Who We Are

Cultural Events Director

Tony Arreaza

aarreaza [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-2557

MY CULTURE

I am from Venezuela. I have been living in Charlotte since 1993 and am married to a beautiful woman from Cuba.

MY IMPACT

I organize five annual cultural events that raise community awareness of Latino culture and I strive to make Charlotte a cooler, more diverse city.

Economic Development Coordinator

David Arroyo-Garay

darroyo [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-531-3849

MY CULTURE

I am a Puerto Rican American, born and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

MY IMPACT

I help get rid of the barriers that prevent people from finding a job.

Director of Communications

Armando Bellmas

abellmas [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-531-3932

MY CULTURE

First generation Estadounidense with padres Cubanos and roots tot el camí de nou a Catalunya.

MY IMPACT

I tell people about all the great things we do here at La Coalición.

Volunteer and Events Manager

Bonnie Carter

bcarter [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-6735

MY CULTURE

I am an American with Irish roots.

MY IMPACT

I help people get involved in their community through meaningful volunteer work and internships.

Immigration Paralegal

Sharon Cheng

scheng [at] latinamericancoalition.org

MY CULTURE

I was born in Taiwan and raised in the United States.

MY IMPACT

I work to conquer the language barriers that our clients encounter and face by teaching English.

Resource Center Coordinator

Kristina Ellenwood

kellenwood [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-531-3843

MY CULTURE

I was born and raised in California and have lived in North Carolina for over 10 years.

MY IMPACT

I educate people about their community resources and ensure that the information that we have about those resources is up-to-date.

Immigrant Welcome Center/Neighbor to Neighbor Volunteer Coordinator

Laura Espinosa

lespinosa [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-531-3848

MY CULTURE

I was born and raised in Colombia. I came to the United States when I was 19 years old.

MY IMPACT

I started volunteering at the Coalition in February 2011 and the following September began to serve as a Client Service Specialist. This is a great opportunity to help and guide many people who need it. There's nothing more satisfying than helping our community.

Executive Director

Jess George

jgeorge [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-531-3845

MY CULTURE

I am the American great-granddaughter of Irish and Norwegian immigrants.

MY IMPACT

I am a passionate ally of the immigrant rights movement.

Assistant, Immigrant Rights Program

Estefani Merchan

emerchan [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-2552

Client Services Specialist

Joanna Rivera

jrivera [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-6731

MY CULTURE

I am a proud Colombiana. I came to Charlotte in 2000 seeking better opportunities and a more peaceful place to start my family.

MY IMPACT

I make sure people are informed about all the resources, opportunities, support and services available in the Charlotte community.

Development Coordinator

Whitney Smith

wsmith [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-2544

MY CULTURE

I am a native North Carolinian. I am a mix of small town roots and a global perspective.

MY IMPACT

I tell compelling stories about the needs in our community and the critical work that we do to address those needs.

Business Manager

Tom Strini

accountant [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-2558

MY CULTURE

I am the son of an Italian immigrant dad and American-born mom.

MY IMPACT

I raise the average height and age!

Economic Development Assistant

Maritza Solano-Rodriguez

msolano [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-531-3848

MY CULTURE

I am from Colombia, married to a Colombian, and have 2 kids that were born in Colombia as well. We immigrated to the USA almost 6 years ago.

MY IMPACT

I hope to learn from this experience at La Coalición and to help all the immigrants and partners as well. This will be a year of full learning for me and I am really excited about it. I hope at the end of my service through Americorps I can say, "Maybe the work was not always easy but I gave it my best and I helped people who really needed it."

Immigrant Rights Program Director

Adriana Galvez Taylor

ataylor [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-6734

MY CULTURE

I was born and essentially formed in Argentina, am a U.S. citizen, and am married to a Mexican national.

MY IMPACT

I lend my technical knowledge in the field of immigration law to the immigrant rights program specifically, and more widely to the entire organization, trying my best to incorporate education, advocacy, compassion, and a whole systems perspective to the way I do the work.

Youth Programs Manager

Lacey Williams

lwilliams [at] latinamericancoalition.org

704-941-2542

MY CULTURE

My great grandparents were Bulgarian immigrants.

MY IMPACT

I facilitate youth leadership and activism. I also have the most decorated office. Come see me!