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CHLI Alumni Association

The CHLI Alumni Association was founded in 2016 to help CHLI alumni reach their professional goals and connect with the nearly 300 accomplished alumni nationwide and abroad who have pursued esteemed careers in the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors.

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Meet The President

Lucinda Borque

Lucinda Andrea Borque is a dynamic leader with over a decade of experience in program management, executive administration, and strategic professional development. She holds a Master’s in Political Management from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. Throughout her career, Lucinda has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership, mentorship, and organizational growth, particularly within government, nonprofit, and legal sectors.

Kelvin participated in the CHLI Global Leaders Fellowship with the office of Vern Buchanan and Ferox Strategies. Following the fellowship program, Kelvin leveraged the opportunity to continue in DC interning for the Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and FIU in DC. While in the process of completing his final year of undergrad, Kelvin accepted a full-time role with the Committee on House Administration.

In his current role Kelvin regulates all mass communications distributed by Congressional Member offices, Leadership, Party Conference’s and Committees. He provides strategic guidance and detailed analysis for communication directors – Maximizing resource allocation, strengthening the member’s political brand, expanding their audience, and safeguarding their reputation.

Alumni Association Presidents

Keith Fernandez

View Bio

Soribel Feliz

CHLI Alum 2011
View Bio

Eduardo Arabu

CHLI Alum Fall 2010
View Bio

Wendy K. Martinez

CHLI Alum 2005 | The Wendy Martinez Legacy Project

Wendy Martinez led the effort to formalize the CHLI Alumni Association Bylaws and Charter. She would have been the first president of the CHLI Alumni Association.

Vision

A premiere resource in advancing the professional and leadership development of future Hispanic leaders.

Mission

The CHLI Alumni Association was founded by the CHLI Alumni to foster a culture of leadership, community, and continuing investment in advancing opportunities for the development of future Hispanic leaders.

Purpose

Founded in 2016, the CHLI Alumni Association is dedicated to fostering a broad awareness of the diversity of thought, heritage, interests, and views of Hispanics in the U.S.

CHLI Alumni Association Board

Sophia Jaimes

Vice President

As an Executive Assistant, Sophia works directly with the CEO and the Executive Office to ensure the strategic vision of the organization by managing both the day-to-day and longer-term operations and strategic direction of the organization. This includes human resources, finances, data management and security, and logistics, in addition to overseeing Concordia’s Board of Directors, Leadership Council, Advisors, Senior Advisors, and executive relationships.

Before joining Concordia, Sophia worked as a Libra Group intern under Chief Relationship Officer Correa. She also has experience working in Washington D.C. as a Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute as a Global Leader where she worked in Congressman Henry Cuellar’s Office, Home Depot Government Affairs, and UPS Public Affairs.

Sophia is an alumna from Florida International University and its Honors College where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s in International Relations, a minor in Political Science, and a certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies.

Kelvin Bencosme

Secretary 

Kelvin Bencosme is a Professional Staff Member at the Committee on House Administration. He is a proven leader with a record of working in multiple industries such as government, hospitality, entertainment and education. He is recognized for being a self-starter, deliberate planner, collaborative team player and embracing strong interpersonal skills.

Kelvin participated in the CHLI Global Leaders Fellowship with the office of Vern Buchanan and Ferox Strategies. Following the fellowship program, Kelvin leveraged the opportunity to continue in DC interning for the Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and FIU in DC. While in the process of completing his final year of undergrad, Kelvin accepted a full-time role with the Committee on House Administration.

In his current role Kelvin regulates all mass communications distributed by Congressional Member offices, Leadership, Party Conference’s and Committees. He provides strategic guidance and detailed analysis for communication directors – Maximizing resource allocation, strengthening the member’s political brand, expanding their audience, and safeguarding their reputation.

Andres Velasco

Treasurer

Andres is a dynamic and results-oriented Government Affairs professional with extensive experience in monitoring and analyzing legislative activities, developing policy strategies, and fostering strong relationships with key government officials and industry stakeholders. Andres moved to D.C. in 2021 to pursue his passion for policy and graduated from Florida International University in May 2023 with a Bachelor’s in History and a Minor in Economics.

Currently, through his work on the Government Affairs team at the Partnership for Public Service, Andres contributes to public service efforts and his passion for government. In his free time, you will find him biking across the Potomac or attending his favorite boxing classes. Andres is a firm believer in giving back to the community and is excited about the possibility of doing so through the Alumni Association.

Dianly Perez

Membership Director

Dianly Perez Mulet is a 2024 Florida International University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice working at a personal injury law firm. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida, by two Cuban immigrants who planted in her the importance of education and hard work.

Dianly was a part of the CHLI Global Leaders Program in the Spring of 2024 and interned for Jenniffer González Colón, who served as the 20th resident commissioner of Puerto Rico and for Home Depot’s Government Relations Team. Dianly expects to begin law school in the fall of 2026 to become a reputable attorney shortly after her law school journey. She is eager to support the CHLI’s mission of advancing the Hispanic community’s diversity through her involvement in the alumni association.

Ian Rios

VP of Professional Development 

Ian Ríos-Plumey was born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. From an early age, he developed a deep passion for finance and numbers, influenced by his father, who frequently listened to financial and business radio programs during their drives to school. Ian attended the prestigious Central High School of Visual Arts, where he explored his artistic side while actively participating in international programs focused on education, arts, and commerce.

Throughout college, Ian dedicated over seven years to advocating for the well-being of older adults. During this time, he completed multiple internships, including roles at the Puerto Rico State Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. It was during these experiences that he realized his advocacy efforts could evolve beyond individual acts of service and be amplified through public administration to drive large-scale impact.

Ian graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, where he also minored in business and management development. Currently, he is focused on improving medical access for seniors and establishing a corporation specializing in housing solutions for older adults—an initiative that merges his business acumen with his commitment to social impact.

In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Ian remains actively engaged with Puerto Rico’s legislature and government agencies, continuously seeking opportunities to contribute to public policy and societal development. His dedication to public service and his strategic vision position him as a leader committed to the progress and well-being of his community.

Paola Arellano

VP of Communications

I am from El Paso, Texas and I graduated from St. Mary’s University majoring in Political Science and minoring in Communication Studies. Currently, I am the Director of Operations for Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) and I have been with him since 2022. I consider myself a goal-oriented, passionate, and strong communicator.

My booming interest in politics stems from the desire to relay non-partisan information to Latino communities in a language they can understand which is why the VP of Communications feels like the perfect role. As a CHLI alumni, I have strived to attend every event, talk to as many Global Leaders as possible, and have my boss continue supporting the organization which proves how much I believe in the cause to have more people like us in politics. Although I handle most operations work in my office, I have a great love for communications and would love to be a part of CHLI on a larger scale.

About CHLI Alumni Association South Florida Chapter

Founded in 2024, the South Florida Regional Alumni Association Chapter was the first of its kind for those who have completed CHLI fellowships or internships. The inaugural leadership is President Amanda Venedeo and Vice President Sophia Jaimes. The South Florida Alumni Association Chapter focuses on community engagement activities such as volunteering, donation drives, clean-ups, and events to stay connected with the CHLI family and South Florida community.

The aim of the chapter is to help South Florida alums reach their professional goals and increase CHLI’s visibility in the community.

As CHLI Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has said, “…once a member of the CHLI familia, always a member of the CHLI familia.”

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Back row: Linoshka Luna, Velgui Perez Tomas, Annett Reyes-Alvarez, Ángel Soto Front row: Sophia Jaimes, Gerald Torres, Elizabeth Dos Santos, Amanda Venereo, Claudia Marrero, Angela Puma, Kelvin Bencosme, Sasha Torrealba

About

Wendy Martinez Award

The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute Board of Directors presented the first CHLI Wendy Martinez Alumni Community Engagement Award posthumously to Wendy Martinez at the annual CHLI Leadership Awards Gala in 2019. The award is named after the late Wendy Martinez, who led the effort to formalize the CHLI Alumni Association’s Bylaws and Charter. The award is presented to an alumnus to recognize their ambassadorship of CHLI’s mission, purpose, and focus. The CHLI Alumni Association selects the honoree and presents the award at the Annual CHLI Future Leaders Conference in the summer in Washington, DC.

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About

Wendy Martinez Scholarship

In alignment with the CHLI Alumni Association’s mission to empower alumni across the country after their internship experience, the Wendy K. Martinez Scholarship was established in 2022. Scholarships assist CHLI alumni currently enrolled in an accredited educational institution to pursue their academic goals. CHLI Board of Directors, CHLI Advisory Council Members, CHLI alumni, and sponsors provide the funds for the annual scholarships.