2024 Notable Hispanic Leaders

TCB is recognizing 19 Hispanic leaders who make a significant impact across the Twin Cities. Many of these individuals are immigrants, with a vision to create positive changes in industries such as health care, finance, law, and business. These leaders uplift others in their fields and leverage their multilingual skills to give back to the Latino community through mentorship, volunteerism, and community service.

Methodology: The individuals featured did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials. This list is not comprehensive; it includes only people who were nominated and accepted after editorial review. To qualify for this list, individuals must have at least five years of experience in their field and have shown the ability to effect change in their roles or areas of practice.

To nominate other best-in-class executives in their fields, click here.

2024 Notable Hispanic Leaders

2024 Notable Logo

Uri Camarena

Uri Camarena

Interim executive director, Latino Economic Development Center
Uri Camarena is a standout leader in the Twin Cities business community. A former member of the board for the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) in St. Paul, he stepped
Antonio Cardona

Antonio Cardona

Vice president of career readiness, Project for Pride in Living
Antonio Cardona’s leadership is deeply steeped in policy, youth development, public health, and a strong commitment to racial equity and community engagement. With two decades of experience in nonprofit management,
Claudia Carrasco

Claudia Carrasco

Community banking relationship manager, Bremer Bank
Claudia Carrasco serves as a small business partner in many Bremer Bank branches across the Twin Cities, including Minneapolis’ East Lake Street location. Passionate about the neighborhood, she is deeply
Aaron Castillo

Aaron Castillo

Operations manager, Breakthru Beverage Minnesota
Aaron Castillo oversees all operations process improvement initiatives, inventory, and data excellence for Breakthru Beverage Minnesota, a beverage wholesaler based in Minneapolis. Promoted to operations manager in 2023, he has
Melisa López Franzen

Melisa López Franzen

Executive director of government and community relations, University of Minnesota
As a former state senator and Minnesota Senate minority leader, Melisa López Franzen has been a prominent figure in the Minnesota Hispanic community, including being the first Hispanic and first
Luisa Fuentes

Luisa Fuentes

Founder/CEO, Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center
In 2003, Luisa Fuentes opened her first early childhood center with just one student and has since grown Rayito de Sol to seven schools in Minnesota and Illinois. The learning
David Garcia

David Garcia

Territory omnichannel officer, Best Buy
With more than three decades of retail leadership experience, David Garcia is known as a passionate, experienced, and driven senior leader. Across his many roles, he has developed and led
Minda Garcia

Minda Garcia

Vice president of the customer experience center, Allina Health
The daughter of migrant farm workers, Minda Garcia learned the importance of health care by interpreting for her mother, who had limited English proficiency. This inspired Garcia to start a
Elba Guille Garza

Elba Guille Garza

Realtor, Keller Williams Integrity Realty
Born in Mexico, Elba Guille Garza moved to Minnesota in 2001, having worked in technology as an engineer for more than 20 years. After meeting resistance in the Minnesota tech
Henry Jiménez

Henry Jiménez

President/CEO, Propel Nonprofits
Henry Jiménez has held leadership positions at two prominent nonprofit community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in the past five years: the Latino Economic Development Center and Propel Nonprofits. In February,
Cristian De Leon

Cristian De Leon

Chef/owner, El Sazon Restaurants
Cristian De Leon is the chef behind El Sazon Restaurant in Minneapolis and Eagan, where he’s been delighting the local culinary scene with his authentic Latin American cuisine. De Leon has
Juan Llerena

Juan Llerena

Founder/president, JLLB Media Marketing Agency
As founder and president of Waconia-based JLLB Media, Juan Llerena has played a pivotal role in supporting local businesses, particularly those led by diverse entrepreneurs. JLLB has helped numerous small
Inti Martínez-Alemán

Inti Martínez-Alemán

Attorney, Ceiba Fôrte Law Firm
As a third-generation lawyer, Inti Martínez-Alemán has a dedication to professional legal services in his blood. His grandfather was a renowned lawyer and notary in El Salvador, and his mother
Francisco Ramirez

Francisco Ramirez

Supervisor of community education and outreach, Fairview Health Services
In his role at Fairview Health Services, Francisco Ramirez strives to address the social determinants of health. Working from St. Paul, he shares culturally tailored health education on topics such
Roberto Ramirez

Roberto Ramirez

Vice president of greenhouse operations, Bushel Boy Farms
Since immigrating from Mexico in 2008, Roberto Ramirez has become an influential indoor-farming leader in Minnesota and the U.S. After developing a love for agriculture on his grandfather’s farm, he honed
Victoria Gonzalez Rocha

Victoria Gonzalez Rocha

Founder/owner, Manny’s Tortas
Victoria Gonzalez Rocha moved from Mexico City to Minnesota in 1999 to help her brother, Manny, run a gourmet Mexican sandwich shop, Manny’s Tortas, on Lake Street in the Midtown
Patricia Tototzintle

Patricia Tototzintle

President/CEO, Esperanza United
Patricia Tototzintle's leadership at St. Paul-based Esperanza United has boosted it to become a nationally recognized Latina organization. From its beginnings as a shelter in St. Paul, Tototzintle saw the
Pablo Urriche

Pablo Urriche

Director of finance and administration, The Loppet Foundation
Pablo Urriche has worked as a financial professional since 2012. During his early career, he worked at international corporations in his native Chile, moving to Minneapolis in early 2016, where