Raphael Juan Diego Sebastian is a business consultant who has worked with many top companies. His most recent role was as Sr. Business Partner for Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest bottler in the Coca-Cola system. Sebastian is the former Vice President and co-founder for WorkplaceDiversity.com, Director of Urban Marketing Initiatives for the Cherenson Group, and a Vice President/Director for Citigroup. A champion in the community, Sebastian has served on numerous boards including the Urban League of Central Carolinas and former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx’s Hispanic Advisory Committee. He has received numerous community service awards including being honored by the NBA’s NY Knicks and NJ Nets, as an Outstanding Hispanic American Professional for his significant achievements in business and his tireless efforts and impact in the community. Raphael earned his undergraduate degree Cornell University where he was both a successful student and athlete.

James Bazán traces his family roots in New Mexico to 1598, and yet both of his parents learned English as a second language. This lifelong awareness of being an “outsider in plain sight” led to an interest in sociology, social movements, and the stories people tell to and about themselves. His academic studies include the migration patterns from Latin America to the United States, social identity, and religious pilgrimage in New Mexico, as well as white nationalist and white supremacist movements. Since 1996, James has taught sociology at Central Piedmont Community College, where he served as Director of Behavioral and Social Sciences for seven years. In 2009, one of his students confided that her brother was excluded from school because he was undocumented. James then began to devote more of his work to immigration issues to support all members of the community. He is especially interested in supporting youth-led groups, and in working to improve access to education for all. James was named CPCC Teacher of the Year in 2002 and is co-author of the text, College Student Success.

Captain Christian Wagner is a 19-year member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). Christian’s mom, a native of Panama, met Christian’s dad when he was stationed in the Canal Zone in the U.S. Army. His parents relocated to New Jersey after getting married, where he grew up, but he still has a large family in Panama. Christian has been an advocate for Latino residents of the area as a member of the police department, where he has been assigned as an officer and traffic coordinator in the B-1/Providence Division; officer in the Research and Planning Division; Sergeant, Response Area Commander; Staff Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Eastway Division; he currently serves as CMPD´s Community Wellness Lieutenant. He has a BA in Sociology from North Carolina State University and an MPA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Mrs. Elias was born in Alexandria, Louisiana from Puerto Rican parents, and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is married to Bernie Rosario and has two children.

Is the founder and owner of ELIAS IMMIGRATION LAW, located in Charlotte/Matthews, North Carolina, and her practice is exclusive dedicated to Immigration. Mrs. Elias believes in giving back to the community and the concept of paying it forward. She studied Finance at the University of Puerto Rico graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1991 and obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puerto Rico Law School in 1994. She is admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, the Federal District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and the Unites States Courts of Appeals, First Circuit.

Rev. Susan Suárez Webster is the pastor of community outreach at Central United Methodist Church on Albemarle Road. Serving as a pastor among internationals in East Charlotte during the last seven years has given her opportunities to serve people from Asia, Latin American, Africa, the Mideast and the U.S.A. As part of her responsibilities, she partners with many community organizations to serve the church and neighborhood.

Originally from Syracuse, NY, Susan received the B.A. in Spanish language and literature from Syracuse University, the M.L.S. from the University of South Carolina. Her graduate theological studies are from Columbia International and Duke Divinity School. She lived in Mexico serving as a missionary for fifteen years. Susan’s passion to serve others and particularly those who speak Spanish motivates her to participate on the board of the Latin American Coalition. Susan took a place on the board in August 2017

Wendy Taylor is a senior risk and financial executive with significant experience providing governance insights to management and board members at public and privately held companies and nonprofit organizations. Wendy has most recently held the position of Chief Audit Executive for both CommScope, Inc., a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, and Goodrich Corporation, a global supplier of systems and services to the aerospace and defense industry. Previously, Wendy was a Partner, Advisory Services with the Carolinas practice of Deloitte LLP, a multinational professional services firm, where she had a long-term career in the firm’s audit and assurance practice. Wendy is committed to the community and has served on the audit committee for the United Way of Central Carolinas and as a board member and treasurer for the Urban League of Central Carolinas. She is also a graduate of the Leadership Development Initiative, a signature program focused on inclusion and equity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Wendy is a Certified Public Accountant and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Michael Magno was born in New York City to parents who are from Argentina. He is the Head of Middle School for Providence Day School here in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a member of the Providence Day Administrative and Academic Council, Michael helps coordinate the day-to-day operations for a tK-12 school that focuses on Global Education. Michael also serves on the Providence Day Multicultural Advisory Board, an organization that helps support diversity and inclusion. Prior to serving as the Head of Middle School, Michael was the Dean of Students for five years. He has served on the board of Charlotte United Futbol Club, which has recently merged with Charlotte Soccer Academy. A former student-athlete at DePaul University in Chicago, IL, Michael holds a Bachelor’s Degree with a double-major in psychology and biology as well as a minor in communication. Michael also holds a Masters in Education from Montana State-Bozeman and an “A” level coaching license from United States Soccer Federation.

David moved to Charlotte in 2013, having previously lived and taught abroad in Hungary, China, and France.  He currently serves as Director of International Studies at Charlotte Country Day School.  A native of New Jersey, he earned his BA in history and leadership studies from the University of Richmond, his MEd from Harvard University, and is currently working on his Ph.D in Education Research, Measurement and Assessment at UNC-Charlotte.   Dave currently serves on the Charlotte International Cabinet, the Naturalize Charlotte Committee, the Board of the Global Education Benchmark Group, and is active in the Charlotte International Rotary Club.  Dave is the lucky husband of Ming and the proud father of Drake, E’Ara, Maggie, and Nathan. 

Dr. Edith Valladares McElroy, born in Caracas, Venezuela, is Dean for the Levine Campus at Central Piedmont Community College. She began teaching as a Spanish Associate for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. She was a Spanish Lecturer at UNC Charlotte before starting as a full-time instructor at CPCC in 1997, receiving the O’Herron Award for Teaching Excellence in 2000. She was the 2009 CPCC Administrator of the Year.

Dr. McElroy is a former Board Chair of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte and has volunteered for CMS.  She currently serves on the editorial board of the Label Me Latino/a literary journal. She served two terms as a board member of Blumenthal Performing Arts, and she was a member of the Governor’s Hispanic/Latino Advisory Board. She received the Latin American Excelente Award for Community Service Person of the Year in 2009.