FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2010
Contact:
Jackeline Stewart
(202) 785-1670
Washington, DC—NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, today announced the appointment of Catherine Pino to the NCLR Board of Directors. Ms. Pino is Co-Founder and Principal of D&P Creative Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm based in Falls Church, Virginia that is focused on advancing initiatives to elevate the social, economic, and political status of Latinos, women, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
“Catherine has long been a member of NCLR’s familia and we are privileged to have someone with her talent and experience joining our Board of Directors. In addition to her wealth of knowledge about the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors and the pioneering leadership she has provided on Hispanic LGBT issues, Catherine has a profound commitment to the Latino community and the work of NCLR,” said NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía.
Along with her partner Ingrid Duran, Ms. Pino has sought to advance corporate, philanthropic, and legislative efforts that mirror her deep commitment to social justice and civil rights issues.
Her two decades in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector include roles at NCLR, the Independent Sector, the DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, as well as in the Capitol Hill office of New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman (D). She and Duran created PODER PAC, the first-ever national political action committee dedicated to helping Latina candidates across the country obtain the resources needed to launch winning campaigns. They also created two production companies to effect social change through film.
“It’s an incredible honor to have been asked to serve on the NCLR Board of Directors because NCLR holds a very special place in my heart. It is where I began my career and where I had the opportunity, at a very young age, to learn firsthand about the important role this highly respected and valued civil rights organization plays in society. I look forward to continuing to advance the issues of importance to the Latino community with the accomplished Board of Directors and the dynamic staff led by Janet Murguía,” said Ms. Pino.
Ms. Pino is a board member of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), and the Victory Campaign Fund. She serves on the Nielsen Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council and was the first Latina to serve as Co-Chair of the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City. She has been widely recognized for her professional and civic accomplishments, having received both the New York State Special Civil Rights Award and the Robert F. Wagner Public Service Award. Hispanic magazine has named her a “Latina of Excellence.”
NCLR’s Board currently has 21 members, including elected officials and representatives from community-based organizations, the corporate sector, and academia. Board membership reflects the diversity of Hispanic nationality groups and the geographic distribution of the Hispanic population, and the bylaws stipulate that the Board must include equal representation of men and women.
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