Maria Elena Ponticiello, Lead Anchor, "Acceso Total", Entertainment Reporter, Telemundo Chicago
Maria Elena Ponticiello is the lead anchor in the weekly entertainment show, “Acceso Total” and Entertainment Reporter for 5pm and 10pm new at Telemundo Chicago.
In 1998, Maria Elena migrated to Chicago and began teaching Spanish at Northwestern University, until she restarted her on air career at Telemundo Chicago.
In 2009, Maria Elena won an Emmy for best producer and reporter for the “Telemundo Autoshow 2009”
In 2010, Maria Elena won an Emmy for best production and video for the show “Telemundo Autoshow 2010”
In 2011, Maria Elena, won an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Arts/Entertainment Programming - Program/ Special/Series/Feature/Segment- Acceso Total Chicago.
In 2011, Emmy for Outstanding Crafts Achievement for On-Camera Talent - Program Host/Moderator/Contributor-Acceso Total Chicago.
Maria Elena Ponticiello was born in Mexico City, Mexico and graduated with honors from the Universidad Anahuac del Norte.
Litza Mavrothalasitis, President, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois
Spiridoula "Litza" Mavrothalasitis is an Assistant Inspector General with the Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor, investigating allegations of fraud, misconduct, and waste by state employees and agencies. Previously, she practiced litigation at the law firms of Jenner & Block LLP and DLA Piper LLP. She has experience handling Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations and matters involving ERISA, employment, breach of contract, insurance, and tort claims. She also has experience consulting with case teams on e-discovery. Litza was heavily involved with pro bono work at both firms, working on various matters, including anti-immigrant ordinance challenges, a domestic dispute, a motion to reconsider sentencing, and arguing a habeus corpus appeal before the Illinois Supreme Court. Litza also served on Jenner & Block's Pro Bono Committee.
Litza has been involved with the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois ("HLAI") in various roles over the years and has served as an Officer of HLAI as Membership Secretary (2011-2013), President-Elect (2013-2014), and, now, as the current President. Litza is a member of the 2014 Magistrate Judge Merit Review Panel for the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois. In addition, since 2009, she has served as an appointed member of the Supervisory Committee of the Consumers Credit Union.
Litza graduated from the University of Michigan Law School where she served as President of the Latino Law Students Association and was an Executive Articles Editor for the Michigan Journal of Race & Law. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and French Minor from Northwestern University. Prior to practicing law, she was an Associate in KPMG's Corporate Finance group working on mergers, acquisitions, and financings for middle market companies, with a focus on health care and medical devices.
Sonia Salazar, Board Chair, Mujeres de HACE
Ms. Salazar-Del Real has over eighteen years experience working directly with Hispanic families helping them make financial decisions related to banking, loan products, income tax preparation, and home ownership. She first started her career in financial services as a teller in her childhood neighborhood of South Chicago and shortly thereafter she was encouraged to obtain her IL Real Estate license and subsequently opened her own brokerage office in Northwest Indiana. Like many other real estate professionals after the mortgage crisis in 2008, Ms. Salazar-Del Real reconfigured her career path but maintains an active Illinois brokers license and occasionally helps close friends and family who pursue the American Dream.
During the mortgage crisis, Ms. Salazar-Del Real began what she likes to refer to as her ‘ministry’ of working with urban college bound students all across the city’s southwest side and shortly thereafter founded Christi Consulting, LLC. It’s mission is to empower and encourage all first generation college bound youth to matriculate and graduate from college debt free. She recently concluded her first college administration post in Latino Affairs at Chicago State University and is now working with CPS’ third largest high school (Curie Metro) to ensure student career paths and college matriculation.
She attributes much of her determination and perseverance to the tools and resources provided by Mujeres de HACE- a national women’s leadership program geared to empower high potential Latinas seeking to obtain managerial roles or above. Mujeres de HACE has chapters in Houston, TX, Washington DC, and New York City. Ms. Salazar-Del Real serves as the Advisory Board Chair for Mujeres de HACE in Chicago.
Born and raised in Chicago’s Southeast side, Ms. Sonia Salazar-Del Real is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, the oldest of three siblings, and the parent of two college age children. She is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college earning a BA in Business Leadership from DePaul University.
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