In collaboration with Bolívar Network and UVA’s Multicultural Student Center, Batten Latinx Network is looking to support our current UVA Latinx community by providing them a conversation with alumni making an impact in their community. Currently, Latinx students at UVA have a variety of interests and long-term career goals, but one thing is sure: they are looking to make lasting change for their communities. This will be a great opportunity for students looking to go into public service to learn more about the steps they can take to achieve their professional goals. It is our hope that students will also learn how to navigate predominantly white spaces and simultaneously embracing and leveraging their identity for public good.
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to the panel “Latinx Leaders In Public Service: A conversation with UVA Latinx Alumni” on March 18, 2021, at 6pm EST in collaboration with the Batten Latinx Network and UVA’s Multicultural Student Center and a special thank you to our panelists:
Lisette Carbajal is a government relations professional at Capital One. She has served in various public service capacities, including policy advisor and latinx liaison to former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. She graduated in 2013 with a degree in foreign affairs.
Diane Rosario is a 2005 University of Tampa graduate also studying fashion merchandising at LIM in NYC. Her majors focused on Music Production and Fashion Merchandising. Diane started working in social justice in 2017 as a volunteer with the Legal Aid Justice Center and now is their legal assistant and volunteer coordinator. She is currently the coordinator of the ICT, which is a committee that focuses on Racial equity within the organization.
Dr. Carolina Ferrerosa Young currently serves as the Future of Work Policy Advisor for U.S. Senator Mark Warner. A native of Arlington, Virginia, Carolina graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Government and from Columbia University with a Ph.D. in Political Science. While she was at UVA, she served as the President of the Latino Student Union and Chair of La Alianza, which later merged together to form the Latinx Student Alliance.
Wilson Osorio is an Associate Counsel with the USCIS Office of the Chief Counsel, where he works on a number of humanitarian-based immigration programs. Prior to joining USCIS, Wilson served as a General Attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor. In that capacity, he provided legal advice on issues relating to wage theft and workplace crimes. Wilson received his B.A. in History and Latin American Studies from the University of Virginia in 2009, and his J.D. from American University in 2014.
Fernando Mercado graduated from UVA in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Government and History where he was involved in LSA, PMP, and Phi Delta Theta. After their time at UVA, Fernando went on to work with the Legal Aid Justice Center, organized for Hillary Clinton’s campaign and then took this experience beyond to various government offices in Virginia. Some of these include working for the Virginia House Democratic Caucus and the Office of the Governor. He is currently serving as the Deputy White House Liaison for the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Danny Navarro has been working in the civic engagement space for ten years. A native of Miami, FL, Danny began his career in several political campaigns in the region. He was instrumental in winning Florida for President Obama in 2012, orchestrating the largest turnout the county had seen to date. He made his move to D.C. in 2014 where he has worked with Voto Latino, State Voices and other nonprofit foundations. He is currently the Senior Advocacy Manager with Feeding America, leading the organization’s census and voter engagement efforts across the country.