to her advocacy work, often multitasking and working around the clock to address social injustice, discrimination, and oppression. Her leadership style is characterized by empowering others and unifying diverse voices for a common cause, without seeking personal recognition.

Her creative approach to leadership includes bringing together different groups and fostering collaboration, exemplified by her work with Somos America and her involvement in civil rights lawsuits. Lydia is also actively involved in law enforcement advisory boards, working to improve community relations and civil rights protections.

Though she prefers not to highlight her achievements, Lydia has been honored by being inducted into the LULAC Women’s Hall of Fame for her organizing and grassroots work. Her impact is profound, having played a critical role in challenging unlawful immigration enforcement practices and improving the lives of numerous marginalized communities. Lydia’s lifelong commitment to advocacy and justice makes her a deserving honoree for the Profiles of Success award.

Dr. Nadia Alvarez Mexia was born and raised in Mexico. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of Learning Development and Community Involvement at the W.A. Franke Honors College. An award-winning educator, she has devoted her professional and teaching career to creating safe learning spaces and designing remarkable academic experiences. Her dedication has achieved recognition from the University of Arizona, as well as from NAFSA: Association of International Educators in the U.S. and institutions of higher education in Mexico. Nadia holds an interdisciplinary background, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Information Systems from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). She also earned her Ph.D. in Teaching & Teacher Education with a minor in Language, Reading & Culture at the UArizona, where she was honored with the Erasmus Circle Award 2006 as a grad student. 

From 2007-2020, Nadia developed over nine different short-term programs for international and domestic populations, including students, faculty, and professionals. She obtained multiple funds to sponsor students from Latin America, Asia and Europe including an IDEAS grant from the U.S. Department of State to support the program “Navigating Education in the Borderlands” which recruited first-generation, binational, and diverse undergraduate students in the U.S. to learn about Arizona-Sonora region and its social, environmental, government, business, and other constituents of this region. Nadia fostered multiple collaborations across Mexico and other countries during her role in the International Office at the UArizona. Nowadays, Nadia continues to cultivate these relationships through her faculty role in Franke Honors. 

She has contributed to various publications, including serving as a co-author of the chapter book “Climbing Uphill” in Amplified Voices, Intersectional Identities: Volume 2, and as the author of the chapter “The Monarch Route” in the book Baila Conmigo: Mentoring Latinas as School Leaders. Recently, Nadia collaborated with colleagues from the UArizona, including the Franke Honors, and obtained Director’s Funds from the Confluencenter for the project “Bridging Borders: Honoring Interdisciplinary Student Talent.” Additionally, in partnership with a colleague from the Office of the Provost, she obtained a LGTBQ+ Faculty Research Grant for the project “FABULOUS in STE+AM: Fostering, Affirmation, Belonging and Unity for LGTBQ+ Student Opportunities, Understanding and Succes.” 

Nadia is one of the UArizona Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Fellows for 2018-2019, as well as an Academic Leadership Institute (ALI) Fellows 2020-2021. She serves as a mentor of the Nepantla Student Association (NSA) in Franke Honors, the Faculty Co-chair for the Latinx Faculty and Staff Association (LFSA) in the UArizona, and co-founder of the National HSI-Honors Consortioum. In 2018, Nadia’s work has been honored with the Edith Sayre Auslander Established Visionary Award and the Human Relations Commission of the City of Tucson Recognition.

Additionally, Nadia teaches Honors courses, develops transformative pedagogy, participates in multiple committees, oversees internships, and establishes new connections with our community, both locally and across the border. These efforts aim to provide our students with learning experiences centered around interculturality, cultural self, shared characteristics, leadership, and identity. Before joining the UA, Nadia worked for a decade in Mexico’s higher education system as a professor, mentor, and administrator within the ITESM Campus Monterrey and Mazatlán and other higher education institutions.

Rosaura “Rosie” Carrillo Garcia serves as the Community Impact and Project Manager for the Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest’s Innovation and Entrepreneur Programs team. Since joining BBB in 2018, Rosie has played a key role in building, growing, and executing BBB’s business resources and programs. In her current role, Rosie leads social impact measurement efforts, grant writing, and grant management. She also oversees BBB's coworking space, ignite sparked by BBB, in Phoenix, AZ, ensuring that the brand’s purpose, mission, and vision are fully represented and that all internal processes run smoothly.

Rosie earned her Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership and a Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Management from Grand Canyon University, where she was actively involved in the Honors College, Colangelo Scholars, and the New Business and Development Center. These experiences ignited her passion for supporting the small business community.

In addition to her role at BBB, Rosie has embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, working to legitimize her flower business, Ramos by Rosie, which offers personalized flower bouquets and arrangements.

Rosie is passionate about creating and inspiring equitable change within historically underserved and underrepresented communities, particularly in making higher education more accessible. Her life’s mission is to help others reach their potential through knowledge, education, and personal and professional development.