About the Authors
Dr. Lorena Garza Gonzalez
Through her life-long commitment to leadership and service Dr. Lorena Gonzalez inspires individuals to recognize and magnify their strengths for the good of others. As the Director of National Hispanic Initiatives for Urban Strategies, Lorena combines practical and theoretical experiences to provide training and technical assistance that teaches practitioners, educators, policymakers, and community leaders how to build successful programs driving positive change. She also is instrumental in creating partnerships that strengthen the power of underserved communities.
Prior to joining Urban Strategies, Lorena served as Vice President of Programs for AVANCE, a nationally acclaimed parent education program that serves families in eleven cities throughout Texas, New Mexico, and California. In that capacity, Lorena led efforts in developing, designing, implementing, and evaluating family, parent, and community leadership programs. Lorena is also recognized in cross-cultural group dynamics in the areas of communication, conflict management, and team/individual motivation.
Lorena was recently inducted into the prestigious Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s Hall of Fame, where she received the “Optimista” award for achieving success through persistence in the face of adversity. Although he had only a third-grade education, Lorena credits her father’s four words, “You can do it,” for helping her complete three degrees as a young wife and mother.
Lorena received her Ph.D.in Leadership Studies from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX, and her M.A. in Bicultural Bilingual Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She completed post doctoral work at Harvard University’s Government, Executive Education Program.
Lorena and her husband, Rene, live in San Antonio, TX.
Lisa Treviño Cummins
As a third generation American of Mexican descent, Lisa Cummins traces the formation of her identity and world view to her extended family, which includes ministers, lay leaders, and business men and women.
Lisa founded Urban Strategies in Arlington, VA out of her desire to make a difference within communities in need. Her professional career began in the banking sector, where she was a pioneer in community development efforts, providing national leadership that began in San Antonio, TX. In 1998, she created Bank of America’s national initiative to work with faith-based organizations in the provision of financial services and products as well as in community development partnerships.
In 2001, Lisa was recruited to help launch the White House Faith and Community-Based Initiative. During her two-year tenure, Lisa was instrumental in creating initiatives that welcomed small community and faith-based organizations, increasing federal resource accountability, and encouraging the removal of barriers that prevent new entrants into the federal funding stream. Since leaving the White House, Lisa has been a catalyst for several initiatives that have resulted in more than $40 million in new programming primarily focused on the Latino community.
Lisa earned her BS in Accounting from Trinity University San Antonio and her MBA from University of Texas in San Antonio. She currently serves on the boards of the Christian Community Development Association, the Seed Company, World Vision, and the Latino Advisory Group for the Campaign to Prevent Unwanted and Teen Pregnancies. Lisa, her husband, and their three children reside in the Washington, DC area.
