YURANI SANDOVAL
Founder & CEO
Yurani is a native of Colombia, lives in the Washington, D.C. area and is passionate about entrepreneurship. Prior to founding Women Palante and SingleParentPower, Yurani has worked in various roles with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Americas.
As a business advisor and mentor, she completed her training at the Founder Institute and has been an organizer of the D.C Startup Weekend for Hispanics in the Washington, D.C. area. She has more than 10 years of leadership in Public Health Management and Grants and Budget for Latin American countries. She holds a MBA from Johns Hopkins University and is a graduate (with honors) from the Universidad del Norte.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yurani-sandoval-7646022a/
PATRICIA SKILLIN
President, Board Member
Patricia is the Director of Global Services for the Americas region at Johns Hopkins Medicine International, in Baltimore, MD, where she is responsible for oversight of collaboration and affiliation agreements throughout the region of the Americas. She is also responsible for new business development and strengthening the Johns Hopkins Medicine brand and network in the region of the Americas.
She has worked for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Carter Center. She is a graduate from Wesleyan University and holds a Master's of International Development at the University of Pittsburgh.
“I believe in the mission of Women Palante because I grew up with the example of a strong Latina mom that carried my family through some of our toughest moments. She provided for our family, both financially and psychologically, when we needed it most, and she kept our family united and strong. She became the positive force that helped our family overcome our obstacles. She showed me that mothers can be incredibly powerful influences, both in their own families but also in their communities. I hope to be that same example for my daughter that my mother was to me, and pass on that legacy of being a strong Latina mom. An organization, like Women Palante, that helps women and especially mothers get the support they need to be financially strong while also investing in their well-being, is directly contributing to the transformation of not just her family but also several generations of families and the communities that they live in. By creating strong and financially independent women and mothers, Women Palante helps to create more jobs, more financial stability for families, and happier memories for children who get to experience their mothers working to achieve their dreams and living their best lives. I am proud to support Women Palante in its mission to create more Mompreneurs. Women Palante and its growing community of women and moms are exactly the kind of influence and force for good that our world needs right now.” - Patti
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciaskillin/
MANOLO PAEZ
Vice President, Board Member
Manolo is the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at the Global Good Fund, a non-profit organization that amplifies the impact of social entrepreneurs worldwide, investing in their leadership development. Manolo is responsible for overseeing all revenue generation processes and defining the organization's revenue strategy, while being accountable of integrating and aligning revenue-related functions, including marketing, sales, customer support and pricing.
He has an extensive background in business development and innovation in the United States and Latin America. He has also experience as a lecturer and speaker in academic and business environments. In the past, he has worked for the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the youth employment and entrepreneurship fields and has also experienced being an entrepreneur, having started companies in several parts of the world. He holds a Master of Science degree in Economics at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, and has taken courses at Georgetown University and Stanford University.
"I am passionate about being part of Women Palante's mission of helping Latina women to become successful entrepreneurs while living a healthy and balanced life. I truly believe that investing in people is the most effective way to create positive impact and lasting social change in communities around the world, and in our case with Women Palante, in Latina women across the Americas." - Manolo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manolopaez/
JANETH MERCHAN
Treasurer, Board Member
Janeth is a senior manager at the People Advisory Services of Ernst & Young (EY), where she has served for the past eight years. She has also worked at the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). She held a CPA and holds a Master of Science degree in Accounting at the American University.
“The mission of Women Palante is close to heart for me. I am the daughter of a strong, giving, hard-working and compassionate Latina, who has empowered me in my journey to be an independent, purpose-driven and fulfilled Latina – living the live that I’ve always dreamed of. In additional to my family and community’s support, being financially independent has allowed to make the choices that I wanted, leading me closer to my goals. For this reason, I want all woman to be financially empowered enough to decline people, places and positions that do not align to their life’s overall vision – I want women to be empowered to live their most authentic lives.” - Janeth
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeth-merchan-37b69148/
DANIEL G. REGO
Secretary, Board Member
Dan Rego leverages innovation and technology to solve some of society’s most pressing matters. He has founded startups, non-profits, and advised some of the world's leading institutions on how to brave this new century. Some of his past and current clients include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Morgan Stanley, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, World Bank, University of Maryland Global Campus, the Organization of American States (OAS), Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Amazon.com, among others.
Aside of several technical certifications, licenses and trainings, Dan's formal education took place at GWU and MIT.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danrego/