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Leading as Good Neighbors and Making Connections
State Farm Insurance Companies has been a steadfast supporter of NHLI’s signature programs, including the Executive Leadership Program, the Executive Leadership Training Conference and Mujer Awards, and is the Title Sponsor of the Latina Empowerment Conferences. This long-time partnership has provided State Farm with valuable training and professional development resources for its Latina managers, and has brought talented Latinas to the State Farm — 13 State Farm executives are NHLI graduates, the largest number of any corporate partner.
Below are a few examples of how State Farm employees have been impacted by NHLI and howour Latina leaders are using their leadership talent at work and in their communities.
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Adriana Comellas-Macretti (ELP '03)
Orlando, FL
“I firmly believe in NHLI’s mission, as an alumnae, Board member, and funder. NHLI is a unique organization that provides Latina’s with the tools necessary to succeed not only in the business world but personally as well. It helped me broaden my view and understanding of Latino dynamics in the US, which in turn helped me do a better job inside/outside of State Farm.” |
As a Director in State Farm’s Executive Department, Adriana manages State Farm’s relationship with its Goodwill Ambassador Julie Stav and several Hispanic partner organizations. She also works with Human Resources, Agency Recruiting, and other departments helping them with their strategies to recruit, retain, and develop multicultural associates.
When she applied to the NHLI Executive program, Adriana was a marketing analyst with responsibility for developing State Farm’s strategy for the Hispanic market. Soon after completing the program, she was promoted to her present role as a Director, where she can help influence the organizations’ overall strategies as it relates to the Hispanic marketplace. She also helped to start a Reverse Mentoring program where Latinos at different levels within State Farm serve as Mentors to Senior Leaders. “Imagine what a great impact on our organization to have honest, open dialogue about Hispanics, our role in the community, and at State Farm. This has helped move our organization at a quicker pace, creating real change in real time at State Farm.”
Her leadership and vision led NHLI to institutionalize the Latina Empowerment Conferences with State Farm as the Title Sponsor. “I see these empowerment conferences as my way to give back and provide learning/growing opportunities to Latinas all over the country. To date, we have “empowered” 3,500 women; and as you can imagine, I’m immensely proud of that and for State Farm’s continued support of me, NHLI, and most importantly, the Hispanic community.”
Adriana’s leadership has been recognized by various organizations. She joined the NHLI Board of Directors in 2005, and currently sits on the Boards of various national organizations including the Corporate Advisory Board for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) Business Advisory Council, and the League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC) National Women's Commission.
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Ena Alcaraz, ELP ‘06 graduate
Bellflower, CA
"NHLI is a great training base and foundation for taking a leadership role.” |
Prior to completing the NHLI Executive Leadership program, Ena was at State Farm’s corporate offices in Bloomington, IL serving as the National Hispanic Outreach Manager. After NHLI, she felt empowered to open her own State Farm Agency.
Ena has a passion for mentoring, and for her leadership project she created a mentoring program to help Latinos advance within the ranks of State Farm. For several years now, Ena has been working with the Latino Agents Association in California to ensure parity of resources for Latino Segments and provide Latino agents with cutting edge techniques, business acumen skills, technical skills, and entrepreneur skills to build successful first class agencies.
Ena has had the guidance of many mentors and role models along her career. According to Ena, having a rich background of individuals around her helped her to understand human behavior, leadership styles, and coaching styles, and prepared her to lead a team of five employees. “I treat my employees from a position of empowerment and growth for themselves as well as the agency,” added Ena.
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Celia Nuñez, ELP ’04
State Farm Agent, Newberg, OR
“Being a part of NHLI changes my life in so many ways. Meeting my hermanas and becoming so close to them made me feel safe in sharing my dreams, fears and life aspirations.” |
In addition to being a State Farm Agent, Celia, is a City Council member for the City of Wilsonville, OR. After completing the NHLI program, Celia was hired by State Farm as an Executive Recruiter; and she opened her own State Farm Agency in April, 2009.
For her NHLI leadership project, Celia joined forces with a group of Latinas in her community to launch Latinas in Accion to mentor Latinas and inspire them to further their education, run for elected office or build their lives around their dreams. The program lasted for a year, but Celia continues to mentor several women.
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Maria Ventura, ELP '08, Olympia, WA
“NHLI made and continues to make a profound impact in my personal and professional life. The skills I gained by participating in a world-class leadership training still serve me well today.” |
Maria’s NHLI leadership project focused on empowering Latinos in the state of Washington to become civically engaged, and she has used her skills to make a difference in her community. Maria is on the board of directors of the Washington State Hispanic Latino Legislative Organization. This group holds an annual Hispanic/Latino Legislative Day in the state’s capital, Olympia. Its goals are to educate Latinos on public-policy development, and educate the non-Latino community about issues Latinos care about.
When she entered the NHLI’s Executive Leadership program, Maria served as legislative deputy for a Los Angeles City Councilmember. While she was going through the program, she was offered the opportunity to work at State Farm. The position required relocating to Washington State to oversee public affairs, philanthropic giving, and media outreach efforts in Alaska.
The Washington hermanas network provided Maria much needed support as she acclimated to her new community. “The Washington State NHLI alumnae graciously embraced me. State Farm’s NHLI alumnae and my 2008 class continue to provide support as I successfully transition from a career in government to the business world,” explained Maria.
According to Maria, “Companies who invest in developing diverse employees tend to be more profitable. Employees equipped with leadership skills, who feel valued, are more likely to provide the necessary leadership to grow the business. NHLI’s culturally relevant leadership training develops the skills Latinas need to successfully navigate the business world.”
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Lupe Alcala, ’09 ELP, El Paso, TX
“The support I received to participate in the program was a significant commitment and investment in my leadership. At graduation time, I was listed as a candidate to compete as a future leader for State Farm Insurance. Being on this list places me on the path of future leadership opportunities.” |
In the thirteen years Lupe has worked at State Farm, she has not only grown as a leader but has helped to develop others in the process. Her greatest gratification has been to help her colleagues move on to other opportunities that bring them closer to their goals and dreams.
The Executive Leadership Program has inspired Lupe to pay it forward. As her NHLI leadership project, she is working to create an annual event to provide information to parents and high school students on how to gain access to resources for college, and educate them about the college application process. To this end, she has secured financial funding from State Farm Insurance to host this event in collaboration with the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers, the local community colleges and the University of Texas at El Paso.
Lupe believes that mentoring and coaching will continue to make a difference in increasing the number of Latinas in positions of authority in corporate America. She is both a mentor and mentee.
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Irma Escatel Bantista, ELP ’08, Bloomington, IL
“I would highly recommend this program to HR departments and other business areas. It is an excellent development opportunity and well-worth the time and commitment that is required.” |
As part of the State Farm Corporate Public Affairs team when she was accepted into the Executive Leadership Program, Irma worked on the national campaign State Farm es Para Mí, a program that focuses on civic engagement, education and culture. She was also responsible for managing national Hispanic partnerships, including NHLI. In fact, her first public speech on behalf of State Farm was to the 2006 NHLI class at the Congressional Breakfast in DC. “After that experience, I was sold. I had to become a part of the NHLI familia,” she said. After going through the program, Irma was promoted and later took on a new role as Leadership Development Associate in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and Human Resources.
According to Irma (the second youngest participant in her ELP class), NHLI was critical in her development because of the tools and resources it provided, including learning from her class fellows, especially from those with longer tenure in Corporate America and other sectors.
Irma puts what she received into practice by mentoring many young professionals, and she finds the learning experience is reciprocal. “I always appreciate the exchange of knowledge that takes place. I share my experiences and advice with them and they also teach me so much.”
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Janine Chapa, ELP ’03, Bloomington, IL
"NHLI broadened my perspective of the Hispanic culture and the possibilities of what women leaders can accomplish with the right training and preparation.” |
Just like NHLI motivated Janine to dream big, she pays it back by helping others with their career goals and financial literacy education. While guiding her State Farm insurance customers to manage their risks, she noticed the lack of understanding about the insurance and financial services arena among her clients. As her NHLI leadership project, Janine conducted financial literacy classes for Girl Scout troops, to teach young ladies the importance of money.
Janine believes that through education and continued learning, Latinas can remain competitive in their sectors. In addition, she feels, leaders must be role models and mentors to others and help pull up more Latinas into roles of authority.
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Virginia Gonzalez, ELP ’07, Melville, NY
"The program touched on all of the areas needed for executive development, from self development to learning the business and political aspects that affect all of us in corporate America.” |
Virginia is the perfect example of the benefits of the NHLI and State Farm working relationship. She first learned about NHLI ‘s leadership programs after attending a Latina Empowerment Conference in Dallas; and after attending NHLI’s annual Executive Leadership Training Conference and Mujer Awards, she knew it was the right program for her.
The program gave Virginia the confidence to supervise more people and to mentor other Latinos within and outside State Farm. As a lawyer who is an expert in insurance law,Virginia is a Claims Manager at State Farm responsible for New York
and New England.
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Sonja Mazon Rubalcava, ELP ’97, Chandler, AZ
“NHLI was instrumental in developing my voice for advocacy. This experience helped strengthen my ability to make the 'Ask' whether I’m asking for NHLI contributions, a vote or for my insurance business.” |
Sonja has a laundry list of things she credits NHLI with empowering her to do after completing the Executive Leadership Program. From going back to Arizona State University to earn an MBA, to joining a nationally ranked advertising agency, to developing a Youth Leadership Institute for the Hispanic Womens’ Conference in Arizona as her leadership project (which over the last nine years has impacted over 2,500 high school youth), to grooming her daughter Elisa to lead the youth institute and encouraging her to apply to Latinas Learning to Lead, to opening her own State Farm agency last year, and the list goes on.
But perhaps one of the greatest self discoveries happened while going through the program. As Sonja met and commended Harvard University’s Latino students during the program’s Harvard week, for their hard work and being accepted into a top university, one of them responded that they hoped to be like her someday. Sonja’s sense of responsibility deepened with those comments.
In the near feature, Sonja plans to provide financial and life empowerment education young Latino children and to establish a foundation to someday help a young person attend Harvard. Sonja has made her State Farm experience a family affair. Sonja’s daughter Elisa is a State Farm insurance recruiter, her son Andy is one of her team members and other daughter Analise is a team member at an agency in New Mexico.
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