Meet our team

Our Staff

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Hiram Cortez
Executive Director

Hiram Cortez stepped into the Executive Director role at MLOV in February 2023. Hiram comes to MLOV from UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza), where he led monitoring, evaluation, and data management functions for national education and workforce development programs.

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Priscilla Agyen
Youth Program Instructor

I was born in Ghana and raised in Brooklyn NY where I lived my entire life. I graduated from Harvard where I studied government with a secondary in global health and health policy.

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Luis Alvarado
Digital Literacy Instructor

Originally from Costa Rica, Luis Alvarado has committed over 7 years of his professional career to the nonprofit world and empowering the LatinX community Washington, DC.

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Juliana Ariola
Youth Program Coordinator

Juliana has been involved in various non-profits where she has had the opportunity to work with students of all ages and backgrounds.

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Marvin Buenaventura
Program Assistant

As an alum of MLOV's Youth Program, Marvin leverages this first-hand experience as he supports our programming.

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Flor Buruca
Parent Programs Assistant

Flor Buruca is Salvadorian and arrived to the United States in 2005. She is studying at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to work as an educator in early education.

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Karen Cariño
Parent Engagement Program Facilitator

Karen Cariño is a Bilingual Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington D.C and Maryland with over 10 years of social work experience.

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Sarah Carlson
Youth Program Manager

Sarah Carlson (she/they) grew up as a third culture kid bouncing between East and Southeast Asia and Northern Virginia.

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Yanci Flores
Digital Literacy Instructor

Yanci Flores is a passionate DC native committed to community engagement and a love for creativity.

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Jenny Huarhua
Parent Leadership Program Manager

Jenny Huarhua has built her knowledge, skill and abilities, serving on a variety of roles at different nonprofit organizations working with diverse communities, most of them indigenous communities in her native Peru.

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Graciela Leal
Administrative Support

Gracie is responsible for direct communication with MLOV members and supporting organization leadership.

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Nancy Leon
Director of Advocacy

Nancy Leon was born and raised in Prince George’s County Maryland, she is the proud daughter of Central American immigrants, and first generation college graduate.

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Noemi Sanchez-Cruz
Youth Program Instructor

Noemi Cruz is a first-generation college student studying Psychology who has previously worked at LAYC with youth of different backgrounds.

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Leslie Tellería
Digital Literacy Program Instructor Assistant

Leslie Tellería (she/her) is a co-teacher for Many Languages, One Voice's Digital Skills for Life program.

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Miranda Xiong
Economic Justice Assistant

Miranda Xiong is a rising senior at Georgetown University studying history and classics.

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Our Board of Directors

Vivian Chang
Board Chair

Vivian Chang serves as the Civic Engagement & Racial Justice Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, overseeing APALA's programs on voting, redistricting, immigration advocacy, and political engagement.

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Adriana Castaneda
Board Member

Adriana Castaneda is a content-focused designer and researcher working as a government contractor, specializing in user experience and accessibility.

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Thomas Franco
Board Member

Thomas Franco is a government professional with experience across local, state, and federal government.

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Rebeca Puentes
Secretary

Rebeca Puentes is a proud daughter of first-generation immigrant parents from Mexico. She moved among cities and countries frequently as she grew up, and learned the power of reaching across language barriers to find community and create a support system.

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Sujatha Selvakumar
Treasurer

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Karen Cariño

Parent Engagement Program Facilitator
Karen Cariño is a Bilingual Licensed Graduate Social Worker in Washington D.C and Maryland with over 10 years of social work experience.
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Miranda Xiong

Economic Justice Assistant
Miranda Xiong is a rising senior at Georgetown University studying history and classics.
Read more

Luis Alvarado

Digital Literacy Instructor
Originally from Costa Rica, Luis Alvarado has committed over 7 years of his professional career to the nonprofit world and empowering the LatinX community Washington, DC.
Read more

Adriana Castaneda

Board Member
Adriana Castaneda is a content-focused designer and researcher working as a government contractor, specializing in user experience and accessibility.
Read more

Leslie Tellería

Digital Literacy Program Instructor Assistant
Leslie Tellería (she/her) is a co-teacher for Many Languages, One Voice's Digital Skills for Life program.
Read more

Noemi Sanchez-Cruz

Youth Program Instructor
Noemi Cruz is a first-generation college student studying Psychology who has previously worked at LAYC with youth of different backgrounds.
Read more

Priscilla Agyen

Youth Program Instructor
I was born in Ghana and raised in Brooklyn NY where I lived my entire life. I graduated from Harvard where I studied government with a secondary in global health and health policy.
Read more

Rebeca Puentes

Secretary
Rebeca Puentes is a proud daughter of first-generation immigrant parents from Mexico. She moved among cities and countries frequently as she grew up, and learned the power of reaching across language barriers to find community and create a support system.
Read more

Thomas Franco

Board Member
Thomas Franco is a government professional with experience across local, state, and federal government.
Read more

Flor Buruca

Parent Programs Assistant
Flor Buruca is Salvadorian and arrived to the United States in 2005. She is studying at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) to work as an educator in early education.
Read more

Yanci Flores

Digital Literacy Instructor
Yanci Flores is a passionate DC native committed to community engagement and a love for creativity.
Read more

Jenny Huarhua

Parent Leadership Program Manager
Jenny Huarhua has built her knowledge, skill and abilities, serving on a variety of roles at different nonprofit organizations working with diverse communities, most of them indigenous communities in her native Peru.
Read more

Marvin Buenaventura

Program Assistant
As an alum of MLOV's Youth Program, Marvin leverages this first-hand experience as he supports our programming.
Read more

Juliana Ariola

Youth Program Coordinator
Juliana has been involved in various non-profits where she has had the opportunity to work with students of all ages and backgrounds.
Read more

Nancy Leon

Director of Advocacy
Nancy Leon was born and raised in Prince George’s County Maryland, she is the proud daughter of Central American immigrants, and first generation college graduate.
Read more

Graciela Leal

Administrative Support
Gracie is responsible for direct communication with MLOV members and supporting organization leadership.
Read more

Sarah Carlson

Youth Program Manager
Sarah Carlson (she/they) grew up as a third culture kid bouncing between East and Southeast Asia and Northern Virginia.
Read more

Vivian Chang

Board Chair
Vivian Chang serves as the Civic Engagement & Racial Justice Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, overseeing APALA's programs on voting, redistricting, immigration advocacy, and political engagement.
Read more

Hiram Cortez

Executive Director
Hiram Cortez stepped into the Executive Director role at MLOV in February 2023. Hiram comes to MLOV from UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza), where he led monitoring, evaluation, and data management functions for national education and workforce development programs.
Read more

Board of Directors

Vivian Chang

Chairperson