Members of the Board  /  National Staff

Members of the Board.

José Niño

Founder/President, El Niño Group, Ltd.

Mr. Niño serves as the President of El Niño Group of Washington, D.C., Co-founder of Care Alternative North America, LLC., and as an Advisor to Hispanic Teleservices Corporation.

 

Previously, Mr. Niño served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) from 1990 to 1998. He has also served as an advisor to the Small Business Advisory Board at the Federal Reserve in Chicago and as co-chairman of the Bush/Cheney Election Committee.  Amongst the many boards upon which Mr. Niño sits are the Boy Scouts of America, the Guardian Angels, the Hispanic Council on International Relations, the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the HAP Institute, and many others.

 

Mr. Niño has also been a Director of U.S. Starcom Inc. since October of 2005.  Amongst his many honors, Mr. Niño was invited to speak at the Republican National Convention in 1992 and was appointed the Hispanic Business Advisor to former President Bush.

 

David Ferreira

Principal, Hispanic Strategy Group

Mr. Ferreira is currently a Principal at Hispanic Strategy Group, a full-service government affairs, strategic communications, and public affairs firm located in Washington, D.C.

 

Prior to joining his current firm, Mr. Ferreira was the Vice President for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, one of the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic chambers dedicated to advancing the needs and interests of Hispanic-owned businesses.  In addition, Mr. Ferreira also worked as the Legislative Director for Representative Joe Baca of CA, an advisor to Presidential candidate John Kerry, and as an advisor to the CFO in the Department of Energy.

 

Throughout his career, Mr. Ferreira has developed an expertise in legislative affairs and public policy as well as an expertise in small business advocacy.

 

Antwanye Ford

Founder/CEO, Enlightened, Inc. 

Mr. Ford is the President and co-founder of Enlightened, Inc., named by Inc. Magazine as one of the Fastest Growing IT Companies in the U.S.

 

Prior to founding Enlightened, Mr. Ford worked for a small defense contractor and later became a Product Manager for one of MCI’s most successful product lines.  Subsequently, Mr. Ford became the Director for the Applications Support Organization at  INTELSAT, the world’s largest provider of satellite communications.

 

In 2005, Mr. Ford was selected by the editorial board of Inside the Minds as an author in the recently released book, Inside the Minds: CEO Best Practices, which featured top CEOs from some of the nation's leading companies.

 

Mr. Ford is heavily involved in his community and was a founding member of Myth Men, a non-profit organization with the objective of destroying negative myths about young Black men, and currently serves on the Board of the DC Chamber of Commerce and the DC Chamber of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship.  Mr. Ford's company philosophy is based on his faith, "To whom much is given, much is required."

 

Justin Vélez-Hagan

Founder/Executive Director, The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Mr. Vélez-Hagan is the founder of The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, Inc., and also acts as an International Developer of senior care facilities.  Mr. Vélez-Hagan is also a contributing writer to several national publications including: Fox News Latino, Politic365, and The Minority Economic Report.   

 

Previously, Mr. Vélez-Hagan founded D.C. Concrete Technologies, which became known as the dominant producer and service provider of new concrete technologies in the Southeastern U.S. and select international locations.  D.C. Concrete Technologies was a frequent guest on HGTV’s Curb Appeal, NBC’s House Smarts, and in several national and local magazines and newspapers.  

 

A true believer in the necessity of entrepreneurship as a means for supporting a strong economy, Mr. Vélez-Hagan has taught entrepreneurship and economics with Junior Achievement, has been requested as a guest lecturer at several universities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and serves on several national organizational and advocacy boards, including most recently nominated to sit on the National Military Family Association’s Advisory Board.  Mr. Vélez-Hagan also serves as a Reservist in the U.S. Air Force. 

 

Louis Pagan

Co-Founder/Managing Partner, Hispánicize

Mr. Pagan is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Hispánicize, a B2B devoted to providing Latino bloggers, brands, and agencies with the Hispanic social media resources and insights they need to succeed.

A recognized thought leader in Latino social media and pioneer of the Latino blogosphere who co-founded the non-profit Latinos in Social Media (LATISM, #LATISM), the largest organization for Latinos engaged in social media dedicated to advancing the social, civic, and economic status of the Latino community,  Mr. Pagan frequently speaks about the evolution and influence of Hispanics online.  Most recently he has been an invited guest on Fox News as well as featured in several national magazines for his expertise.

 

A recipient of the Latinos in Science and Technology Association (LISTA) Rising Star Award, Mr. Pagan has also been named by Latino Leaders Magazine to its annual “Ones to Watch” list. 

 

Laura Berrocal

VP, Public Policy and Hispanic Affairs, NetCommunications, Inc.

Ms. Berrocal serves as the Vice President of Public Policy and Hispanic Affairs for NetCommunications, a strategic consulting and regulatory firm in Washington, D.C., where she leads the firm's Hispanic engagement and advocacy efforts.  Before joining NetCommunications, her public policy background included working with the Pennsylvania State Senate and national research and advocacy groups such as the National Puerto Rican Coalition and the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council. 

 

Ms. Berrocal has authored several publications in her field, including her book:  The Cuban Democracy Act: An Overview of the Act and its Implications for Democracy.  She also serves as a Contributing Writer for Politic365, a digital, multicultural-perspectives magazine, and as Chairwoman of Innovation Generation, a coalition of minority entrepreneurs, local elected officials, and community leaders. 

 

Ms. Berrocal holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from The George Washington University, Trachtenburg School of Public Policy and Public Administration and a B.A. from Temple University. 

National Staff.

Justin Vélez-Hagan, MBA  -National Executive Director

JustinV@NPRChamber.org

Justin founded The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, Inc. as a means for filling a void in services catered to helping budding entrepreneurs.  Within a very short time, The NPRChamber has quickly become the fastest growing and largest Puerto Rican organization in the United States, as well as one of the fastest growing Hispanic organizations, and has established Local Leadership Councils (LLCs) in New York City, Charlotte, NC, and Washington, D.C., with Philadelphia and San Francisco expected to open soon.  Justin also acts as an International Developer of senior care facilities, where he is currently working on projects in Western Europe, Puerto Rico, and the Eastern U.S.  Previously, Justin founded D.C. Concrete Technologies, which became known as the dominant producer and service provider of new concrete technologies in the Southeastern U.S. and select international locations.  D.C. Concrete Technologies was a frequent guest on HGTV’s Curb Appeal, NBC’s House Smarts, and in several national and local magazines and newspapers.  A true believer in the necessity of entrepreneurship as a means for supporting a strong economy, Justin has taught entrepreneurship and economics with Junior Achievement and has been requested as a guest lecturer at several universities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  Justin has studied Commercial Law at Cardozo Law School and the University of Barcelona, Entrepreneurship at The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Business, International Business at the University of Puerto Rico, and completed his MBA at Arizona State University.  Justin also serves as a Reservist in the U.S. Air Force. 

Jacklyn Ríos, JD, LLM  -National Director of Legal Affairs

JackieR@NPRChamber.org

As the National Director of Legal Affairs, Jackie works to ensure that The NPRChamber is aware of policy issues that are important to entrepreneurs and Hispanics and provides advice and analyses on how best to advocate for those policies that affect The NPRChamber's mission.  In that role Jackie has established relationships with legislators both on a national and local level, advised them on issues of concern, and has developed strategies to support our mutual efforts.  She also provides legal advice on administrative and compliance issues related to The NPRChamber.  Jackie also currently works as an associate in an international law firm with areas of expertise in Maritime and International Commercial Law.  Prior to joining her current firm, she worked as a consultant advising legislators and federal agencies on proposed legislations’ impact on international trade.  Jackie received her JD from Fordham University and an LLM from NYU. 

Verónica Colón-Rosario, MA  -National Director of Development and Political Affairs

VeronicaC@NPRChamber.org

Verónica joined The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce in February 2011, inspired by its mission and driven by an interest in working for an organization that helps minorities in the United States.  As the National Director for Development and Political Affairs, Verónica facilitates the growth of the organization at the national level by supporting the development of Local Leadership Chapters.  She also maintains organizational outreach to government officials and organizations whose interests match those of The NPRChamber.  She currently works for Telefónica International USA, in Washington, D.C., and dedicates her time at Telefónica to studying the relationship between telecommunications, development, and democracy.  Veronica completed a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Puerto Rico and, due to her exemplary academic achievements, she was subsequently awarded a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  While at NIH, she developed a passion for supporting the Hispanic community in the United States, compelling her to study Latin American Studies, resulting in a Master of Arts degree from Georgetown University's prestigious School of Foreign Service.  A fond believer in continued education, Verónica recently completed a certificate in International Business Development from Georgetown University. 

 

Sonia E. Pérez, CPA  -National Director of Financial Affairs

SoniaP@NPRChamber.org

As the National Director of Financial Affairs, Sonia provides counsel and assistance in The NPRChamber’s efforts to run efficiently, provide accurate public records, and to comply with all IRS and local tax codes.  Sonia is also the principal and founder of Sonia E. Pérez, CPA, a Charlotte area boutique tax and accounting firm providing services to small business owners, service professionals, and individuals.  Sonia is a North Carolina Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed since 1987 and has over 25 years of accounting and business experience.  As an Enrolled Agent, EA, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) designation earned by demonstrating special competence in tax matters demonstrated by taking a series of written examinations, Sonia has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the IRS.  Prior to founding her own firm in 2006, Sonia acquired extensive business and accounting experience in a wide range of industries and accounting functions in large corporations. During her career Sonia has had the privilege of working for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the United Sates and for federal and local government.  As a member of several professional organizations, Sonia is also a sought-after speaker and instructor in matters of small business and entrepreneurship. 

 

Marshall Kirby, MID  -Policy Analyst, Contributing Writer

MarshallK@NPRChamber.org

As a Policy Analyst for The NPRChamber, Marshall has dedicated his time to researching and analyzing policies that are most relevant to the mission of our organization, which include, but are not limited to: minority economic policy, small business policy, foreign policy, immigration policy, and U.S. fiscal policy.  Although already proven as an expert in international policy analysis, Marshall has developed a wide-ranging expertise on both domestic and foreign economic policy matters.  Marshall has written dozens of policy pieces for The NPRChamber and is a regular contributor to The Minority Business and Economic Report, The NPRChamber’s online publication dedicated to educating its readers on subjects related to business and economics that affect minority populations.  Prior to joining The NPRChamber, Marshall worked as an Issue Analyst for Americans for Informed Democracy as well as at the Center for U.S. Global Engagement, and within his county’s local government.  Marshall received a Master of International Development degree from the University of Pittsburgh, his BA from Mount Saint Mary’s in Political Science, and has also studied at the American Institute of Foreign Study in Dublin, Ireland.  

Edward Cruz, MBA  -Policy Analyst

EdwardC@NPRChamber.org

Edward joined The NPRChamber with the intent of analyzing and providing research analyses in the areas of small business development and corporate tax policy.  In order to contribute best to The NPRChamber, Edward devotes his time to maintaining awareness of legislative proposals that affect the U.S. economy and provides analysis and feedback to our partner organizations as well as to members of Congress.  Through his current position as a Research Analyst at Babson College, his research and opinions have been published in numerous business journals, including the Boston Business Journal and the Harvard Business Review, and he is quickly becoming well-known as an expert in his field.  Edward received his undergraduate degree with a concentration in Economics from Harvard University and his MBA from Babson College, the nation’s #1 graduate school for entrepreneurship. 

 

Octavio del Valle  -National Director of Entrepreneurial Programs