ENLACES ALASKA
Enlaces is a 501(c)3 formed in September 2017 with a mission to empower, educate, and engage Alaska’s Latino community by acting as a catalyst for an equitable presence and voice. By collaboration with communities throughout Alaska, Enlaces works to advance social justice and equity for Latinos and Hispanics in the North.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Joan Ryan originally from Viña Del Mar, Chile, is a community organizer and a fighter for women’s rights. She has served as the chair of the Anchorage Women’s Commission for the Municipality of Anchorage and was former Vice President of Alaska National Organization for Women (NOW).
She holds a BA in performing arts, from Universidad del Desarrollo, an Associate’s degree in health and natural therapy from the Instituto del Medio Ambiente, and has an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Alaska Pacific University. She is currently an Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Alaska Fairbanks teaching 200 and 300 level classes.
She loves spending her time traveling to different places in the world and packrafting with her husband. She is also a two-time Mt Marathon race participant in Seward, Alaska.
Daniel Darrow is a term instructor of Spanish at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He has held this position since receiving his master’s degree in Applied Linguistics in 2012. Daniel’s research interests include using comic images and developing/refining online courses to teach Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL).
Daniel is involved with the local community by volunteering with the Literacy Council of Alaska (teaching/tutoring in ESL), volunteering with the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks, the Fairbanks Biathlon Club, and various projects with the Spanish-speaking community of Fairbanks. Daniel loves to travel and finds himself most happy surrounded by family, learning new things and helping others. He is of Cuban ancestry.
Beysi is originally from Venezuela, she is also a mother and a professional. She moved to Alaska more than 10 years ago and arrived in this country to fight for her dreams, however, she encountered various language barriers and misinformation. These were not limiting factors in achieving her goals. Now she is focused on minimizing these barriers with her community through information, education, and facilitating access to necessary resources to improve the lives of the Latin population. She is working on a dynamic of promoting information through social media networks, community pages, events, and even going house to house to distribute this information to the community. Beysi has an Associates Degree in Primary Education. She graduated from the Colegio Universitario Monseñor de Talavera in Caracas, Venezuela. Later, she was awarded a Certified Nurses Assistant’s license by the Municipality of Anchorage. Recently she obtained a certificate of Community Health Work by the Alaska Primary Care Association. Beysi stands out for her community work which is her passion. Currently, she is an active volunteer of the multicultural group of Peer Leader Navigators. She received a certificate of appreciation from Providence Hospital for her efforts relating to the COVID 19 pandemic and providing navigational services to the community of Anchorage. Beysi is also an animal lover, an enthusiast of the outdoors, and helping others.
Sindy Mendez Espino grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, after her parents immigrated to the US from Mexico. As a student in Alaska, she knows firsthand the barriers and system inequities immigrant families face when supporting their children in the education system. Her passion and focus have been on providing greater support and equitable access to high-quality education to marginalized communities across Alaska.
Sindy graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a degree in Elementary Education and pursued a career as a high school graduation mentor and later as a classroom teacher. Her time in schools and the classroom was pivotal to her decision to attend and graduate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a degree in Education Policy and Management to support more significant systemic education changes in Alaska. She now has the honor and privilege of working with the talented educators and administrators in Anchorage as an Assistant Director of Professional Learning, supporting ongoing professional learning, mentoring, and retention efforts. She is inspired and driven by her loving partner, parents, and siblings, who motivate her to create a better world for humanity to be able to live and thrive.
Paola was born and raised in Peru. She moved to Alaska in 2001 and has been living in Anchorage since then. Paola went to Bettye Davis East High School and is a proud T-Bird graduate of the class of 2004. She earned her baccalaureate degree in Clinical Laboratory Science in 2009 from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She continued her medical career at the University of Washington MEDEX PA program and became a Physician Associate in 2018. She currently works as a PA and provides care to her patients in the chronic pain management specialty. Paola’s passion is to help others, extending her passion outside the medical field by being involved in the community. Her Latino roots are a very important part of her life. As a mother, and bilingual medical provider, reaching out and connecting to the Latino community in Alaska is dear to her heart. Her goal is to provide our Latino community with the necessary resources to improve its health and education. In addition, she strives to empower Hispanic women to achieve economic independence, transform their lives and reenvision their future. Paola is very excited to be part of Enlaces and cannot wait to continue educating, empowering, and engaging Alaska’s Latino community.
As a long-time Alaskan now, Paola enjoys outdoor activities at the lake, such as boating, jet skiing, biking in the summers, skate skiing, ice skating, and snow machining in the winters. She also enjoys Latin dancing and traveling.
Carmen Paredes, is a seasoned executive and leadership expert, best
selling author and professional speaker, bringing forth over two decades of
experience in achieving remarkable results by fostering high-performing
and engaged teams, even in the most demanding environments. As the
visionary behind Exceptional Leadership Solutions, her mission is to
elevate lives and aid organizations in maximizing return on investment.
With a diverse background including an MBA from a prestigious institution
and a coaching certification accredited through the National Board of
Certified Counselors, she thrives on blending intuitive and intentional
leadership principles with practical actionable modalities.
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