2007 Board of Directors

Coming Soon! Board Member Photos and Bios

New President! Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana

Photographed here, from left to right, top to bottom: Mario Rodriguez, Board Member, Carlos Monge, Board Member, Maria Stephenson, Board Member, Marcel Gonzalez, Treasurer, Mayra Pineda, Board Member, Cesar Burgos, Board Member, Richard Cortizas, Parliamentarian, Brian Behlar, Board Member, Karla M. San Martin, Board Member, Darlene Kattan, Executive Director, Cynthia Ceballos-Hymel, President, Fernando Arriola, Vice President, Monica Hernandez, Board Member, Ben Zamora, Board Member

Not photographed here: Juan Carlos Ramos, Secretary, Manuel F. Blanco, President Emeritus, Jose Awill, Board Member, Edward N. Francois, Board Member, Alberto Struck, Board Member, Steven Fausett, Board Member.

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
CYNTHIA CEBALLOS-HYMEL, ESQ.
Ceballos Legal Consulting, LLC

VICE PRESIDENT
FERNANDO ARRIOLA
Owner
New Beginnings Enterprises LLC

TREASURER
MARCEL GONZALEZ
Vice President Business Banking
Capital One

SECRETARY
JUAN CARLOS RAMOS
Publisher
J.C. Media LLC

PARLIAMENTARIAN
RICHARD CORTIZAS, ESQ.
Jones Walker

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DARLENE A. KATTÁN

BOARD MEMBERS

JOSE AWILL
Manager, Lee Michaels Fine Jewelers

BRIAN BEHLAR
Gulf Coast Bank & Trust

CESAR R. BURGOS, ESQ.

EDWARD FRANCOIS
Vice President Business Services
Cox Communications

CAROLINA GUTIERREZ, Ph.D.
Louisiana Road Home

MONICA LUNA-HERNANDEZ
Account Executive
Fox 8

CARLOS MONGE
President
Nature Tours

MAYRA PINEDA

MARIO RODRIGUEZ
Deputy Director
Planning & Development
Louis Armstrong International Airport

KARLA MARIE SAN MARTIN
President/CEO
N.O..sotros Magazine & SMH Design Inc.

ALBERTO STRUCK, Esq.
Fowler Rodriguez

BENJAMIN ZAMORA
Zamora Financial Services

PRESIDENT EMERITUS
MANUEL F. BLANCO
President & CEO
Atlantis International, Inc

---

Nuestro Pueblo - Times Picayune
Article by Ana Gershanik
Hispanic Chamber chief relishes role
Thursday, March 29, 2007

As recovery from Hurricane Katrina continues, it is inspiring to see young people assuming leadership responsibilities. One of those role models is immigration attorney Cynthia Ceballos, 33, the first woman and youngest president of the Hispanic Chamber Commerce of Louisiana (HCCL).

Born in Mexico, Ceballos came to New Orleans in 1998 to pursue a master's degree in environmental energy at Tulane University. She already had a law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and, while at Tulane, she helped to create the Latin American Law Institute.

She fell in love with the city and decided to stay. In 2004, she began practicing law in downtown New Orleans in the field of immigration. Ceballos is a member of the American Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers' Association and the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce.

To connect with other Latin Americans, Ceballos started attending HCCL's meetings. She became involved in the organization's activities and in charge of the newsletter.

Because of her work, she was selected to be in HCCL's board of directors. Impressed by her drive and willingness to participate, she was nominated for the position of president and elected in December of last year.

"Most of our board is comprised of new members covering different professions, age groups, races and sexes," Ceballos said.

Members include Fernando Arriola, vice president; Marcel Gonzalez, treasurer; Juan Carlos Ramos, secretary; Richard Cortizas, parliamentarian; Manuel F. Blanco, president emeritus; Jose Awill, Brian Behlar, Cesar R. Burgos, Steven J. Fausett, Edward N. Francois, Carolina Gutierrez, Monica Luna-Hernandez, Carlos Monge, Mayra Pineda, Mario Rodriguez, Karla San Martin, Maria O'Byrne Stephenson, Alberto Struck and Ben Zamora, members-at-large. Executive director is Darlene Kattan.

As president, Ceballos works very closely with the Hispanic Business and Technology Resource Center in Kenner. A founding partner of the center, HCCL was instrumental in helping to secure money from the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Ceballos said that the HCCL envisions the creation of a resource center in New Orleans.

Ceballos said that the role of the HCCL after Katrina became much more widespread due to the immediate needs of the people that the organization serves.

"While we are still holding our traditional business events, such as network meetings, luncheons and our fundraising gala in July, among others, we are very much committed to serving the Hispanic population by offering services such as job fairs, involvement with other nonprofits, and expansion of our chamber and the center to other parts of Louisiana," she said. "While we promote trade and international business, we can no longer ignore our current situation and our goal is to bring all Hispanics together, help bridge the gap with non-Hispanics, and provide a voice to those who don't have one."