What cause are you passionate about?

In addition to my passion for driving patient safety and fighting against counterfeits and illicit trade, I am also passionate about coaching, mentoring, and developing future leaders both internal and external to J&J.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

I am recognized as a Credo leader who has led and supported efforts to drive inclusion in J&J and the greater community, including the African Ancestry Leadership Council (AALC) in which I was recently selected as the Sponsor for the Raritan, NJ Chapter. I have also supported programs to further diversity, equity and inclusion; one of which I will highlight is the Women in STEM2D initiative. Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Manufacturing, and Design (WiSTEM2D) is a J&J program that was established in 2015 to support and inspire girls and women in their pursuit of STEM2D studies and careers, no matter where they are located around the world. We wake up every day inspired to empower women and girls in the six vital STEM2D fields so they have limitless opportunities to change the trajectory of health for humanity. This program has four distinct pillars consisting of Youth, University, Professional, and Partnerships. I have supported this program since its inception and I am currently the Executive Sponsor for the University pillar where we aspire to support young women and their pursuit of STEM2D degrees while bridging the path to rewarding careers by advancing women in STEM higher education. We partner with academic institutions globally to develop high-impact strategies and deploy enriching programs.

What cause are you passionate about?

I am currently passionate about two causes: supporting women and contributing to female empowerment, and collaborating with environmental care. In terms of sustainability, I identified an opportunity for improvement in my field: to give a sustainable destination to products that were destroyed, burned and/or buried due to trademark infringement. I am currently working on two projects. The first one is called Score Green and its goal is to donate basketball backboards to schools and public institutions in the country. These backboards are generated by using destroyed counterfeit products that may not be on the market. Thus, the project contributes to the circular economy and gives a second life to the material, bringing it back to the market for another use and reducing the environmental impact. So far, we have already managed to change the lives of 2090 children throughout Uruguay. On the other hand, I am working on the “Entre manos” project, which will give a second life to seized textile products. In this case, the new products (such as coasters, tablecloths, pencil holders, bags, etc.) will be created by Paraguayan women using the Poivy technique, which originated in Paraguay in the 19th century and is based on the production of pieces by hand using looms.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

As the head of a firm with an 80% female staff, I lead one of the most important law firms in Latin America, and the only one in the region with that percentage of women working as part of a team. As a Director, I aspire to be an example by offering opportunities to women, reminding the world that we are efficient, organized and make the most of our time. I am a mentor in the Sembrando program, which provides opportunities and assistance to new entrepreneurs who are starting a project or lack the resources to expand their businesses. I was invited to participate by the First Lady of Uruguay, Lorena Ponce de Leon. By doing so, I was able to promote female empowerment, considering that these women are working on their own and it is their business. In Uruguay there are few women-led businesses, which makes the situation far from being gender-equal. I am also the president of REDDER, a network of referents created during the pandemic, which aims to connect and create links between entrepreneurs. REDDER arises from the desire to build equity through interpersonal relationships and connections. The goal is that many women, wherever they are, may have someone to guide and assist them in their development in any field. For instance, a rural woman from Ecuador can be mentored by a rural woman from Spain. Other goals include working on the issue of equity, bringing men and women together in the same conversation. 
Additional videos for the Score Green Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6HWVsJj16s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQqBwcqsc6Y

What cause are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about education. I believe education is the greatest gift that one can hope to get for it allows us to see through differences across cultures and instead find similarities between one another.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

I’m passionate about the Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) sponsored by the Rotary Club. The program sponsors students from all over the world, offering a one-year scholarship to attend a university in Georgia. Every year as members and ambassadors, my family hosted a new student, sharing Christmas and our family traditions, while also learning about their family traditions. Coming from a small town where everyone knew your name, this program opened my eyes to diversity and other cultures, showing me how different, and yet how similar we all are. The program was started to promote world peace, and what better way to do this than with our youth. I hope the program continues to bring diversity to my state and to our country, as the world will always be a better place when we work together. Since 1946, Rotarians in Georgia, have promoted world peace through understanding by offering ambassadorial scholarships to international students for a one-year cultural immersion and of study in Georgia colleges and universities.

What cause are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about the future of our nation and this future can only be cared for by our future generations. I focus on attending to social issues relating to children and adolescents, including family abuse or educational opportunities.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

In the Province of Santiago, Panama, where I was born, I work with the “Children and Adolescents Courts” headed by their Judge Marlene Morales Garcia. My focus is assisting children with family problems to find a solution to their specific cases, help them in finding homes when necessary and help to educate and guide their parents as “family tutors”. In physical abuse cases, I visit hospitals and ensure the children are given the best care possible and psychological attention if needed.

What cause are you passionate about?

Supporting local libraries in providing a safe environment for children and individuals of all ages to learn, be creative and explore personal curiosities and interests.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

My family and I are avid volunteers, donors, event participants, and ambassadors at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library.

What cause are you passionate about?

Child safety issues, environment, education, health care equality, human rights, animal welfare, STEM & career paths for girls, sustainability.

What cause are you passionate about?

Celebrating Diverse Stories

What cause are you passionate about?

Access to justice and participation in the legal system for people that have historically not been well served by or represented in the legal field.

What cause are you passionate about?

All Kids Bike (AKB)

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

I support AKB because I believe it provides critical skills for young children in our schools. AKB’s mission is to teach every child in America to ride a bike in Kindergarten. To see the joy on the faces of the children is wondrous! I have donated to AKB and spread the word everywhere I go about this program.

What cause are you passionate about?

Election Protection; Women’s Rights; Humanitarian Efforts; Volunteer Work

What cause are you passionate about?

Raising money for cancer research through Pelotonia!! Cancer has greatly affected my family, and this is my way of giving back and making an impact.

What cause are you passionate about?

Women Empowerment; Immigration Support

What cause are you passionate about?

Communities are comprised of various individuals from different social and economic backgrounds interacting with each other. From an early age, I was instilled with a sense of gratitude for what we had as a family and that it was a privilege. It is easy to lose sight of what matters as we each go about our daily routines. We all have our difficulties and obstacles in life but there is always someone going through much worse and needs help. It is imperative that all communities have resources and assistance for those who are not as fortunate. A culture of giving must be encouraged and cultivated not just to alleviate poverty but to strengthen communities. I am compelled to contribute, volunteer and give back in any capacity to the community close to home and globally to aid in establishing a better society for my children and future generations.

What cause are you passionate about?
Responsible management of the world’s forests.

What cause are you passionate about?

Invest part of my time to positively impact other people’s lives, and serve my purpose in life, which is to use my knowledge for the good of society.

What cause are you passionate about?

My life has been personally touched by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) through family and friends, including my lifelong mentor, living with this debilitating disease. I am a proponent for MS research and passionate about discovering new treatment options and building support systems for individuals with MS, all in pursuit of finding a cure. As we all know, it is not individual progress that will get us there, but through teamwork and perseverance we can make the changes we want to see in the world.

What cause are you passionate about?

I support several organizations that focus on the welfare of children and/or mental health issues. These issues often overlap in families.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

Mental health is a significant issue for so many and a focus of much of my volunteer time. I am a Vice-Chair and Board Trustee for Saint Louis MHB, an independent taxing district in the City of St. Louis that administers public funds for behavioral health and children’s services for the benefit of City of St. Louis residents. I am also on the Advisory Board and am past Board member and Vice-Chair for Whole Kids Outreach – a faith-based, nonprofit service organization committed to the unmet health and developmental needs of children, youth, and pregnant women within their family structure in Appalachian-style poverty in rural Missouri. I am also a supporter and pro bono legal advisor for The ARCHway Institute for Mental Health and Addictive Disorders – assisting those individuals suffering with a drug or alcohol addiction and co-existing mental health disorders by providing information and financial assistance. Supporting other women and young girls build confidence is my other passion as I actively participate with my firm’s DEI programs and have coached Mock Trial at a local girls high school.

What cause are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about helping people, so I formed the charity – Kenny’s Dream Foundation, Inc. a 501c3 organization in 2014 to help kids and adults with Tourette Syndrome.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

I formed Kenny’s Dream Foundation in memory of my brother Kenny, who had severe Tourette Syndrome (TS). He was very smart and always wanted to go to college but TS made that impossible for him. He died in 2002, so to honor his memory, I created this charity to help kids and adults with Tourette Syndrome by providing college scholarships and camp tuition. In 2022 alone, we were able to sponsor 3 kids to Camp Twitch and Shout and award 10 scholarships ranging from $1000 – $1500 each to very deserving individuals. Tourette’s is not very well know and if I can help educate just one person and continue to help others, I will keep this charity going for as long as I can. To learn more about the charity and see info about our upcoming fundraiser, visit Kenny’s Dream Foundation, Inc.

What cause are you passionate about?

Helping the youth fight childhood obesity and have access to healthy options and active lifestyle options.

In which organization are you involved and why? What does the organization do and how are you involved?

I have been a volunteer coach for Cross Country in the fall and Track in the spring for the last six years for a local youth organization for grades K-12. In addition, each year I help lead a Spin-A-Thon for the YMCA‘s of Delaware. Prior to this, I did this in St. Petersburg FL. I am very passionate about helping children have their options. I share my story while riding because it helps create awareness for fundraising. I was an obese child and I joined the YMCA when I was 13 and it helped me be active. The event is donation-based and I volunteer and have my family donate as riders. The YMCA offers this event as part of their Annual Campaign and the money raised is used for children who cannot afford camps, sports, and other activities.