The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) today announced the panelists for a forum on "Latina Glass Ceiling Busters: Their Stories", which will be presented at 2:30-4pm on Friday, February 15 during its 31st National Conference in Chicago. Panelists will include Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, and Shayla Rivera.
Ambassador Lomellin was confirmed by the United States Senate as Permanent U.S. Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), with the rank of Ambassador, on November 20, 2009. She served as Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women from 1998-2009. During the Clinton Administration she held the positions of White House Liaison for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Director of OPM's Office of International Affairs, Advisor on Hispanic Affairs to the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach, and Search Manager in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel during the 1996 presidential transition.
Anita Alvarez made history when she was elected in 2008 to serve as Cook County State's Attorney. The first female and first Latina elected to this position, she is also the first career prosecutor to hold this post, having spent her entire legal career serving the victims of violent crime. In her capacity as State's Attorney, Ms. Alvarez leads the second largest prosecutor's office in the nation, supervising more than 1,600 employees whose primary responsibilities involve prosecuting violent crime and seeking justice on behalf of crime victims and their families. State's Attorney Alvarez was re-elected to her position in November 2012 by a large margin, garnering the largest vote total of all countywide candidates.
Shayla Rivera grew up in Puerto Rico, with an avid interest in science. She earned a degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University, worked for NASA in the shuttle and space station programs, then went on to stress management training and motivational speaking where Shayla discovered her comedic talents. With numerous awards and recognitions Shayla is a force for our youth's education. She has appeared on many TV networks and numerous TV programs. She hosted the TV series "You're Not The Man I Married" for the Lifetime Real Women Network. Shayla is very proud to entertain US Troops in Iraq and Military installations worldwide. She is now known as the Funny Rocket Scientist.
In making the announcement, USHLI President Dr. Juan Andrade said "We are fortunate to have an extraordinarily diverse panel of super-achievers who have opened new doors for today's youth. Their stories are inspiring and their careers are encouraging. We are grateful for their support in helping USHLI cultivate the next generation of Latina/o leaders."
For more information regarding USHLI's National Conference, please call 312.427.8683.
