Meet our team

Our Staff

Team member headshot photo
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 bio
Team member headshot photo
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 bio
Team member headshot photo
Marvin Buenaventura
Program Assistant

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

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
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 bio
Team member headshot photo
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.

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
Sarah Carlson
Manager of Youth Leadership Programs

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

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
Patricia Costas
Civics Program Facilitator

Bolivian sociologist with a Master's degree in Gender and Public Policy. She has more than 15 years of experience in public policy, democracies, indigenous peoples, gender and conflict analysis.

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
Yanci Flores
Digital Literacy Instructor

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

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
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 bio
Team member headshot photo
Graciela Leal
Administrative Support

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

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
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 bio
Team member headshot photo
Mikel Quintana
Manager of Student Success and Postsecondary Initiatives

Mikel was born in Brooklyn, NY but grew up in many places with family spread out across 4 continents. Growing up within diverse communities and with an internationally dispersed family, it felt natural for him to seek opportunities to live, work and study internationally as well.

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
Kristen Sauceda
Youth Programs Instructor

Kristen Sauceda (she/her), was born and raised in Southern California as a proud second-generation Guatemalan-American who deeply values her rich cultural heritage and dual identity.

Read bio
Team member headshot photo
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 bio
Team member headshot photo
Miranda Xiong
Economic Justice Assistant

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

Read bio

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.

Read bio
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 bio
Thomas Franco
Board Member

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

Read bio
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 bio
Sujatha Selvakumar
Treasurer

Read bio

Kristen Sauceda

Youth Programs Instructor
Kristen Sauceda (she/her), was born and raised in Southern California as a proud second-generation Guatemalan-American who deeply values her rich cultural heritage and dual identity.
Read more

Patricia Costas

Civics Program Facilitator
Bolivian sociologist with a Master's degree in Gender and Public Policy. She has more than 15 years of experience in public policy, democracies, indigenous peoples, gender and conflict analysis.
Read more

Mikel Quintana

Manager of Student Success and Postsecondary Initiatives
Mikel was born in Brooklyn, NY but grew up in many places with family spread out across 4 continents. Growing up within diverse communities and with an internationally dispersed family, it felt natural for him to seek opportunities to live, work and study internationally as well.
Read more

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.
Read more

Miranda Xiong

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

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

Manager of Youth Leadership Programs
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