2025 HMC STRATEGIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS JURY
Grand Jury
RICARDO ASPIAZU
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CO-PRESIDENT OF THE JURY
Senior Vice President – Creative & Brand Design
Verizon
ESPERANZA TEASDALE
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CO-PRESIDENT OF THE JURY
Former Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business
PepsiCo Beverages North America
VERONICA ELIZONDO
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Chief Creative Officer
Conill
MARIA ELISA VELEZ
_______________________
Sr. Managing Director
DoorDash
Impactful Multicultural Research Jury
NANCY TELLET
_______________________
Founder, Brand & Consumer Navigator
PureClarity LLC
ANDREA COSBY MOLINA
_______________________
Sr. Manager Data Operations
Under Armour
ADRIENNE PULIDO
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Vice President – Inclusion Insights
Kantar
CARLOS SANTIAGO
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CEO & Chief Strategist
Santiago Solutions Group
Best Hispanic Cultural Insight Jury
JENNIFER GARCIA
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SVP Data Science & Research
Publicis Media
OMAR QUIÑONES
_______________________
Chief Strategy Officer
MEL
DANEYNI SANGUINETTI
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Senior Director, Culture & Inclusive Marketing
Pernod-Ricard North America
MIRLA TAYLOR
_______________________
Director of Marketing Strategy and Insights
Elevance Health
ANDREA TRUJILLO
_______________________
CMO and Partner
Velocity
Impact on Innovation Jury
JORGE BECERRA
_____________________
VP, Group Planning Director
alma
BRIANNE BOLES-MARSHALL
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Global Marketing Services Diversity Media Strategy & Investment
General Motors
VALENTINA SULBARÁN
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Group Creative Director
Dieste Inc.
Mainstream Impact Jury
ALONSO ARIAS
_______________________
Founder – CCO
the non agency
WILL PIERCE
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EVP, Chief Strategy Officer
Casanova//McCann
ISABELLA SÁNCHEZ
_______________________
Vice President of Media Integration
Zubi Advertising
Media Connections & Content Strategy Impact Jury
YESENIA BELLO
_______________________
Head of Brand Partnerships
Brilla Media
RONALD MÉNDEZ
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EVP, Cultural Investment & Strategy Lead
GroupM
KAREN VEGA-PORCELLI
_______________________
VP, Inclusive & Multicultural Solutions
Paramount
Content Creator & Consumer Engagement Strategy Jury
MARIAM GONZALEZ
_______________________
Senior Strategist
Taylor
SARAH IRIZARRY
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Senior Marketing Manager
Molson Coors Beverage Company
REBECA MEDINA
_______________________
Senior Digital Engagement Manager
Campari
Creative Ingenuity Jury
MARINA CUESTA
______________________
Group Creative Director
ALDO QUEVEDO
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CEO, Creative Chairman
BeautifulBeast
DANIELA VARELA
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Group Creative Director
Weber Shandwick
Pro-Bono Jury
NATALIA ORTIZ
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Sr. Program Lead, Cultural Transformation
American Heart Association
MARCELA SALAZAR
______________________
Sr. Vice President
Ketchum
LIZETH ZARATE
______________________
Chief Marketing Officer
We Are All Human Foundation
Shopper AND/OR Experiential Impact Jury
MONICA DURAN
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Independent Consultant & University Professor
ESPERANZA TEASDALE
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Former Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business
Senior Vice President – Creative & Brand Design at Verizon
Before joining the company he spent over 15 years in advertising both in Ecuador, his home country, and in the USA. He worked with some of the best agencies like DDB, JWT and Dentsu. Problem solving, creating and disrupting for small and global brands like Heineken, Johnson & Johnson and Burger King. This journey is how Ricardo got to work with Verizon and crossed over to help them build their creative organization in 2017. At Verizon, his role spans from creative strategy to brand design, naming and identity, content creation and in-house & external agency ecosystem management. He is also the creative liaison to Verizon’s most valued partners like Apple, Samsung, Google, Disney and the NFL; developing award-winning co-branded brand and product activations.
He holds degrees from Loyola University New Orleans, Universidad de Barcelona and Baruch College CUNY. Ricardo lives in NYC with his husband Robert and his four-legged daughter Pepa.
Former Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit at PepsiCo Beverages North America
Former Vice President and General Manager for PepsiCo Beverages North America’s Hispanic Business Unit, overseeing the $2 billion business portfolio’s marketing and sales strategy. Her team launched year 3 of the award-winning Mejor Con Pepsi full funnel campaign focused on authentically connecting Pepsi and Hispanic cuisine. She was also an executive producer of Pepsi’s first-ever streaming series, “Talking Sabor,” an unapologetically Latin food-focused show in collaboration with award-winning Chef Aarón Sánchez.
In 2021, Esperanza spearheaded the launch of PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow), a multi-year platform to strengthen Hispanic restaurants, bodegas and carnicerías (meat markets) by addressing access to capital, digital and delivery technology and traffic driving solutions.
Among her many accolades, Esperanza was named 2024 Hispanic Marketer of the Year by HMC, received the 2022 ‘Female Frontier’ Award from Campaign US, and was one of People en Español’s ‘25 Most Powerful Women’ in 2021.
For over 21 years, Esperanza has demonstrated excellence at PepsiCo, driving business results across a variety of brands, channels and customers. She is a champion of talent and executive sponsor of Adelante ERG.
A first-generation Ecuadorian-Colombian, Esperanza was Born in Long Island, NY, and holds an engineering degree from Rutgers University, and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.
Chief Creative Officer at Conill
With over 20 years of experience in advertising and design, Veronica utilizes her passion for great ideas and visual language to inspire teams to create memorable and noteworthy campaigns. Currently, she is the Chief Creative Officer at Conill Saatchi & Saatchi, where she oversees the Toyota account in addition to actively participating in new business initiatives. Her performance at Conill has been crucial in helping the agency garner various awards, including “Hispanic Agency of the Year” by Ad Age and the first Lion at Cannes. She was also part of the team that helped establish the new office in Dallas, TX. Veronica’s experience encompasses several brands and categories, including Burger King, Nationwide, Reliant, Fidelity, T-Mobile, Alaska Airlines, Aflac, Budweiser, and Nestlé Coffee-Mate.
Her work has won awards at the most renowned advertising festivals,namely Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, One Show, FIAP, El Sol, Ad AgeHispanic Awards, , and Effies. Digiday also named her one of the “5 Hispanic shop creatives you need to know.” She has participated as a judge in various festivals: El Sol, WAVE, the U.S.H. Hispanic Awards, FePI, ANA Multicultural, and Radio Mercury
Awards.
Her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, is where Veronica began her career and developed graphic design and corporate identity projects for both national and international brands. After spending a summer in Milan, Italy, Veronica enrolled in a graphic advertising course and moved to Miami, where she completed her art director portfolio.
Sr Managing Director at DoorDash
Founder, Brand & Consumer Navigator at PureClarity LLC
Nancy is a research professional providing strategic clarity of the transformative power of demography on culture & the insight to navigate & thrive within the “evolutionary” cultural shifts that ride the demographic current, Nancy has authored several studies as chair of the Research Committee for the Hispanic Marketing Council.
Nancy also works directly with brands and organizations privately through PureClarity LLC, a research & insights consultancy. Her scope of expertise specializes in Millennial, Post-Millennial (Gen Z) & Family (25-54) demographics and her experience spans the U.S., U.S. Hispanic & Multicultural markets as well as LatAm & International.
Prior to founding PureClarity in 2016, Nancy worked as SVP of Research & Consumer Insights with Viacom 2008 – 2015) including the entertainment brands of Nickelodeon (kids, tweens & Parents focus) & MTV/MTV Tr3s (16-24 & Hispanics 16-24 focus respectively).
Preceding her work with Viacom, Nancy honed her research & account planning skills at ad agencies including J. Walter Thompson and Saatchi & Saatchi and with leading brands such as Colgate, Toyota, Ford, P&G and MilkPEP.
Sr. Manager Data Operations at Under Armour
SVP Data Science & Research at Publicis Media
Vice President – Inclusion Insights at Kantar
CEO & Chief Strategist at Santiago Solutions Group
Carlos is a recognized strategist who has been guiding growth strategies backed by innovative insights, data and econometrics to optimize and solve challenges in implementing Multicultural and Inclusive & Generational segment efforts within a Modern Marketing and Total Market context.
Since 2000, Carlos has led Santiago Solutions Group (SSG) guiding insights discovery, opportunity models, analytics, and marketing strategies for clients such as AARP, AT&T, Arizona Blue, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Shield California, CVS Health, Elli Lilly, Feeding America, Ferrara, J&J, Home Depot, Kimberly Clark, McDonald’s, Nestle, The Principal, Sierra Club, SNHU, Sparkling Ice, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Target, Ulta Beauty, Verizon, Walgreen’s, Walmart, Stater Bros., among others.
In 2016, Carlos co-founded AIMM – the Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing, an arm of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), evolving the multicultural and diverse marketing discipline for the 21st century alongside CMOs from Nestle, Wells Fargo, Walmart, Denny’s, USAA, P&G and 140+ leading advertisers. Carlos leads efforts around multicultural data quality and transparency and the Cultural Insights Impact Measure™ (CIIM™). CIIM is the new industry gold-standard measure gauging the incremental value of cultural relevance in ads and content. With more than 300,000 evaluations across 500+ brands/200+ shows, CIIM has opened a path to create more authentic portrayals, deeper consumer connections, and greater sales lift for brands.
Chief Strategy Officer at MEL
Omar is the founding Chief Strategy Officer for culture-forward creative collective MEL, joining from Edelman where he led brand strategy for Mark Anthony Brands (White Claw), developed Google’s TikTok content strategy and created integrated campaigns to raise the reading proficiency of Florida students for Scholastic.
Prior to that, Omar led brand strategy for YETI where he helped to build a new in-house model, managed cross-functional marketing teams and developed the brand’s first multicultural efforts.
Previously, Omar led advertising agency offices, teams and strategies for an extensive client roster of some of the world’s leading brands. He was founding managing director of LA REYNA, a hybrid production house and creative agency — built with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and VICE — to navigate the convergence of advertising and entertainment through a Latinx lens.
And before that, he launched an industry-leading integrated multicultural initiative at Anomaly to speak with relevance to the diversity of the country, expanded CP+B’s capabilities to support award-winning digital and global campaigns, and helped make The Vidal Partnership the largest independent multicultural agency of its time.
Omar was born in Puerto Rico, has been curious from birth, is a psychologist by education, is a son, a father, a husband and a damn good dancer.
Senior Director, Culture & Inclusive Marketing at Pernod-Ricard North America
Daneyni is a driving force in multicultural marketing. Her role is pivotal for fostering authentic connections with diverse audiences, promoting business growth. She excels in integrating multicultural efforts and insights, developing customer-specific programs, and elevating the organization’s cultural IQ. She also serves as a liaison for multicultural expertise within the company and champions diversity and inclusion. Daneyni’s career spans leadership roles at Coca-Cola and consumer market research in various industries. Her industry influence extends through committee memberships, including AIMM and the Association of National Advertisers. Recognized as a Top Hispanic Market Thought Leader, her dedication to multicultural marketing continues to impact the industry.
Director of Marketing Strategy and Insights at Elevance Health
Mirla is a dedicated marketing strategist focused on driving acquisition, enhancing consumer engagement, and leveraging technology for transformative change. Her professional journey is characterized by continuous learning and an in-depth understanding of consumer analytics and behavior, focusing on the power of data to forge meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.
Passionate about multicultural marketing, Mirla leverages her Puerto Rican heritage to develop strategies that resonate within the Hispanic market. She has worked with major healthcare companies such as UHC, Florida Blue, and J&J Vision, which have honed her cultural insights and commitment to impactful marketing.
Currently, as Director of Marketing Strategy and Insights at Elevance Health, Mirla drives initiatives that engage consumers and transform brands to continuously foster authentic connections and meaningful change through data and insights.
Outside of work, Mirla is a busy mom of two teenage sons. She enjoys the surf and sun of Florida, finding balance and fulfillment in both her personal and professional endeavors.
CMO and Partner at Velocity
Trujillo is the Chief Marketing Officer and Partner in Velocity — a new business experience launching in Los Angeles in September 2024.
Prior to Velocity, Trujillo was the Chief Marketing Officer of L’ATTITUDE a national business event centered around The New Mainstream Economy.
Trujillo is brand builder and innovator with a track record of being part of award winning ad campaign teams (TBWA/Chiat/Day), being a digital pioneer (DailyCandy), having lead digital brand market sectors (Clique Brands), and having launched several brands and brand concepts, including her own, called A.sweeT.
Trujillo was named a Top 100 Latina Disruptor by Hola! Magazine in 2023, and has been featured for her brand work in Forbes, Newsweek en Español, People, E! News, The Today Show and more. She has her finger on the pulse of cultural relevancy transferring the cultural currency to business impact.
Trujillo is also a former D1(UMass) and semi-professional soccer player. She is a founding member of the Angel City Impact Fund, has been a Board Member of Global Gift USA, and has done active fundraising and work for Camp Ronald McDonald, Yes We Can Foundation, and Voto Latino.
VP, Group Planning Director at alma – 2024 AdAge Strategic Planner of the Year
Jorge joined alma in 2021 after 15 years working in Colombia, where he was part of the development of some of the most successful brands in Latin America, working for clients such as BBVA, McDonald’s, ABInBev, Quaker, Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Casino Group, Claro telecommunications, Avianca airlines, and Pepsi.
In his last few years at alma, he has been responsible for developing and implementing multicultural marketing strategies for clients such as CVS, P&G, Google, Quickbooks, Molson Coors, MSK, and PNC Bank.
Passionate about consumer knowledge and its application in brand building, Jorge has a proven track record of delivering effective and creative strategies for marketing efforts that have won over 100 awards, including 4 Grand Effies and more than 50 gold Effies.
Global Marketing Services Diversity Media Strategy & Investment at General Motors
In her current role as Diversity Media Strategy & Investment Lead at General Motors, Brianne continues to champion diverse media and marketing efforts across all GM brands with the goal of ensuring that every investment generates impact for both the General Motors enterprise and its diverse media ecosystem.
For over 15 years, Brianne Boles-Marshall has been a noteworthy leader in the media/marketing industry, leading general market and multicultural strategy on accounts such as MillerCoors, P&G, and Nestlé Purina. During her tenure on those accounts, she spearheaded diversity initiatives that helped each company better realize the growth opportunities made possible by authentic outreach to diverse audiences.
In addition to her role at GM, Brianne also a rising graduate (c/o 2024) of The Black Executive CMO Alliance’s Future Leaders program, which further prepares Black marketers for corporate and community leadership. She is also a part of the AIMM (ANA) steering committee, ANA’s Diverse Media initiatives, the BRIDGE organization’s definitions steering committee, and is a 2024 inductee in the Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors. She has also been selected to participate as a judge for industry award selection committees, training institutes and she contributed to published works by the ANA on diverse media investment.
A native of Flint, Michigan, Brianne earned her MBA from Wayne State University and her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Group Creative Director at Dieste Inc.
Valentina is a Venezuelan-born Group Creative Director with over 15 years of experience in the advertising industry. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive expertise working with a diverse range of CPG brands, spanning from beauty care to packaged foods. Additionally, she has seamlessly transitioned between General Market and Multicultural agencies, encouraging brands to adopt an inclusive approach that extends beyond language, casting, and media.
In her professional journey, Valentina has spearheaded campaigns for renowned clients such as Nike, Amazon Music Global, AT&T, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi, Progressive Insurance, Dunkin’, P&G incubator brands, Target, Tanqueray, Stella Artois, as well as pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer, Organon, and Merck.
Outside of her professional commitments, Valentina dedicates her spare time to passionately mentoring new generations of creatives, with a particular focus on those who are underrepresented in the advertising industry.
Founder – CCO at the non agency
EVP, Chief Strategy Officer at Casanova//McCann
For over 24 years, Will has worked to uncover and faithfully represent Latino insights in marketing. His cultural expertise has helped create campaigns that are both more authentic and more effective for iconic brands such as Nestlé, Chick-fil-A, Coca-Cola, LEGO, Toyota, and T-Mobile. He’s also leveraged his cultural skills in the Latin American and Asian markets to create global campaign strategies for consumer brands like Hershey’s and Reese’s as well as several complex pharmaceutical brands.
Beyond his brand building and strategic work, Will has established himself as a thought leader in the industry with provocative white papers on the evolution of acculturation and groundbreaking quantitative studies on the power of culture. He’s also designed innovative ethnographic and quantitative research techniques to better understand and reflect multicultural consumers.
While his work has helped win several Effie and strategic excellence awards from the industry, his most treasured award is a Certificate of Latino Naturalization given to him by his peers. In his spare time, he loves cooking bandeja paisa with his Colombian mother-in-law and playing fútbol with his Peruvian-American nephews.
Vice President of Media Integration at Zubi Advertising
As Zubi Advertising’s Vice President of Media Integration, Isabella oversees all strategic media planning and execution for Zubi’s clients, as well as new business development efforts.
She has over 30 years of media experience with many of the largest advertisers in the US Hispanic market across multiple categories.
Her passion for marketing to diverse audiences is evidenced in her commitment to always elevating the industry profile, while helping marketers understand and capitalize on the biggest growth opportunity in the U.S.
Her mantra of “in constant pursuit of the perfect balance between art and science” demonstrates her passion for cultural connections, creative innovation and applying the latest technology to measure and optimize performance.
She is the Immediate Past Chair of The Hispanic Marketing Council and on two academic advisory boards: Texas Tech University’s Institute for Hispanic and International Communication’s and Florida State University’s Center for Hispanic Marketing Communications. She also serves as board member for the March of Dimes South Florida.
Her industry awards include “Hispanic Woman of Distinction” in 2018 and “Leadership in Hispanic Television “ in 2023.
Isabella earned dual degrees in Journalism and Spanish Language & Literature from the University of Maryland. She also studied at Universidad La Complutense in Madrid, Spain, where her family is originally from.
Head of Brand Partnerships at Brilla Media and founder of Yes to Possibilities LLC
Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Yesenia proudly called NYC home for over three decades. She has 22 years of experience in the media, advertising, and marketing industries. She worked with some of the most renowned media and tech companies, including NBCU, Hulu, Google, and iHeartMedia, where she held influential roles in multicultural media sales and collaborated with leading brands across various industries.
Last year, she decided to take a big leap and founded Yes to Possibilities LLC. Yes to Possibilities is more than a self-affirmation; it’s an invitation to discover what’s possible when we say YES! to pursuing what drives us in our personal and professional lives. Their services include Career Coaching, Media and Marketing Consulting, and bespoke Wellness Experiences. In her media and marketing consulting practice, she collaborate with media start-ups to craft impactful sales and marketing strategies. This includes building strategic partnerships, expanding distribution opportunities, and connecting with influential brands to fuel growth and boost revenue. Her approach is rooted in authenticity and purpose, aligning with organizations that aim to drive positive change in the world. At the heart of everything she do is a deep desire to empower others, create opportunities, and contribute to purposeful work. Whether she is helping clients navigate career transitions, advising start-ups, or curating corporate wellness experiences, her mission remains the same: to inspire and support others in saying YES to their fullest potential.
EVP, Cultural Investment & Strategy Lead at GroupM
Ronald is a seasoned leader in the multicultural marketing space, currently serving as EVP, Cultural Investment & Strategy Lead at GroupM. With a career spanning over 25 years, Ronald has been at the forefront of shaping multicultural marketing strategies that resonate with New Majority audiences. His journey began at Conill Advertising, marking the start of a distinguished career dedicated to understanding and leveraging the cultural nuances that drive consumer behaviour.
In 2015, Ronald took on the role of Managing Partner, Multicultural Lead at MediaCom, a fundamental position within the GroupM family. Here, he was instrumental in ensuring that clients grasped the significant impact of New Majority audiences on their business, both presently and in the future. His efforts were not only about representation but also about driving meaningful engagement across diverse audiences.
Ronald’s expertise and visionary leadership led to his promotion in 2023 to EVP, Cultural Investment & Strategy Lead. In this role, he is charged with a critical mission: to establish and steer the agencies toward a responsible media investment approach. This involves setting clear benchmarks based on client opportunities and empowering the planning and investment leadership to meet and exceed these commitments and goals. His work is pivotal in aligning investment strategies with cultural insights, thereby enhancing the agency’s impact on client success.
Before his tenure at GroupM and MediaCom, Ronald was part of the founding team at 42 Degrees at Mediavest, where he dedicated over 13 years. He also led the multicultural practice at MPG and ventured into sales as multicultural business development at Starlite Media. Each role has underscored Ronald’s deep commitment to advancing multicultural understanding and representation in the media landscape.
Ronald Méndez’s career is a testament to his unwavering dedication to cultural investment and strategy. His leadership not only guides his teams and clients towards embracing diversity but also sets a benchmark in the industry for responsible and impactful media investment.
VP, Inclusive & Multicultural Solutions at Paramount
Karen isn’t just a marketing leader, she’s a creative architect. With over 20 years of experience, she builds bridges not just between brands and audiences, but between cultures and perspectives. She leads Multicultural and Inclusive marketing at Paramount Advertising where she draws upon her extensive expertise in consumer marketing, research, and measurement to build and implement cultural impactful solutions for Fortune 500 brands. Her unwavering commitment to elevate Hispanic advancement, perception, and representation in the media and entertainment industry has garnered her numerous accolades, having been recognized by HispanicAd.com as a 2023 Hispanic Thought Leader, receiving the Inca Cola Hispanic Leadership Awards during Super Bowl week, and twice gracing the United Nations stage as a featured speaker at the annual Hispanic Leadership Summit.
Senior Strategist at Taylor
Mariam was born & raised in the Dominican Republic, then moved to the U.S. when she was 9 years old. She received a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Master of Arts in Mass Communications/Media Studies from the University of Florida. Started her career as a social Listening Analyst and been in the social space most of the time and now working at Taylor as a Senior Strategist. She is working in both the social strategy and brand strategy space.
Senior Marketing Manager at Molson Coors Beverage Company
Sarah joined Molson Coors Beverage Company at their Chicago headquarters in 2017 and over the past seven years has progressed in her career to her most recent role as Senior Marketing Manager for the Puerto Rico and Caribbean Region. With over 10 years of experience in brand management, strategy development, and integrated campaign execution, Sarah has a proven track record of driving brand health, volume growth, and market share. Bilingual in Spanish and English, she is recognized for her global success and deep expertise in creative marketing and brand strategy.
Before joining Molson Coors, Sarah began her marketing career at Colgate-Palmolive, managing both the Personal and Home Care categories for the Caribbean Region. She later transitioned to Nespresso, where she led the commercialization of coffee products and machines in the U.S. market, based in New York City.
Sarah holds a BS in Business Marketing from Bentley University and a MS in Integrated Marketing with a concentration in Brand Management and Digital Marketing from New York University.
Senior Digital Engagement Manager at Campari
Since immigrating from Venezuela to New York, Rebeca built 10 years of digital marketing and management experience with agencies and esteemed brands known worldwide. Currently serving as the Sr. Digital Engagement Manager at Campari America, she leads CRM, website engagement, SEO, and martech initiatives for the U.S. market.
Group Creative Director
Driven by her passion for great ideas, Marina Cuesta has dedicated over 20 years to excelling in the global and multicultural advertising industry. Her career spans diverse markets, including North America, the U.S. Hispanic market, and Europe. Throughout her journey, she has managed and led integrated platforms and campaigns for renowned global clients such as Apple, Sony, McDonald’s, and Chevrolet, working with agencies like TBWA, China, Dieste, The Marketing Arm, and Creyentes (We Believers).
Marina leads with empathy, inspiration, and purpose, collaborating with teams across countries and cultures. A strong advocate for creative mentorship, she is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion, with a particular focus on empowering women in the industry.
Recognized as one of the influential female voices by Cannes Lions, she has participated as a mentor and speaker at the festival. Additionally, she has earned over 50 awards and served as a jury member for numerous international festivals, standing out for her commitment to creative excellence.
CEO, Creative Chairman at BeautifulBeast
If one trait distinguishes Aldo, it’s his passion for great ideas that are relevant, memorable, and culturally resonant.
As CEO of BeautifulBeast, an advertising agency dedicated to reaching Hispanic and multicultural audiences, Aldo focuses on creating culturally attuned work that resonates with diverse communities. With over two decades of experience, he approaches every project with the same excitement as when he first started, creating work that not only engages but celebrates cultural identities.
Raised by a strong, independent single mother, Aldo learned the value of leadership and perseverance early on. His journey has included being a founding member of Círculo Creativo and serving in various leadership roles, always with an eye toward elevating multicultural voices in advertising. Along the way, he became the first Mexican inductee into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement® and the first Mexican to win a Cannes Lion and the Grand Award at the New York Festivals. However, he views these milestones as part of a broader commitment to making an impact.
At BeautifulBeast, Aldo emphasizes the importance of blending creativity with measurable results, a philosophy that shapes the agency’s approach to every campaign. Whether collaborating with his team or working with clients, his goal is to create work that not only performs but also tells a story that connects with people on a deeper level.
Aldo’s commitment to his community extends beyond advertising. He serves on several boards, including Bachman Lake Together, where he supports initiatives to better prepare children for kindergarten. Additionally, he contributes to the Cultural Programs Division of the Office of Arts and Culture for the city of Dallas, reflecting his belief in the importance of cultural engagement in all forms.
A native of Cuernavaca, Mexico, Aldo speaks Spanish and English, but his true fluency lies in translating complex marketing challenges into effective, award-winning, omnicultural campaigns.
Aldo still drives as if he were in Mexico City, both professionally and in his car.
Group Creative Director at Weber Shandwick
Daniela is a people-first creative who helps build meaningful brands through storytelling. A firm believer that ideas can shape the world for the better, this Uruguayan-born creative developed her craft in LATAM, Asia and Scandinavia, but has called Brooklyn her home for the last 7 years. Her career has taken her from Y&R, Ogilvy Singapore, Orchid Creation, McCann Health, TBWA\Chiat\Day and currently to Weber Shandwick. She is committed to create dynamic workplaces for diverse people to thrive in, be wildly successful, and have fun while changing the world.
She has worked for some A-list clients such as Google, Coca-Cola, Unilever, LVMH and lately she has switched gears to leverage preventive medicine awareness and health equity with Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and women’s health initiatives. She has been a member of some prestigious juries such as The NYFA, the ADC, Clios, Dubai Lynx, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, WINA and Lisbon Advertising Group Awards.
When Dani is not working, she dances lindy hop, and practices boxing. She is convinced comms should be the same as a great jab-cross: powerful and precise. She loves teaching and mentoring people: it’s the way she found to give back and honor those who mentored her. She is part of Publicitarias Uruguay, Colectiva, Cannes Lions See it Be it, coach at the LIAisons Program from the LIA Awards, and Regional Co-leader of Circulo Creativo Hispano; all programs aiming to celebrate female, young and latino representation and equity in the Industry.
Sr. Program Lead, Cultural Transformation at American Heart Association
Natalia has over 15 years of experience in Marketing, Communications, and Development across non-profit, for-profit, and agency sectors, working with both regional and national clients. Throughout her career, she has led teams to develop award-winning campaigns addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues, including global warming and heart disease.
As the Senior Program Lead for cultural transformation at the American Heart Association, Natalia leads strategies focused on multicultural, multilingual audiences. She drives awareness and education while developing programs that address shifting population trends and cultural influences. Her work aims to enhance public health outcomes and support the Association’s mission to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke in under-resourced communities.
With extensive experience in multicultural marketing and communications, Natalia brings a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and trends that resonate with Hispanic audiences. She is passionate about crafting impactful, culturally relevant campaigns and programs and strongly advocates for advancing health equity in her work.
Sr. Vice President at Ketchum
Marcela specializes in aligning public affairs strategies with clients’ business and reputation objectives. With professional experience in both the US and Latin America, she has helped elected officials, corporate and nonprofit organizations elevate their executive visibility and manage issues.
Marcela has spent the latter part of her career advising some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and organizations. Earlier in her career, she honed her skills as a journalist working for esteemed outlets such as El País (Spain), Univision Network, where she served as Jorge Ramos’ DC Producer, CNN US, and later as CNN en Español’s Washington Bureau Chief and executive producer, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Her diverse experience also spans politics and policy, having served as Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) press advisor, a state lobbyist, and in nonprofit advocacy.
She is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and holds a master’s in journalism from the University of Barcelona (Spain). After two decades in Washington, Marcela proudly calls Dallas home, where she is a senior vice president of corporate reputation at Ketchum, a mom of three great kids, and a consummate news junky.
Chief Marketing Officer at We Are All Human Foundation
Lizeth has a strong background in digital marketing, advertising and communication strategies for social causes.
Lizeth has spent the last 15 years in the marketing environment in the private and public sector. At the We Are All Human Foundation, she quickly escalated and continues to play a key role in developing the Hispanic Star brand, as a symbol of unification and empowerment for Latinos, as well as growing the impact of the We Are All Human Foundation that is devoted to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Independent Consultant in Multicultural Marketing & Shopper Marketing & University Professor at University of Miami
Monica is a seasoned shopper marketing strategy consultant with over two decades of experience across 12+ categories. She developed and executed campaigns for leading CPG brands such as Kellogg’s, Kraft-Heinz, Kimberly-Clark, Nestlé Purina, General Mills, Unilever, SC Johnson, and Johnson & Johnson focusing on the US Hispanic shopper. Her recent projects include strategic initiatives for clients like CBI, Anheuser-Busch, Beam Suntory, Nissan/Infiniti, and Dairy Farmers of America.
Monica’s shopper marketing campaigns, recognized for driving behavioral change, have been implemented nationwide across drug, mass, grocery, dollar, and club retail channels. She has earned multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze PMA, Reggie, and Hub awards for her multicultural shopper marketing programs for brands like Huggies and Kleenex. Additionally, she was named to the “Who’s Who in Shopper Marketing” by Shopper Marketing Magazine and the Path to Purchase Institute.
Since 2017, Monica works as an independent consultant, supporting brands and agencies alike with shopper marketing strategies, qualitative research, and ethnographic studies. She serves as a University Professor, lecturing on the US Hispanic consumer, is a competitive Dragon Boater and IDBF certified dragon boating coach, and the proud mother of adult twins.