Board of Directors
The NCSHP is governed and managed by a volunteer board of directors. If you need additional information about the NCSHP, please contact any member of the Board of Directors or call Whitney Woodyard, our Director of Programs at (919) 467-8424.
Marco A. Zárate, M.S.
President
Marco A. Zárate is the President and Co-Founder of the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals. He has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering. He was born in Mexico and has lived in North Carolina since 1990. Mr. Zárate is also involved with various non-profit and educational organizations. He is a Board Member of Communities in Schools of North Carolina, Wake Education Partnership, and the NC Center for Non Profits, among others.
Mr. Zárate has two children, Christian and Carolina, both college students. His wife Susan is an ESL teacher in Wake County Public Schools. He was raised believing in education as a means to succeed in life.
Marco A. Zárate es Presidente y Co-fundador de la Sociedad de Profesionales Hispanos de Carolina del Norte. El Sr. Zárate tiene una licenciatura en Ingeniería Química y una maestría en Ingeniería Industrial. Marco Zárate es originario de Tampico, México y ha vivido en Carolina del Norte desde 1990. El Sr. Zárate esa involucrado en varias organizaciones educativas y sin fines de lucro, incluyendo su participación como miembro de la junta directiva estatal de “Communities in School of North Carolina”, “Wake Education Partnership” y del Centro para Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro de Carolina del Norte, entre otras.
El Sr. Zárate tiene dos hijos, Christian y Carolina, ambos estudiantes universitarios. Su esposa Susan es una maestra de Ingles como Segunda Lengua en las Escuelas Públicas del condado de Wake. Marco Zárate creció creyendo en la educación como un medio para tener éxito en la vida.
Elda McGrath, M.Ed.
Treasurer & Scholarship Committee
Elda E. McGrath is originally from Panama. She is currently an ESL Teacher at Carpenter Elementary School while also working on a master program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She became passionate about the NCSHP mission of promoting education among Hispanic students at all levels because she works with students whose first language is not English who struggle to achieve. She believes in working together as a community of care and a community that shares concern about the success of all students. She has been part of the NCSHP for over four years now, and she believes that the society has made a great difference in the lives of Hispanic students through both their scholarships and conferences. In her opinion, these contributions have helped to motivate many Hispanic students to succeed. “The North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals has created a vision for me. I now can see our Hispanic youth standing in a place of success, making a difference in our society, and contributing to the future of our country.”
Andrew Caamaño, M.B.A.
Educational Summit Committee
Andy was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from St. John's University with a BSBA in Accounting and also received an MBA in Finance from Boston College. He recently retired and now functions as a financial consultant on a part-time basis depending on client project or assignment needs. For over 25 years he has held various international CFO and senior financial executive positions with different multinational conglomerates (i.e. Sara Lee Corp., ITT Corp., Max Factor & Co., Norton Simon Inc., Playtex Corp. etc.).
He is passionate about the NCSHP's mission because educational progression amongst Latino youth is essential to ensuring the economic, social and culural survival of the Hispanic community. He also believes it is essential to their political influence and presence based on an educated voting populace. "The future of Hispanics is dependent upon their ability to rise above their current political and economic circumstances. The vehicle to achieve economic independence and political dominance is education."
Carole Klein, M.A.
Carole Klein has a Masters Degree in Special Education from Columbia University. She has taught in every grade from pre-school through college. She has evaluated and instructed students who are learning disabled, developmentally delayed, blind/visually impaired, physically challenged, as well as students who deal with emotional and mental health issues. As a supervisor, she has administered a $750K Federal program, coordinating the services of teachers and therapists, and providing workshops for successful mainstreaming of exceptional education students. As an educational consultant, she has designed and implemented innovative and highly effective educational programs. She has been recognized as Exceptional Special Educator of the year. Carole currently works with Spanish-speaking students and their families at Boomerang, an alternative educational setting for students on short-term suspension from their home schools. She was at the first Summit of the Society, and has been a member since 2005. Carole says, “From the moment I first knew about the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals, I was profoundly impressed with the commitment and determination of Latinos to uplift their own children and their community. Obviously education is crucial, and only with the involvement of caring adults can all our children access what they need to succeed. It is an honor to be a part of so dedicated and visionary a group of people, and of a cause so individually and globally significant and beautiful.”
Carlos A. Matinote
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Carlos A. Matinote was born in Montevideo Uruguay, where he attended Crandon Institute with a major in Business Management. Over the years Carlos has had the opportunity to live in various states of the US and has personally experienced the different cultural and economically diverse backgrounds of the people and customs not only within New York, Connecticut, Florida and now North Carolina but also in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Puerto Rico. He is an experienced professional with a successful career in investments, business development, and insurance. He has over 9 years of experience as a financial advisor for financial services firms in Florida and North Carolina. Carlos believes that even though many Hispanic customs, traditions, dialect may change based on geographic location that we should all be more open and understanding towards one and others beliefs, values, personal circumstances and that if we all work together educating our youth we will build a very strong foundation for them to be able to accomplish their dreams and goals. Carlos is an active member of the Society's Fundraising Committee on a volunteer basis.
Luis Olivieri-Robert, M.A.
Luis F. Olivieri-Robert was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He serves as community education specialist for the City of Raleigh, teaches language and history at Durham Technical Community College. Also, serves hispanic families through a church ministry in Durham and Chapel Hill. He believes that being part of the NCSHP is a commitment to our community based on the belief that education is a life-long-without-limits experience which embraces knowledge, freedom, awareness, and prosperity as foundations. He can see great outcomes for our Hispanic youth as long as they set dreams and goals, and are given opportunities and motivation, in addition to community and parental support. Personal website at www.freewebs.com/olivieri-robert
Carlos A. Perez, M.B.A.
Carlos A. Perez was born in Maracay, Venezuela. He has a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and a Master in Business Administration with a Major in Marketing from the University of Cincinnati. Through his work for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. as a Claims Manager, he has been a strong advocate for Hispanic initiatives in the company such as the Hispanic Heritage Month committee. He has also served in the Civic Action Program committee and the "Because of Me" Employee Recognition Program. Mr. Perez has supported the NCSHP's initiatives since 2005, and his volunteer experience extends to other nonprofits such as El Pueblo, Inc. and Special Olympics North Carolina. He has more than 15 years of experience in insurance, business, and management; but his greatest strength lies in his ability to inspire, encourage, and mentor young professionals on educational and career development. Growing up in a family of educators, Mr. Perez has seen first-hand how education can change lives and improve the future for all of us. With North Carolina's growing Hispanic population, Mr. Perez's goal is to provide opportunities for Hispanic youth to become leaders and change agents within both our state and our global community.
Nayely Perez-Huerta
College Student Board Member
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Nayely Perez-Huerta was born in Guanajuato, Mexico. She is currently a senior majoring in social work and Spanish at Meredith College, where she is the current president of the Social Work Honor Society and the vice-president of the Social Work Student Association, as well as a member of the Meredith Leadership and Service Honor Society. Nayely is also the former president of the Meredith International Association and the Spanish Honor Society. Nayely arrived to the USA in the year 2000 speaking no English. After her experience Nayely believes that every student, including English as Second Language students, has the capacity to achieve academic success. Nayely is passionate about education; she strongly believes that every student deserves the right to the highest level of education according to his/her work and commitment. She is convinced that "Education is the strongest tool we can use to make our Latino community stronger and safer, and at the same time improve and contribute to the wellbeing of North Carolina." Nayely is delighted to have the opportunity to be part of the NCSHP, especially because she has witnessed the exceptional work of this organization ever since she was a sophomore in high school. Nayely says, “I am certain of the positive effects the NCSHP is having in education; this organization not only impacts the academic vision of hundred of Latino students every year, it also reaches teachers, principals, social workers and counselors who have the power to impact the education of hundreds of Latino students.”
Lourdes Rodríguez, B.A.
Diogenes Ruiz, B.A.
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Susan D. Zarate, M.S.A., M.A.T.L.