Hispanic/Latin Alumni Network
The mission for FSU Hispanic/Latin Alumni Network is to continue fostering the community created at Florida State for Hispanic/Latin Alumni. They aim to promote representation, encourage participation and assist graduating students to continue their commitment to FSU as alumni. The network strives to connect alumni, families, friends, and fans who are passionate about FSU and their Hispanic/Latin culture through ongoing events and programming.
Meet the Board
Ana Martinez, President
Ana Martinez was born in Lima, and grew up in a small town in the south of Peru. She moved to the U.S with her family in 2004. She lived in South Florida before moving to Tallahassee to attend Florida State University. Ana graduated in 2013 with her BS in Psychology and a minor in French. She continued with her education at FSU and earned her Master of Science and Education Specialist in Counseling and Human Systems in 2015.
During her time at FSU, she loved sharing her culture and heritage, leading her to be involved in the Peruvian Student Association (PerSA), serving as the secretary for two terms (2011-2013). She enjoyed participating in different HLSU events, with Relay for Life and Hispanic Heritage Month events being her favorite. She was also an active member in the Catholic Student Union, where she had several leadership roles, and directed retreats (Women's Retreat 2011 and Spring Retreat 2013). While completing her Master's, she was involved in the Florida State University Counselor Education Student Association and served as the Vice President (2014-15).
After graduation, Ana returned to South Florida and currently works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in her own practice and as Director of Programs for a non-profit. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends and her dog, traveling and watching soccer.
Art Schwartz-Restrepo, Vice President
Art Schwartz-Restrepo is a proud and passionate FSU alum (MS ‘15) living and working in NYC. He’s a Lead Content Strategist at American Express corporate and loves being a creative leader on their global digital acquisition team.
At FSU, Art studied, taught, and conducted research at the renowned Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication. His experience at FSU helped prepare him for dream corporate roles at Publix, Amazon/Audible, Walmart Labs and now Amex. He is forever grateful to FSU and looks forward to giving back.
Art loves to write and travel. He’s visited close to 50 countries and 40 US states but always prioritizes long visits to see his family in Cartagena, Colombia and in Florida.
Michael Meitin, Secretary
Michael Meitin was born and raised in Boulder, CO. He graduated from Florida State University in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in English. His father was born in Cuba and moved to Miami with his family following the revolution. Virtually all of Michael’s extended family lives in South or Central Florida.
During his time at FSU, Michael was active and held several offices in his fraternity. He regularly attended many different FSU sporting events.
Michael currently resides in Scottsdale, AZ, where he works as a Senior Administrator in the Arizona State University Athletic department. Through his role, he works on building affinity with the University community and supporting the next generation of student-athletes. He spends his free time hiking with his wife and two dogs. He also enjoys swimming, coaching, and volunteering at the local animal shelter.
Juan Valdes, Treasurer
Juan Valdes (B.S. '90) is a business professional with experience in corporate strategy and development. He is the chief financial officer at Delicato Family Wines, the nation’s 5th largest winery. Valdes has over 20 years of experience working with boards and advisory committees. As a member of several university business school dean’s councils, he also collaborates with university and local leadership to support the development of curriculum to equip students with the skills needed for success in business.
As a first-generation American, he grew up in a culturally diverse environment and is a native English and Spanish speaker. His career has allowed him to travel across Europe, Asia and the Americas, enhancing his cultural agility. He is a certified public accountant with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Florida State University and a Master of Science in Accountancy from Florida International University.
Desiree Santana, Director of Communications
As a skilled HR and talent professional with over 13 years of experience across various industries, Desi recently joined AssuredPartners as their first director of talent programs. She previously worked at Fortune 500 companies such as Chewy and Target. After establishing a strong and successful career as a key HR partner to stakeholders, the second half of her career has entailed building and implementing robust talent and communication programs to drive engagement and overall employee experience. On a personal note, Desi is a Florida native currently residing in Orlando, Florida, with her (honorary Nole) husband and two little future Noles.
Evelyn Lopez, Parliamentarian
Evelyn Lopez was born and raised in Miami, FL. She graduated from Florida State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a minor in Spanish. During her time at FSU, she was an active member of Beta Alpha Psi (accounting fraternity) and served as Vice-President of the Accounting Society from 2000-2001. After graduation, she returned to Miami and received her Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Miami. She then began her auditing career with Ernst & Young, conducting financial statement audits for clients in various industries. She then continued as a senior internal auditor for Assurant in the insurance industry. She is currently a senior audit manager for USAA, working remotely from Miami, responsible for managing broad functional projects, identifying opportunities and improvements to departmental processes, and applying subject-matter-expertise to support departmental initiatives. She served as a Mentor for Adelante, a USAA Hispanic Diversity and Inclusion Business Group 2021-2022. She is also an active member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), and was an IIA Miami Chapter Membership Committee volunteer from 2019 – 2021. In her spare time Evelyn loves spending time with her two sons (Paolo and Santiago), enjoys listening to audiobooks and practicing yoga!
Aurora González, South Florida Regional Chair
Aurora González was born and raised in Miami, FL to Cuban parents. She graduated from FSU with a Bachelor’s in International Affairs and Economics, and then with a Master’s in Applied American Politics and Policy. During her time at FSU, she was an active member of Pi Gamma Mu and the Catholic Student Union. While working towards her Master’s, she started working at the Florida Education Association, an organization whose goal is to be the united voice for public education in Florida. In addition to managing the organization’s digital communications platforms, she also works to amplify the voices of minority educators across the state. Aurora dedicates her spare time to perfecting Cuban recipes, spending time with her family and traveling to as many new places as possible.
Ibis Alcala, National Outreach Director
Ibis Alcala (B.S. ’13), a proud Miami native and the eldest daughter of Peruvian immigrants, has built a distinguished career in accounting, auditing and leadership. She earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical science from Florida State University in 2013 and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of West Florida in 2018. Her career includes key roles in Florida’s state government, including the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings and the Department of Financial Services, where she led various statewide initiatives. Now back in Miami, she is a senior auditor at Florida International University. Outside of work, Ibis treasures time with her family, friends and six beloved dogs. She enjoys traveling, dancing salsa and bachata, SCUBA diving, reading and cheering on the Peruvian national soccer team and FSU football.
Favenzio Calvo, North Florida Regional Chair
Favenzio Calvo (B.S. ’03, M.S. ’04) was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. He migrated to South Florida in 1991 at age 14 with his mom and three brothers. He lived in Miami for nearly a decade. After earning his Associate in Arts from Miami-Dade College, he moved to Tallahassee to attend Florida State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 2003 and a Master’s in 2004, both in library and information science. In Tallahassee, he found a peaceful city full of wonderful people. He met his wife at FSU while working at the College of Law. They have two boys who enjoy playing video games like their dad. Since 2012, he has served as the director of software development for FSU Libraries. In his free time, he enjoys yoga, meditation, volleyball and chess.
Shanelle Del Pino, North Florida Regional Chair and Social Media Chair