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2007 - Mary Ann Kellam
 Mary
Ann Kellam is a district manager for an insurance company, based in
Irving, TX. and is active in leadership positions in the Dallas and
Coppell, TX communities.
She has held numerous roles including past chair of the Hispanic
Women's Network of Texas, (HWNT) and past chair of the HWNT Education
Seminars Series. She is currently a member on the education series, as
well as, serving as state board representative for HWNT, Dallas Chapter.
She is past-chairperson of the board of the Coppell Chamber of
Commerce; Coppell Independent School District committee member and City
of Coppell Economic Development Board member. She has also been involved
with Girls, Inc.; The Family Place; and is involved with many more
organizations.
In 1999, Kellam created a Coppell, TX youth leadership program for
high school students, the Coppell Youth Leadership (CYL) program. She is
also a past recipient of the "Coppell Woman of the Year" award.
2006 - Carmen Garcia
 Carmen
Garcia is currently the director of community affairs for the
State Fair of Texas. In
her role as community emissary,
Garcia represents the
State Fair at various public meetings and
events.
The Houston native graduated
from Dallas Baptist University with a
degree in public administration. Garcia
began her career in governmental affairs
with ARCO and later directed programs and
special projects in the offices of the Texas Comptroller of Public
Accounts and the Texas Secretary of State in Austin.
She returned to Dallas to manage Ron
Kirk's campaign office in his successful
bid for mayor.
After the election, she opened
her own business, ABRAC Consulting,
specializing in marketing, public relations, and event management.
Her relationship with the
State Fair of Texas was established at
this point, when she took on the annual
event as a corporate client.
Garcia sits on the boards of
the D/FW Network of
Hispanic Communicators,
Dallas Opera,
Dallas Zoo, African American Museum,
Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers
of Commerce and was just recently appointed by Dr. Moses, DISD
Superintendent to Co-Chair the newly formed
Community Advisory Committee. She
is currently the Chair of the HWNT State
organization and is active in numerous community organizations.
2005 - Queta Garret
 Queta
was born in La Havana, Cuba. She
emigrated to the United States at the age of 13 and has lived in Dallas
since then. She graduated from W.H.
Adamson and the University of Texas at Arlington.
She has worked in the Oil and Gas
Industry since graduating from UTA.
She is currently employed by
Heritage Standard Corporation as their
tax manager.
She has been involved in several
capacities with HWNT since 1995.
She currently serves as Treasurer of
Grupo Internacional Dallas, of which
she has been a member since 1996. In
recent years she has also served in other
non-profit boards and invested numerous volunteer hours in our
community.
Her 23-year old son is a graduate of
Middlebury College in Vermont and
currently resides in Los Angeles. She
enjoys photography, traveling, reading, dancing, needle crafts and stamp
collecting.
2004 - Betty Ramirez Swinners
 Betty
is the owner and chief executive officer
of Diversity Speakers, a company established to promote minority public
speakers and trainers to ensure diversity. She
specializes in the development
and evaluation of national and grassroots programs, diversity campaigns,
coalition building, and diversity related trainings and ethnic specific
issues.
Betty is a motivational speaker who has dedicated her life to
sharing her story of success and survival to encourage others to believe
in themselves. A survivor of abuse, she was raised as a homeless child,
living in an abandoned house. Education was not a priority to her
family, but adversity did not stop Betty from becoming a success.
She has been recognized as "One of Texas Most Influential Women" by
Texas Hispanic Magazine, inducted into "The Hispanic Women's Hall of
Fame" by Hispanic Women in Leadership and is the recipient of the
First Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund
Awards presented to outstanding Latina business owners at the
Hispanic Businesswomen’s luncheon during the United States Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Annual National Convention.
Betty is
passionate and delivers powerful keynote addresses at conferences,
luncheons and vigils for Colleges / Universities, Domestics Violence
Agencies, Rape Crisis Centers and Women's Organizations. She is the
co-author of "Tortilla Soup for the Spirit" and will soon release two
new books "Daily Affirmations for Latinos" and "A Story of Hope and
Fried Chicken."
2003 - Maricela
Aguilar
 Maricela
has been an advocate for positive change in the areas of education, law
enforcement, and the arts. She is a community leader who takes the
initiative in issues and causes which will positively impact the
community. Her civic involvement includes membership in many
organizations and service on several boards, committees, and
commissions. The numerous awards she has received have recognize her
commitment and efforts. Maricela has been involved with HWNT since 1996
and has served in several positions at both the local and state level,
including chapter chair, state representative, state membership chair,
state conference co-chair, just to name a few. Her commitment to assure
her family's welfare and future prompted her to become active, and their
support and encouragement have kept her involved. She is married to
Carlos, and has three children and four grandchildren. |
