STAFF - HACER

MEET OUR TEAM

RODOLFO GUTIERREZ

Executive Director
rodolfo@hacer-mn.org | +1 (612) 207-7457

Rodolfo Gutierrez

Rodolfo Gutierrez is the Executive Director of HACER, where he has been serving since May 2007 with extensive professional experience in quantitative and qualitative research and evaluation. He has spoken in several forums and is greatly committed to working with those interested in drawing a state of Minnesota where disparities are eliminated, and are not based on ethnic or cultural differences anymore. Originally from Mexico, Rodolfo carries previous experience in research in Mexico and the U.S., which has been extremely useful while working with different and diverse communities, not only Latino. His formal education includes History (bachelor’s and PhD) and Demography (MS), with extensive experience in research on demographic change. He offers a strong background in quantitative and qualitative research with an emphasis on immigration, education, healthcare access, and cultural incorporation of diverse communities.

rodolfo@hacer-mn.org | +1 (612) 207-7457

CAROLINA DE LA ROSA MATEO

Director of Operations
carolina@hacer-mn.org | +1 (612) 427-2235

CAROLINA DE LA ROSA MATEO

Carolina is Dominican and moved to Minnesota in 2017 after having spent most of her life in Miami, FL. She earned a masters in public health from the University of Minnesota, in which she focused on community health promotion and evaluation. Carolina has a deep passion and commitment to anti-racism, health equity, Latine health, and disability advocacy. She is a graduate of the Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) through the American Evaluation Association and a co-founder of the Minnesota IBPOC in Evaluation Community of Praxis. She loves developing programs, learning from community members, and data visualization. She joined HACER as a Research Associate in September 2020.

carolina@hacer-mn.org | +1 (612) 427-2235

LAURA SCHULZ

Research and Evaluation Coordinator
laura@hacer-mn.org

LAURA SCHULZ

Minnesota local, Laura obtained her bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota and is finishing her Master of Public Health degree from St. Catherine University. Laura is involved in a community-based research project with an NGO in Tanzania as a graduate student, serves as a founding board member for an NGO in Maasai communities in Africa, and is particularly interested in healthcare justice and equitable reform. Laura joins HACER as a Program Evaluator, combining her love for evaluation methodology, community-based research, and Hispanic communities. Outside of work and school, Laura loves to hike with her dog, play piano, and travel.

laura@hacer-mn.org

MÓNICA YAÑEZ

Research Associate
monica.yanez@hacer-mn.org

MÓNICA YAÑEZ

Mónica Yañez is a Research Associate who started with HACER as an intern in the summer of 2022. She graduated from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology of Law, Criminology, & Deviance and Chicano & Latino Studies. Mónica is currently finishing her Master of Public Policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and is expected to graduate in May of 2023. Her interests are in serving the local Latine community through research and policy advocacy. In her free time, Mónica enjoys hiking, traveling, and trying new foods.

monica.yanez@hacer-mn.org

PATRICIA MUDOY

Research Associate
patricia@hacer-mn.org

PATRICIA MUDOY

Patricia comes to HACER with experience in Market Research & Project Management in products and services in the private sector. Patricia is originally from Venezuela and came to Minnesota, via Arizona. She has a passion for working with and serving the Latino community. She graduated with an Engineering degree, from Universidad Simón Bolívar in Caracas, then an MBA from Arizona State University. Her hobbies are reading, learning about her own and other cultures, places, and languages, and the outdoors! She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and her daughters.

patricia@hacer-mn.org

RODRIGO ESCOBAR

Research Associate
rodrigo.e@hacer-mn.org

RODRIGO ESCOBAR

Rodrigo is a Salvadoran who has lived in Minnesota for the past four years. In the Spring of 2022, he graduated from St. Olaf College with a major in Sociology/Anthropology with a concentration in International Relations. Prior to joining HACER, Rodrigo had the opportunity to collaborate with other Latine nonprofits, helping in program evaluation and research. From his background and experiences, he has discovered his passion for working with people to enrich his understanding of the world.

rodrigo.e@hacer-mn.org

JAZMIN BRIEST

Research Associate
jazmin@hacer-mn.org

JAZMIN BRIEST

Jazmin is a Colombian epidemiologist with more than 10 years of experience in Public Health, working in several countries in Europe and Latin America. She obtained her master’s degree in Quantitative Methods of Research in Epidemiology from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain. She also has a master’s degree in Health Administration from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.

After working for more than ten years as a dentist in her country, she moved to Spain in 2006, and was living in there for 7 years. During that period, she had the opportunity to work with the Spanish Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, helping the management and control of health crises, such as the cholera epidemic in the Dominican Republic and the AH1N1 in Spain. When she returned to Colombia in 2013, worked at the Colombian Ministry of Health, in the surveillance of events of public health interest as well as in the measurement and analysis of social inequities in health.

She moved to Rochester Minnesota in 2019, and currently holds the position of Research Associate at HACER. Her passion is working with multicultural communities and helping them to understand, manage, and solve their major health issues.

jazmin@hacer-mn.org

ERICKA LARA OVARES

Research Associate
ericka@hacer-mn.org

ERICKA LARA OVARES

Ericka grew up in San José, Costa Rica where she obtained her doctorate degree of Medicine and Surgery from the Universidad de Ciencias Médicas (UCIMED). After working as a primary care clinician in her country, Dr. Lara Ovares moved to Minnesota to work as a clinical researcher with the University of Minnesota and Hennepin County Medical Center. During that time, she worked on several projects that involved the Hispanic community and became aware of the challenges that this group faced to access affordable healthcare. This experience led her to pursue her master’s in public health policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, focusing on health insurance coverage models and international health policy. Ericka was the first graduate student from the UMN School of Public Health to be awarded the Interdisciplinary Center for Global Change (ICGC) Scholar Fellowship in 2017 and was later induced into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health for her academic performance and potential to contribute to the field. Dr. Lara Ovares’ passion for global health has led her to work with a wide variety of public health and advocacy organizations such as the World Health Organization, the American Journal of Public Health and the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, all of which have earned her experience in international health policy, social media strategies for public health, and government relations. In her free time, Ericka enjoys doing yoga, dancing salsa and trying every single brunch spot in the Twin Cities with her friends.

ericka@hacer-mn.org | +1 (651) 344-3537

ALEX JENSEN

Research Associate
alexandra@hacer-mn.org

ALEX JENSEN

Alex is a Research Associate who started at HACER in August of 2021. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas in 2019 with a double major in International Business and Spanish. Alex also did a year of volunteer service with the MN Opportunity Corps as an Opportunity Navigator with CLUES which influenced her decision to work with organizations that work towards institutional change. She is from Minnesota, but from ages 10-15 she lived in Arizona, near the Mexican border, which formed her connection with Mexican culture and inspired her passion to learn Spanish. Alex feels passionate about working with and supporting sustainable economic development within communities and groups that lack support and resources.

alexandra@hacer-mn.org | +1 (651) 401-0013

RODRIGO GUTIERREZ

Survey Specialist/Research Associate
rodrigo@hacer-mn.org

RODRIGO GUTIERREZ

In 2019 Rodrigo graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter Minnesota. He obtained bachelors of liberal arts with a double major in Latin American, Latinx, & Caribbean Studies and Mathematics. Rodrigo is an immigrant to the USA. When he was 2 years old he was brought from his birthplace of Tijuana Mexico to Minnesota by his parents who were looking to get their PHDs in the university of Minnesota. He grew up with a love of his Mexican heritage. Growing up in the USA with the papers of a Mexican immigrant led to a reflection on the American immigration system. He decided to serve his community of fellow Latinos and immigrants, especially those who lack the same opportunities he took for granted. He interned at the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs (MCLA) and at the Immigrant Call center at the Advocates for Human Rights. From 2019-2020 Rodrigo moved to Illinois to serve as an Americorps Vista or the immigration project as the community outreach coordinator. It was an amazing experience to meet and work with the Immigrant communities of Illinois. After ending his term in the immigration project Rodrigo continued to serve the Latino community but now returned to minnesota. Rodrigo works at the Latino Economic Development Center helping members of the Latino community in finding jobs and building business. Rodrigo has recently passed his citizenship interview and looks forward to working with and for his community, whether immigrant, latino or any other community he finds himself a part of.

rodrigo@hacer-mn.org

JACQUELINE PORTILLO

Administrative Assistant
jacqueline@hacer-mn.org

JACQUELINE PORTILLO

Jacqueline was born in California and at the age of eight, her family moved to the Twin Cities metro area where she now calls her home. Jacqueline has always enjoyed helping people, so she is very much enjoying her roles here at HACER as an Administrative Assistant, and as a Hotline Specialist in the Rochester COVID-19 hotline. She looks forward to helping HACER in their work with the Latine Community.

jacqueline@hacer-mn.org | +1 (651) 401-0011

BRENDA JAROSIEWICZ

Accounting and Office Specialist brenda@hacer-mn.org

BRENDA JAROSIEWICZ

Brenda was born and raised in Mexico, she graduated from the University of the Sate of Mexico (UNAM) in Toluca where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting. After graduating, she worked in Mexico in the automotive industry, she had the opportunity to do an international assignment in Germany as part of a training program. After moving to the USA, she worked as a Spanish teacher and volunteered in various nonprofit organizations.

More recently, she worked as an accountant in a nonprofit in Michigan, and after moving to Minnesota she wanted to be part of a company that makes a difference in the community. She is very excited to be part of the finance team at HACER.

brenda@hacer-mn.org

RUBEN GONZALEZ

Public Health General Coordinator
ruben@hacer-mn.org | +1 (612) 427-4561

RUBEN GONZALEZ

Ruben is a Mexican-American that was born in Oregon, US and raise in Durango, MX. After 20 years living in MX, He attended to Technological Institute of Durango, obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Industrial engineering in 2015, in 2020 with some experience in Public Relations and coordination positions in Mexico, he decides to move to the Twin cities and started working in the Consulate of Mexico in St Paul, MN. Supporting a lot of the Hispanic community for 2 years, after that now he is the current Health Program Coordinator at HACER covering all the Covid-19 situation around the state and he’s demonstrating his passion working for the community and their needs.

ruben@hacer-mn.org | +1 (612) 427-4561

ANGELES JUAREZ

COVID-19 Hotline Specialist
angeles@hacer-mn.org

ANGELES JUAREZ

With over 30 years of outpatient management, Angeles is an enthusiastic member of the HACER COVID-19 task force. Angeles holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mexico City and a Master of Arts in Organization Management from Concordia in Saint Paul. Her love of helping the Latino community and connecting people with resources inspires her work with the Hotline team.

angeles@hacer-mn.org

HANA BIBLIOWICZ

Public Health Coordinator
hana@hacer-mn.org

HANA BIBLIOWICZ

Hana Bibliowicz is a sculptor and community worker, born in Colombia, from Polish and Mexican Jewish parents. She grew up in a multicultural environment and at a convoluted time and place in Latin America. She obtained her Bachelor degree from Albany state University and her Masters in Sculpture from San Francisco State University. In her youth, she encountered anthropology, ceramics, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement and the anti-war movement, all of which colored her views. The impression left on her by those years are the root of who she is as an artist: they gave her social consciousness, a broad look at humanity and a fundamental understanding of sculpture as a portrait of culture. Hana has participated in many group shows and individual shows, both in Colombia and in various locations of the United States. Modeling clay to make cultural portrayals of society was the mode of operation in most of her three major installations: “Reconstruction XX’s Century”, “Sex-Text” and “Urban Dwellers’’, all massive works that entailed many tons of materials and the participation of many volunteers. Over the years, her work has transformed, by changing the artist’s role and the community work role, to that of a midwife. By designing projects that allow people and their culture to participate not as subjects or volunteers but as the co- creators of the work, activating the space of creation together.

hana@hacer-mn.org

ZADKIEL MOLINA

Digital Communications Manager
zadkiel@hacer-mn.org

ZADKIEL MOLINA

Zadkiel, hailing from Mexico City, holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media, and a master’s degree in Digital Communication from Universidad Camilo José Cela in Madrid, Spain. He began his professional journey in the production department at Televisa Mexico before collaborating with various marketing and audiovisual production agencies. Upon relocating to the United States, he joined RapidVisa/Boundless, a company specializing in immigration processes, serving as the Marketing Coordinator for Latin America in Las Vegas, Nevada. Currently, he holds the position of Digital Communications Manager at HACER. Zadkiel is driven by a passion for contributing to multicultural initiatives and addressing social issues in underserved communities.

zadkiel@hacer-mn.org

ESTRELLA RAMIREZ

Communications and Outreach Specialistestrella@hacer-mn.org

ESTRELLA RAMIREZ

Estrella was born in Mexico and raised in Minnesota since the age of 5. She graduated from Hamline University with a bachelor’s in Psychology in 2019 and has experience in digital design during her free time. She’s passionate about social justice issues such as holding police accountable, human rights, racial justice and more. She’s looking forward to working with HACER as a digital communications specialist.

estrella@hacer-mn.org

OSWALDO CABRERA

Outreach and Communications General Coordinator
oswaldo@hacer-mn.org

OSWALDO CABRERA

Oswaldo Cabrera is the Outreach and Communications General Coordinator of HACER. He was coordinator of Community Affairs, Education and Health Programs at the Mexican Consulate in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He has studies in International Relations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and has several courses taught by the Matias Romero Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico. He has worked in different consular areas such as the documentation department, consular protection programs and attention to Mexican communities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Northwest of Wisconsin. He has worked at the Mexican General Consulate in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Mexican General Consulate in Nogales, Arizona, at the departments of Protection for Mexicans, Consular Services, Cultural and Community Affairs.

oswaldo@hacer-mn.org | +1 (651) 315-67912

DEISY CAÑÓN

Southern Minnesota Regional Manager
deisy@hacer-mn.org

DEISY CAÑÓN LOVERA

Deisy Cañón Lovera is from Colombia, and she has been living in Mankato for the last eight years. She obtained their master’s degrees in Spanish, Gender and Women Studies, and Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her experience as a teacher and Graduate assistant from the Community and Partnerships office of Minnesota State University, Mankato has been training her to better support, advocate and empower the community. Deisy’s love for studying and developing research has moved her to join HACER. She wants to support research about health issues and access to basic needs in order to improve living conditions of the Latino Community in Minnesota.

deisy@hacer-mn.org | +1 (651) 390-0730

HACER strives to provide opportunity for experience in research and nonprofit work by having an internship program for young adults seeking experience in positions such as research assistants, project coordinators, marketing/communications, event planning, and web/graphic design. Having interns allows us to have a constant flux of new ideas and perspectives, which keeps our research methods and analysis as dynamic and up to date as possible.

If you’re interested in interning for HACER, Click Here.

MEET OUR TEAM

RODOLFO GUTIERREZ

CAROLINA DE LA ROSA MATEO

LAURA SCHULZ

MÓNICA YAÑEZ

PATRICIA MUDOY

RODRIGO ESCOBAR

JAZMIN BRIEST

ERICKA LARA OVARES

ALEX JENSEN

RODRIGO GUTIERREZ

JACQUELINE PORTILLO

BRENDA JAROSIEWICZ

RUBEN GONZALEZ

ANGELES JUAREZ

HANA BIBLIOWICZ

ZADKIEL MOLINA

ESTRELLA RAMIREZ

OSWALDO CABRERA

DEISY CAÑÓN

NEWSLETTER

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