Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders consists of eleven members from across the country.

The Most Reverend José H. Gomez, S.T.D., San Antonio, Texas, Episcopal Moderator

Most Reverend Jose H. Gomez, STD., was installed Archbishop of San Antonio on February 15, 2005, at San Fernando Cathedral. Archbishop Gomez has previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver, since his ordination on March 26, 200l. He was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and is the son of Dr. Jose H. Gomez and Esperanza Velasco, both deceased.

Mario J. Paredes, New York City, Chairman

Mario J. Paredes is with the New York City based American Bible Society and serves as the presidential liaison for the United Nations Initiative on Roman Catholic Ministry and Hispanic Projects. He previously served as Director of Community Business Development for Merrill Lynch & Co. and has wide experience in the Church including having directed the operations of the Roman Catholic Bishops of the USA in the Northeast and served as Founder and Director of the Northeast Hispanic Catholic Center. He is a former White House appointee for Latin America under President Ronald Reagan. Currently, he serves as trustee for the Cathedral College, the Salvation Army, the Catholic Medical Mission Board, and the Musica de Cámara Board.

Manny Garcia-Tuñon, Miami, Florida

Manny Garcia-Tuñon is Vice President of Business Development for his family-owned business, Lemartec Engineering and Construction Corporation, headquartered in Miami, Florida. Lemartec is a design-build engineering and construction firm which specializes in high-velocity wind areas. Garcia-Tuñon helped create the Uniquely Lemartec Church Building Division which serves dioceses in hurricane and coastal areas. He is a nationally-published business inspirational writer and speaker and currently sits on the board of Pax Catholic Communications, and PAXNet - a global Catholic satellite radio ministry that is currently heard in 23 countries around the world.

Misael Guerra, San Antonio, Texas, Treasurer

Misael A. Guerra, MBA was born in Honduras and raised in the Bronx, New York City. He began his professional career as a U.S. Navy nuclear submariner and was commissioned as a naval officer in 1994. Misael has worked in the financial services industry with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and Lincoln Financial Group. Misael is co-founder of the Guerra Marshall Group specializing in Investments, Insurance and Retirement Planning for Hispanic and Latino Women. Misael is presently writing a book titled, “Dinero Matters”. He lives in San Antonio and is married to Lynette Tribolet.

Christine Alvarez, Esq., Denver, Colorado

Ms. Alvarez is an attorney and also manages a physician’s practice in Denver, Colorado.

José Ambrozic, Denver, Colorado

José Ambrozic is the Director of the Saint Malo Catholic Retreat, Conference and Spiritual Center near Denver, Colorado. He was born and educated in Lima, Peru where he was licensed in Business Administration from the University of Lima and holds a Masters Degree in Education from the Technological Institute of Monterrey. He has served in many capacities as a businessman, working at IBM and other firms. Ambrozic is a consecrated layman, since 1972, of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), a society of apostolic life in the Catholic Church, and has dedicated his life to the apostolate with young people, businessmen, politicians and scholars. He has devoted much of his time to the development of schools, technological and pedagogical institutes, and is Chairman of the Board of San Pablo Catholic University of Arequipa, Peru.

Carlos R. de Quesada

Mr. de Quesada is a Managing Director with O’Meara, Ferguson, Whelan, and Conway, a financial advisory firm for not-for-profit entities with a focus on Catholic Dioceses and religious orders. A 1987 graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Finance, he served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1988-1991. After his military service he earned an M.B.A. from George Washington University. He is a 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus, has been married for 17 years, and has two children ages 5 and 9.

Jean-Marie Diederichs, Houston,Texas

Jean-Marie Diederichs serves as General Manager of Prolamsa USA, a manufacturer of Steel Tubing and Metal Building Components.  He was born and educated in Paris, France, where he earned a degree in Business Administration.  He has been based in Houston, Texas since 1995.  Prior to joining Prolamsa, Mr. Diederichs held a variety of executive positions with companies in Europe and Mexico.  He sits on the boards of several associations and participated in developing the Youth Achievement Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt educational foundation which provides mentoring and educational support for students from underprivileged areas.

Tom Espinoza, Phoenix, Arizona

Tommy Espinoza  is President and CEO of Raza Development Fund, Inc. (RDF), the largest Latino Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in the U.S with total assets in excess of $100 million.  In 1999, Mr. Espinoza pioneered a faith base approach to community development, establishing RDF’s Partnership of Hope (POH) and the Hope Fund. Over the last ten years, under Mr. Espinoza’s leadership, RDF has served 125 organizations that have received over $135 million in community development loans, leveraging $681 million in private capital for projects serving low income individuals and families.

Prior to RDF, Mr. Espinoza led Chicanos Por La Causa, offering comprehensive community and business development services in Arizona’s four major cities.  As a prominent architect of Hispanic community and business development policy and programs he has dedicated his career to helping Hispanic families and individuals live in peace and dignity through the combined empowerment forces of educational opportunity and community/business development.  Mr. Espinoza is a native of Phoenix, Arizona.

Sergio Gutierrez, Denver, Colorado

Sergio Gutierrez is founder and President of Montero Holdings, LLC, a private investment and business management company in Denver, Colorado. He has held various executive level positions in business, most recently with Innovest Portfolio Solutions. Prior to joining the private sector, Mr. Gutierrez was Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Denver. He served in senior staff positions at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the White House Office of Management and Budget, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. During this time, Mr. Gutierrez also coordinated advance operations on domestic and international trips for the President. He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. He is a graduate of Mesa State College with a BA in Political Science. He and his wife live in the Denver area with their two young children.

Christine Johnson, Ph.D., Denver, Colorado

Dr. Johnson is a distinguished educator who has championed educational equity and excellence for all and has served in numerous roles in public and higher education and in the education policy arena. Her roles have included serving as urban middle school principal, high school principal, and urban community college president where she opened doors of opportunity for low-income and first generation students. Johnson’s personal mission has been to uplift humanity through education. She earned a B.S. degree in Secondary Education from New Mexico State University, a M.A. in Curriculum Management and Supervision, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from University of Colorado Boulder.