Since earning a B.A. in political science from the University of Arizona, Diana Hinojosa has dedicated the greater part of her professional efforts to social service and improving the lives of people in Chicago’s Southwest, Westside, and Lower Westside communities. From teaching at Kennedy-King College, to managing an after-school program, and assisting small business owners, she has been a visionary committed to helping those in need. She joined the ESDC team in 2015, and came on board as a grant writer with a focus on compliance and program management. Along with ESDC team member Jaime Garza, she also built the Pilsen Quarterly from the ground up—an ESDC publication through which the triumphs and struggles of local business owners are featured. After a 3-year hiatus, she has once again joined the ESDC team as director of grants and compliance.

Joseph DeLaGarza is a Senior Business Advisor at ESDC. Prior to this role, he was the Senior Business Counselor for the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC). Joseph DeLaGarza received his Bachelor of Science in Finance at DePaul University and completed his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in International Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Joseph has been an active participant in the business community through his leadership within planning committees and speaking engagements. Joseph has had a passion for working with and assisting entrepreneurs to start and/or grow their companies since 2001. Joseph’s extensive experience across various business disciplines has equipped him with the unique ability to comprehend and assist with a wide variety of business challenges.

email: jdelagarza@esdcchicago.org

Salvador Cerna came to ESDC with over 25 years of community organizing experience. In recent years, he spearheaded The Resurrection Project’s community organizing efforts and civic participation, through which he developed a leadership curriculum that trained over 150 community members in the principles of community organizing, leadership development, etc. He also oversaw the planning, development, and implementation of the Neighborhood Quality of Life Plan which involved the participation of 1000 residents and 87 stakeholders. During the time he was employed at the governor’s office, he was responsible for implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) policy and introduced creative ways to reach out to special populations, such as millennials, Latinos, professional associations, and people identifying as LBGTQ+. He also formed the Housing Taskforce in the Back of the Yards and managed the public office of Congressman Luis Gutierrez, through which he oversaw the congressman’s community outreach efforts. He currently serves as ESDC’s Community Outreach Director, where he is leading the organization’s Shop Pilsen campaign.

email: scerna@esdcchicago.org

Jaime Garza, Project and Event Manager at ESDC, is a Pilsen native who has not only provided much support to artists and businesses in the community over the years, but who is himself an artist. He is responsible for cultivating relationships with business owners, multidisciplinary artists and partnering organizations in order to bring quality cultural events to the community. Mr. Garza also serves at a creative capacity, producing and designing ESDC signature events such as the Mole de Mayo festival and Buen Provecho Taste of Pilsen. He develops marketing materials for the organization and provides graphic design services to local business owners for branding purposes. His responsibilities also include event logistics, booking and hiring talent, and quality control of ESDC events.

email: jgarza@esdcchicago.org

Emmanuel Montez manages business license registration and assistance in accounting services at ESDC. Emmanuel Montez’s education includes an Associates in Arts from Morton college and continued his education at DePaul University. Prior to ESDC, Emmanuel was the Chief Financial Officer for CSI 3000 Inc where he negotiated insurance policies, obtained and maintained lines of credits, and generated financial reporting to CPA for financial reviews. In 2011, Emmanuel became an entrepreneur as he started Montez and Associates Company. As President, Emmanuel’s company provides bookkeeping services, business structure consulting and administrative assistance for start-up businesses.

email: emontez@montezassociates.com

After earning a B.A. in Fashion Marketing and Management from the Illinois Institute of Art, Yuri Chavez ventured into the private sector. She made use of her leadership qualities and business savvy within multinational corporations such as PepsiCo—where she developed and implemented innovative sales strategies—and Victoria’s Secret, where she focused on product development and quality assurance. At ESDC, she has taken on a managerial role, serving as our bilingual office manager and focusing on daily operations. Yuriko has also been essential to the planning and logistical efforts behind our annual events such as Buen Provecho, the ESDC Golf Outing, and Mole de Mayo, a 3-day festival that draws over 100,000 visitors from across the Midwest.

email: ychavez@esdcchicago.org

Javier Haro is a serial entrepreneur, food business consultant and hospitality trainer with over 10 years of experience in the food industry. He holds 12 certifications in hospitality management and is a licensed instructor in food safety, the culinary arts, and restaurant management with the National Restaurant Association. He is one of the pioneers in developing the first Food & Beverage Competency Model with a selected group of nationally acclaimed subject matter experts along with the Department of Labor and state restaurant associations. Currently, he is attending Harvard Medical School to get trained and certified in their lifestyle medicine chef coaching program and also sits on the advisory committee for Good Food Is Good Medicine in Chicago.

Anabelle Martinez is a marketing and development professional with a B.A. in International Affairs and Economics from Marquette University. She has over 5+ years of founding and management experience in the restaurant, tech start-up, and service sectors. Not only is she experienced in assisting business owners with their marketing objectives, but she is also a business owner who has effectively applied those skills to her business ventures. As a bilingual marketing advisor, Anabelle is able to help small business owners promote their business by guiding them through various marketing channels, she also helps them address other marketing needs, including those related to brand awareness, online advertising, promotions, reviews and partnerships. She is also a grant advisor who assists business owners with securing grants.

email: anabelle.advisor@gmail.com

Alex Ruiz recently joined ESDC as the Director of Small Business.  He transitioned from his role as Community Lending Manager at Accion Chicago (now Allies for Community Business), where he managed a team of lenders in various Chicago neighborhoods such as Pilsen, Little Village, and Midway. He is responsible for the generation of leads, referral partner relationships and community outreach, while providing access to capital and business coaching to entrepreneurs. Alex was also a branch manager at a community bank with over 10 years of banking experience. In addition to working with entrepreneurs to spur economic development, he is also a licensed Real Estate Broker. His responsibilities also include reviewing business leases and assisting local business owners with their business plans.

Bibiana Sotelo joined the ESDC team in 2021 as our office coordinator/administrator. She has always been a go-getter in life. She worked hard to make her dream of going to college a reality, and in 2018, she became a recipient of the Dream Pursuers Scholarship, as well as the Dream US Scholarship. She excels as a student at National Louis University having made the Dean’s list and the High Honor Roll from 2018-2022. Bibiana is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in June, 2022.

email: bsotelo@esdcchicago.org

In 2013 Peter Vale joined Dos Santos, a Sony Music-endorsed project for which he also oversees finances, banking, acquisition, merchandise sales, and marketing. In addition to his natural business savvy, Pete’s affable personality made him a good fit for ESDC’s community outreach coordinator position when he joined the organization in 2022, since he serves as a liaison between local business owners and ESDC, while assisting the Community Outreach Director in providing them with information regarding the programs and technical assistance the organization has to offer.

email: pvale@esdcchicago.org