Board of Directors

Jacquelyn is a Compliance Analyst at Sun Life Financial, where she supports the International Compliance Team in Bermuda. In the legal and compliance fields, she has worked for the Office of the Attorney General in Boston and in the Corporate Compliance Department at Tufts Medical Center where a great deal of her experience involved writing policies and procedures, investigating complaints, and contributing to privacy risk assessment processes. More recently, she interned with Massachusetts General Hospital where she assisted in internal audit site inspections and ensured Compliance with privacy regulations and policies and procedures. Her prior professional experience includes operations management, compliance policies and procedures implementation, and responsibilities as an insurance representative in the medical and healthcare fields. Jacquelyn also has broad foreign language skills; she is fluent in Spanish and has working knowledge of Portuguese, Arabic, and French.

Jacquelyn earned a JD from New England Law | Boston, where she served as Vice President for the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA) and Vice President for the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA). Through her work with these groups, she joined the planning committee for the first annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Civil Rights Conference, organized through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Boston Area Office and the Asian American Commission of Massachusetts. Jacquelyn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Florida International University. She is a Cuban-American from Miami, FL.

Jacquelyn has been a member of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys (MAHA) since 2014; she is proud to be a part of this years Board of Directors.

Board of Director

Maria De Ornelas is an Assistant Vice President and Associate Counsel in the Fund Administration legal team at State Street Bank and Trust Company. Prior to joining the Fund Administration legal team, she provided contract drafting, review and negotiation support to various departments within State Street’s Legal Division. Prior to joining State Street, she worked at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP as a business immigration law contract attorney. During law school, she interned with the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs where she drafted reports, guidelines and memoranda pertaining to the law and practice of registration and depositary functions of multilateral treaties. Also, she was part of her law school’s negotiation team. Maria holds a J.D. from Florida International University College of Law and is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and New York State.

Board of Directory

Adrian is an Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in the Gang Unit. He evaluates, investigates and prosecutes cases in Suffolk Superior Court with a focus on impact players in Boston gangs. As a prosecutor, his goals are to seek the truth, uphold justice and make the community he serves a better and safer place.

Adrian received his Bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for the National Law Student Association and serves as a Judge in regional competitions as well as national finals.

Board of Directory

Vanessa F. Hernandez is a Clinical Fellow and Supervising Attorney in the Juvenile Defender Clinic at Suffolk University Law School. Prior to joining Suffolk, Vanessa was a staff attorney for over five years with the Committee for Public Counsel Services-Youth Advocacy Division where she represented juveniles in both delinquency and youthful offender cases.

Vanessa graduated from Union College in 2007 with a B.A. in Modern Languages and Classics and received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 2010. She is licensed to practice law in both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York. Vanessa was raised in Connecticut and is of Cuban and Puerto Rican decent.

Board of Directors

Javier is a partner at Manion Gaynor & Manning LLP with significant experience defending products liability, class action, mass tort, and food-borne illness matters. Javier has successfully litigated cases throughout the country on behalf of a broad range of defendants. In addition to his regular work schedule, Javier serves on the Boston Fair Housing Commission and as President of Region I of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA). Additionally, he was a 2017 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), and received the HNBA’s 2017 Top Lawyers Under 40 Award.   Javier lives in Boston with his wife and two daughters.

Board of Directory

Melissa A. Juárez was born in Panamá City, Panamá and immigrated to the United States at age six. Melissa grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Elmhurst, New York; and Miami Lakes, Florida. In 1993, Melissa obtained her B.A. degree in Political Science from Boston University and her J.D. degree from Boston University Law School in 1997. During her nineteen-year legal career, Melissa has worked in the public and private sectors, and has experience in criminal and civil litigation. Melissa was an Assistant District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office for five years, where she handled District and Superior court criminal cases. For two years, Melissa was Counsel to the City of Boston Employment Commission, where she drafted, negotiated and reviewed all development contracts on commercial construction projects on behalf of the Commission ensuring compliance with city residency requirements. Melissa also ran her own law practice for several years, handling real estate transactions, G.L. c. 208, § 1A and 1B divorce actions and general civil litigation.

In her current role, Melissa represents the Commonwealth in G.L. c. 123A, § 9 Sexually Dangerous Persons civil jury trials in Superior Court. These trials are extremely fact-intensive and require significant preparation with expert witnesses, medical professionals and Department of Correction (“DOC”) employees. A trial typically lasts five or more days. She represents DOC employees in civil litigation and civil rights actions in State and Federal Court. Additionally, Melissa represents the Commonwealth in appeals of trials including writing appellate briefs and oral arguments before the Appeals Court. Melissa is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and is a Region 8 delegate.

Co-Clerk

Magaly counsels employers and employees on various immigrant and non-immigrant processes. She also assists clients in obtaining permanent residence, with a particular emphasis on PERM labor certification applications.  She enjoys working closely with clients to understand their objectives and provide a clear strategy to help accomplish them. Her personal journey as an immigrant gives her the legal expertise, compassion, and dedication to address the concerns of every client and provide them with the highest quality of legal representation.

Magaly earned her Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School and was admitted to practice law in Massachusetts. She represented clients in immigration removal proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review as part of the Suffolk Law School clinical program. She also represented clients in contested divorce proceedings before the Suffolk Family and Probate Court in her clinical work. Magaly has been a member of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys and the Hispanic National Bar Association since 2015. She is also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”) and serves as a Law Student liaison for its New England chapter. In addition, she is a member of the Boston Associates Networking Group.

Board of Directors

Genevieve Aguilar is a member of Choate, Hall, & Stewart LLP’s litigation department. Ms. Aguilar focuses her practice on representing corporations in a wide range of litigation matters, with primary emphasis on complex trial and appellate litigation, labor and employment issues and government investigations. Ms. Aguilar has been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star.

Ms. Aguilar volunteers with Citizen Schools, coaching a mock trial program for middle school students at underperforming Boston schools. Ms. Aguilar also serves as a mentor to first-year law students through Boston Lawyer’s Group, whose mission is to support the efforts of its member organizations to identify, recruit, advance and retain attorneys of color.

Prior to joining Choate in 2014, Ms. Aguilar worked in the Homicide Unit of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, where she assisted in the prosecution of homicide cases.

Ms. Aguilar received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she received the Earle K. Shawe Labor Relations Award, and her B.A. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Colorado College.

Vice-President

Jose Lopez is an associate at Avalon Law Offices, P.C., where he represents and assists victims of significant personal injury and medical malpractice cases. He also represents clients who have suffered discrimination, and clients on criminal matters ranging from larceny to distribution, and possession of a firearm. At Avalon Law Offices, P.C., he advocates for scores of clients and their families.

Attorney Lopez attended Suffolk University Law School after graduating from Boston College where he received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees. He held a position as a member of the Transnational Law Review while in law school, and served as the President of the Latin American Law Students Association.

Attorney Lopez is a member of MAHA since 2011, he is a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Boston Bar Association.

Immediate Past President

Salomon Chiquiar-Rabinovich, an immigrant from Mexico, is an Equal Opportunity Specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was the Regional President of the Hispanic National Bar Association (“HNBA”) for New England (2007-08), and was appointed National Co-Chair of the HNBA International Law Section. He practiced law in the International Labor and Employment Group of the Boston office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP (2002-2009). Prior to relocating to Boston in 1998, Salomon practiced law in Puerto Rico at McConnell Valdes, and was Vice President of the International Division of McConnell Valdes Consulting. He served as Assistant Secretary of State of International Exchange and Technical Cooperation of the Government of Puerto Rico from 1993-95. Salomon is a graduate of Georgetown University: J.D., (1989), M.S.F.S., and B.S. F.S., (1985); Junior Fellow, Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (1988-1989).

Board of Directors

Elke Trilla-Perkuhn is a senior tax associate in the transaction tax group at Ernst & Young LLP’s Boston office. Before joining EY, Elke clerked for the Honorable Angela Ordonez and the Honorable Diana Maldonado. Elke has been an active member of the Latino community as a board member of the Hispanic National Bar Association, ALPFA Boston, ALPFA Law, City Year’s Young Ambassadors, and Big Sister Of Boston’s Young Professional committee. Elke is a graduate of Boston University and Suffolk University Law School.

Board of Directors

Janeth Moreno is admitted to practice law in Mexico and in the State of New York, she was born in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, she moved to Boston to continue with her legal studies where she completed a LL.M. program at Suffolk University Law School. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a member of the New York Bar Association, a member of the Boston Bar Association (BBA), member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, member of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys (MAHA) and a member of the United Nations Association New York Chapter (UNA). She is experienced in international law, human rights, and immigration law, with a strong interest in refugee protection, migration, global affairs, and gender equality. She participated as a delegate during the Commission on the status of Women 58^th session at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in March 2014. In April 2014, she obtained a certificate from the Worldview Institute at the United Nations Association in New York where she completed an executive program in International law and human rights.

She participated in the United Nations Global Affairs and refugees’ protection program held by the New York University at the Palais Des Nations in Geneva Switzerland in June 2015. In April 2015, Janeth Moreno was appointed under the program Legal Assistance for Mexican Nationals, as the Immigration Attorney of the Consulate General of Mexico in Boston. She is the founding and managing attorney at Moreno Law, Humanitarian and Immigration Law, a boutique law firm located in the heart of Boston’s legal and financial community. Moreno Law, provides professional advice and representation in matters related to business immigration, family based immigration and humanitarian reliefs.

Advisory Board Member

José P. Sierra is a Boston attorney who focuses his practice in the areas of white collar criminal defense, healthcare fraud and abuse, pharmaceutical and healthcare compliance, and business litigation. Mr. Sierra is well-versed in the areas of healthcare fraud and life science compliance and has advised healthcare and pharmaceutical industry executives, audit committees and corporate board directors on legal, employment, compliance and business strategies.

Mr. Sierra also represents clients under government investigation, litigates shareholder and business disputes, and counsels life science and healthcare companies, including providing due diligence advice in connection with corporate acquisitions.

Prior to returning to private practice, Mr. Sierra served as senior vice president and chief compliance officer for two pharmaceutical companies and established the companies’ compliance programs and departments. He also spent a dozen years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in New Jersey, investigating and trying numerous high-profile cases. His work there included the first successful prosecution in professional boxing in more than 40 years and which was featured in an A&E documentary, as well as two related racketeering and public corruptions trials for which he received the U.S. Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance.

Following law school, Mr. Sierra served as a judicial law clerk to the late Honorable Reynaldo G. Garza of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In addition, he taught White Collar Crime at Rutgers Law School, where he served as an adjunct law professor.

Mr. Sierra is a frequent speaker on corporate compliance, False Claims Act, whistleblowing and corporate investigations. He is the former blogger on Pharmarisc.com, which offered cutting-edge analysis on legal and compliance issues in the life science industries.

Mr. Sierra is fluent in Spanish, a skill he uses to assist clients from Spanish-speaking countries conducting business in the United States.

Board of Directors

Janeth Moreno is admitted to practice law in Mexico and in the State of New York, she was born in Mexicali, Baja California Mexico, she moved to Boston to continue with her legal studies where she completed a LL.M. program at Suffolk University Law School. She is a member of the American Bar Association (ASA), a member of the New York Bar Association, a member of the Boston Bar Association (BBA), member of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys (MAHA) and a member of the United Nations Association New York Chapter (UNA). She is the Founder and Executive Director of Educating Abroad an organization focused in promoting professional development in Latin America where she annually designs a Boston based program for international attorneys, students and academia interested in learning about the United States Legal System.

Janeth is experienced in international law with a strong interest in human rights, refugees, immigration, global affairs and gender equality. She participated as a delegate during the Commission on the status of Women 58^th session at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in March 2014. In April 2014 she obtained a certificate from the Worldview Institute at the United Nations Association in New York where she completed an executive program in International law and human rights. In April 2015 she was appointed by the General Consulate of Mexico in Boston as their Immigration Attorney under the program Legal Assistance for Mexican Nationals from the period of April 2015 through April 2018. Recently, she participated in the United Nations Global Affairs and refugees’ protection program held by the New York University at the Palais Des Nations in Geneva Switzerland in June 2015.She manages the Central American Minors Refugee and Parole Program at Catholic Charities where she assists parents living in the United States to bring their children as refugees/parolees into the United States. She currently works as an Of Counsel at Roach, Ioannidis & Megaloudis LLC where she focuses in immigration law.

Board of Directors

Andres is International Counsel at Andres Morales Jr. PC. He is a highly experienced lawyer who has practiced for more than twenty-five years, including service as international counsel for Dow Corning, Abbott Laboratories, Genzyme Corporation, and Biogen Idec. The focus of Andres practice and his life-long professional passion has been international corporate and transactional law, concentrating on issues that are common to most industries operating in foreign jurisdictions. For more than 25 years, his primary focus has been on Latin American issues, where his Spanish fluency and cultural perspective have afforded him credibility with local contacts and businesses and enabled him to be a practical, trusted advisor for U.S. headquartered organizations operating in Latin America. Not only has Andres practiced in Latin American jurisdictions and travelled there regularly, but he also has lived in Argentina, Panama, and Ecuador. Andres has also had the privilege of living and working as an international lawyer in Brussels for five years, responsibility for Asia Pacific issues for a four year stint on behalf of Genzyme (where he won the Alpine Award as the only lawyer to receive that award in company history), and responsibility for supporting Canadian operations for most of his +25 year career. He has a good working knowledge of Portuguese and French, which has facilitated his work on Brazilian and French issues.

Andres is specially equipped to provide timely, practical and seasoned judgment to U.S. organizations establishing operations in foreign jurisdictions or who are working through issues relating to general corporate matters, commercial agreements (e.g., distribution, supply, services, inter-company, non-disclosure, and consultancy agreements), regulatory and compliance issues (including FCPA), and labor and employment matters (e.g., employment contracts, employment terminations and guidance regarding union issues). Andres is able to work seamlessly with local counsel in foreign jurisdictions and has built up an extensive network of local counsel contacts whom he can call upon as necessary to ensure clients are receiving advice from local counsel best suited for the matter at issue in a particular jurisdiction. Andres is a graduate of Tufts University, Suffolk University School of Law, and Columbia University School of Law (LLM in International Law). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, a member of the Latin American Regional Counsel Group (Miami, FL), and a member of the New England Association of Corporate Counsel International Committee. Andres serves as special counsel to TCF Law Group, PLLC on an as-needed, subcontracted basis, and also has his own solo practice.

Advisory Board Member

Roland D. Hughes is a solo practitioner who focuses on personal injury, bankruptcy, and divorce cases, and is legal counsel for the League of United Latina American Citizens in Boston. Roland previously served as President of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys and the Everett Kiwanis Club. He is also active in the First Eastern Middlesex Bar Association, serving previously as President and on the Board of Directors. Roland is a graduate of Northeastern University and Massachusetts School of Law.

Advisory Board Member

Danilo Avalon was born in Colon, Panama and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He came to Boston over 20 years ago to attend Tufts University and Boston College Law School. Danilo is the founder of Avalon Law Offices, P.C. and his practice is centered in the areas of personal injury and employment matters. He serves a founding member of the Boston Children’s Hospital Trust – Milagros Para Niños Committee. This committee has raised in excess of 1 million dollars for a variety of Latino causes and supports the Boston Children’s Hospital Primary Care Center and the Martha Elliot Health Center in Jamaica Plain. Mr. Avalon is an elected Town Meeting Member, in the Town of Brookline. Danilo served for a decade on the Internal Review Board of the Latino Health Institute. He is passionate about education and finding ways to bridge the achievement gap amongst black and Latino children. Mr. Avalon has serves as a soccer and basketball coach for a variety of teams in his community.

Advisory Board Member

Robert W. (“Bob”) Harnais is a partner in the Law Offices of Mahoney & Harnais and has been practicing law for over 24 years. As an attorney in general practice, he handles a variety of criminal, civil litigation, and community development matters, and has been General Counsel of the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office for the past 17 years.  Bob is the current President of the Massachusetts Bar Association – the first Hispanic ever elected to this prestigious position in the over 100 year history of the organization.  Prior to taking the reins as President, Bob served in a variety of roles at the Mass Bar including Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Delegate, and Chair of the Mass Bar’s Diversity Task Force.

Bob has been a long-time supporter of the Hispanic community in Massachusetts and nationally.  He was a two-term President of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys (“MAHA”), and continues to serve on its Board of Directors.  Bob is currently a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s (“HNBA”) Nominations Committee, and previously served on the HNBA’s Judiciary Committee and as HNBA Region I President.  He sits on the Criminal Law Advisory Board at Roxbury Community College and Quincy College, has volunteered as a mentor for a number of inner city students over the years, and is the current Chairman of the Town of Braintree Planning Board.

Bob has been recognized on numerous occasions for his leadership and achievements including MAHA’s 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, the Quincy Bar Association’s 2014 Alfred E. Mullaney (“Man of the Year”) Award, and the Norfolk County Bar Association’s 2011 Pro-Bono Award.  Bob graduated from the New England School of Law evening program in 1989.  He and his family reside in Braintree.

Advisory Board Member

Jessica A. Massey is Associate General Counsel at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the world’s largest publicly traded employer.  As part of the Global Security, Aviation/Travel, and Ethics team, she conducts legally privileged, internal FCPA and financial integrity investigations, primarily in Latin America; additionally, she provides daily client support to Wal-Mart’s Global Ethics & Compliance Department.  Prior to joining Wal-Mart, Jessica was a criminal prosecutor for over eleven years.  At the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, she investigated, indicted, and tried a variety of fraud, corruption, and narcotics trafficking cases as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Bureau.  Before joining the AG’s Office, Jessica prosecuted a wide range of matters as an Assistant District Attorney at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston.  She has held numerous leadership positions in legal and civic organizations, and has been honored several times for her leadership and volunteerism.  Jessica received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and her B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross

Board of Directors

Bio coming soon..

Board of Directors

Bio coming soon..

President-Elect

Alexander is an attorney at Altman & Altman, LLP, where he’s an associate attorney to the former Vice Mayor of Cambridge, Dennis A. Benzan. His practice areas include both civil and criminal litigation. Prior to practicing law, he operated a number of start-ups in the legal-tech, HR, and entertainment industries. Alexander is an active member of MAHA’s board of directors, and has served as MAHA’s Treasurer, chair of the Young Lawyer Division, and as a volunteer coordinator for the Hispanic National Bar Association’s 2015 Annual Convention in Boston.

Alexander recently earned a Master’s degree in finance from Harvard University, where he served as a Vice President for the Harvard Graduate Council, Senior Editor for the Harvard Journal on Hispanic Policy, and Programming Director for the Harvard Latino Student Alliance. He earned a J.D. & M.B.A. from St. Thomas University, where he was a Director for the Dade County Bar Association, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Florida International University, where he served as the College of Business Representative for the Student Government Association. He was born and raised in a Cuban-American household in Miami, FL and is licensed to practice law in both Massachusetts & Florida.

President

Migdalia was raised in the Roxbury and Dorchester area of Boston and is the first in her family to pursue higher education. She graduated from Boston College with a degree in Political Science & Communications, and earned a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. Migdalia is currently a Trial Attorney for the Youth Advocacy Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services. She defends young people charged with delinquent/criminal charges and is assigned to the Roxbury office and handles the Boston area jurisdiction. Previously, she worked for 2 years as an Attorney for the South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. under the U.S. Department of Justice LAV (Legal Assistance for Victims) grant, representing low-income victims of domestic violence with family law cases and child custody/abuse cases.

Migdalia was also an Assistant District Attorney for Suffolk County for 7 years, and was assigned to the Boston Juvenile Court, handling cases involving youthful offenders in Superior Court, and delinquency cases in the Juvenile Court. Prior to BJC, she worked in the Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court. Migdalia was the 2011 recipient of the Brian J. Honan Award for Community Service and Courtroom Excellence at the Suffolk County D.A.’s Office, honored as Distinguished Alumni of English High School in 2011, received the Agent of Change Award for her commitment to youth by Mass Housing in 2011, and was a recipient of the District Attorney’s Role Model Award in 2012.

Immediate Past President

Ruth Deras was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and immigrated to the United States at the age of seven. She was raised in the city of Chelsea, Massachusetts. Ruth was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in June of 2010. Since being admitted to the Bar, Ruth has been working with the Law Office of Ralph Carabetta. She practices domestic relations law, family based immigration, and civil litigation. Ruth’s representative domestic relations cases include among other, contested and uncontested divorces, child custody, visitation, modifications, annulment, and prenuptial agreements. Ruth’s representative immigration cases include family based petitions, U-Visa, and relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as well as removal and deportation defense before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

In addition to being a legal practitioner, Ruth is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Boston Bar Association, Immigration Advocates Network, Co-Chair of the Latino-Jewish Roundtable, Massachusetts Bar Association, Co-Chair of the MBA Diversity Task Force, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, Suffolk University Alumni Association, and the Women’s Bar Association.