Our Team of Six
Committed to Advancing the Future of Silicon Valley Latinos
Ron Gonzales
Ron Gonzales is the President and CEO of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Silicon Valley Latinos.
Gonzales has over 40 years of technology and public policy experience. Prior to leading the Hispanic Foundation, Gonzales was Founder, Chairman and CEO of Presencia, LLC which provides marketing and sales consulting services.
He also served as Mayor of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley and the nation’s 10th largest city from 1999-2006. His achievements included nationally recognized initiatives for strong neighborhoods, improved public education, and effective solutions to affordable housing and regional transportation projects. Mayor Gonzales may be best known for championing the extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to San Jose and Silicon Valley. So much so that former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown nicknamed him “Mayor BART”.
Before his election as Mayor, Gonzales worked as an executive with the Hewlett-Packard Company, in the areas of marketing, human resources, and corporate philanthropy.
Gonzales served for eight years (1989-1996) on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. As a two-time mayor and member of the Sunnyvale City Council (1979-87), he currently serves as Board Chair for SV@Home, Chair of the Silicon Valley Capital Club Board of Governors, and Board Member of KIPP Bay Area Public Charter Schools.
(408) 216-7643
Clara Roa
Clara has over 10 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising with a strong track record that includes major gifts, corporate and foundation giving. Previously, Roa served as Major Gift Officer at Life Moves, formerly Inn Vision Shelter Network. Roa received her Master’s in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Policy at New York University. Originally from Colombia, her early career includes stints as an educator and working for a global risk management consulting firm.
(408) 638-7302
Margarita DeAvila
Margarita works closely with the CEO in taking care of day to day operations relating to finances and program management. Furthermore, she helps prepare and coordinate the Latino Board Leadership Academy (LBLA) and the annual Hispanic Foundation Ball (HFB).
(408) 216-7612
Melissa Canela
Melissa is a first generation Latina college student who was born and raised in East San Jose. She graduated with her BA in Sociology with an emphasis in education from the University of San Francisco and is currently pursuing her Masters degree at San Jose State University. Melissa has worked with East San Jose families for the past four years. She is passionate about serving the community and supporting student-family empowerment through various educational services and programs. As Programs Associate, she oversees and organizes various programs within San Jose schools such as Girls Who Code, Springboard Collaborative, Elevate Math, and Quetzal Mama. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys watching SF Giants baseball alongside her family.
408-380-4086.
Raul Ceja
Raul is a strategist, storyteller, and designer who thrives in community engagement. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of California- Riverside in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. During his undergrad, he studied Global Emerging Markets at Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Previously, he’s worked at the Community Foundation for San Benito County as a Digital Media Specialist. Raul is a San Benito County native.
(831) 673-1156
Carolyn Valencia
Carolyn is a proud first-generation college student at Santa Clara University. She is a Latina majoring in Finance and minoring in Political Science. Carolyn was born and raised in Chicago, IL and has fallen in love with the Bay Area. She is an advocate for social justice and hopes to use her degree and experiences to give the Latinx community a seat and voice at the table. In her spare time, Carolyn loves to explore new cities, restaurants, and music with family and friends.
408-216-7612
