FAHF Team Members
As an international student at California State University, Fresno, she was given the opportunity to work for a year in the United States. She worked at Bank of America for 6 months. After that, she was hired by the Mexican Consulate in Fresno as the executive assistant to the Consul of Mexico, where she worked for four years. In 2002, she accepted the position of president and CEO for the Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and in 2004 led the creation of the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation.
Dora Westerlund,
CEO & President
Yery Olivares was born in Colima, Mexico and raised in Kerman, California. Yery studied at California State University, Fresno and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. She has assisted with the award of over $2 million in microloans and has directly assisted over 500 small business entrepreneurs. Yery is grateful for the diversity of this community and the great opportunities individuals have to succeed and become self-sufficient.
Yery Olivares,
Chief Operating Officer
Sandra received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with the option of Marketing from CSU, Fresno. While completing her degree she was President of the Hispanic Business Student Association. Sandra currently leads the Membership and Educational Workshops Program at the organization. She is responsible for developing new partnerships with small businesses, members and community partners to promote the programs and services offered at FAHF.
Sandra Vidrio,
Director of Women's Business Center
David Preciado is from Baja California, Mexico and has a degree in law from the Autonomous University of Baja California; a Masters in Citizen Participation from the Francisco de Vitória University, Madrid, Spain and a PhD candidate from the Complutense University of Madrid in the Public Administration Program. He has served as General Director, Coordinator of Advisors, and Chief of Staff among other positions in the Mexican federal government. He also has extensive experience in Mexican foreign diplomatic service, including serving in the Mexican Embassy in Washington D.C., and in the Mexican consulates of Houston, Texas, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Fresno, California. He is currently the Director of Export and Import with U.S., Mexico, and Canada and assists small businesses in the Central Valley with the legal and technical assistance to commercialize their products and services.
David Preciado,
Community Service Manager
Yurubi Ramirez is currently the Director of Corporate Relations at FAHF. Under the direction of the COO, she develops, coordinates, and implements multi-facet grant programs to assist small businesses throughout the San Joaquin Valley. She actively collaborates in the augmentation of the CDFI's new Consumer Loan Program. In addition, she oversees monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports, tracking key performance indicators for the organization. Yurubi has a background in Office Administration working for St. Therese Parish and Rescue the Children, a social services nonprofit. Furthermore, she recently received her A.S. in Paralegal Studies at FCC and Notary Certification. Yurubi's motto is found in Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord."
Yurubi Ramirez,
Director of Corporate Relations
Rocio Bibian is one of our Technical Assistance Providers. She received an AS at Fresno City College and transferred to CSU where she is majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis on Accountancy. She will be graduating in the fall of 2023. She is from Union de Tula, Jalisco Mexico, and has a genuine passion for helping her community. She assists Neli and Sandra as part of the Woman Business Center and dedicates much of her time to ongoing programs such as Womanpreneur/Latinapreneur.
Rocio Bibian
Technical Assistance Provider
Efrain graduated with his Bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. He worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for 2 years. He later went on to work a total of 13 years as Credit Analyst and a Commercial Loan Officer for Valley Small Business Development Corporation. Efrain will be completing his first year here at the foundation in July 2022 as a Business Loan Officer. He oversees the lending aspects of CDFI and manages loan risk by underwriting all consumer and business loans. We’ve been lucky to have him as a leader here at the foundation.
Efrain Cruz,
Business Loan Officer
Neli Zarco is one of our Technical Assistance Providers. She was born and raised in Fresno, California. Neli has been actively working on the Womanpreneur/Latinapreneur program. This program is based on helping women entrepreneurs start up their business. She assists them on everything they need to know when it comes to strategic business planning all the way down to the marketing aspect of their business.
Neli Zarco,
Business Consultant
Blong Lee has over 20 years of experience in business management, economic development and finance. He was Regional Director of Digital Transformation Services for mFino, Inc., a fintech company based in Cupertino, CA. Prior to joining mFino, Blong served as the California Program Officer for Feed The Hunger Foundation based in San Francisco. He was the Manager of Access Plus Capital—formerly the Fresno Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) from 1998-2015, and Director of Economic Development for Valley Small Business Development Corporation (VSBDC), also a Fresno based CDFI, from 2015-2016. During his stints with the Fresno based CDFIs, Blong worked on raising capital and led special initiatives to support community and economic development projects. His other roles and responsibilities included leading training and/or development services for staff of the organizations and their business clients; and managing deal flows, underwriting, credit analysis, and loan portfolio management. Blong currently serves as Secretary and Treasurer for the Fresno Food Commons Trust and was the CFO of its subsidiary, the Food Commons Fresno Community Corporation. He graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with a degree in Economics.
Blong Lee,
Loan Consultant
Berenice graduated from CSU Fresno with a bachelor's degree in Media Communications and Journalism with a Public Relations option. Berenice worked in the marketing department at the California Teaching Fellows Foundation as an intern during her time at Fresno State. She has also been a social media manager for a few small businesses in Fresno for the past 3 years. Berenice is in charge of the marketing operations for the foundation. She works closely with each department to be able to communicate the programs and values of the foundation with our community, partners, and members. Being hispanic herself, she looks forward to giving back to her community by bridging the gap between information and resources with those who need it.
Berenice Zuniga,
Marketing Coordinator
Meet Alexa Maldonado, a talented and driven Business Consultant at the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation's Woman Business Center. She has a passion for helping businesses succeed. Alexa graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fresno State with a Bachelor's degree in Communication and has since honed her skills in marketing, project management, and business development.
With her combination of education, experience, and passion for helping others, Alexa is a valuable asset to the FAHF team. Whether working with startups or established businesses, Alexa is dedicated to helping her clients achieve their goals and succeed.
Alexa Maldonado,
Business Consultant
Meet Manuel Flores, a driven and experienced professional with a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California in Tijuana, Mexico. With over 12 years of experience in customer service, sales, and strategic planning, Manuel has a wealth of knowledge and skills to bring to any team.
Previously, Manuel worked at the Mexican Consulate in Fresno for 8 years, where he held several roles in departments such as Community Outreach, Protection and Legal Affairs. This experience has given Manuel a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of different communities, and a passion for helping others.
Today, Manuel is the coordinator for the Confia Rural program, which focuses on reaching out to rural communities and providing them with resources for businesses and financial education. In this role, Manuel is responsible for ensuring that the program is running smoothly and that the communities it serves are receiving the support they need to thrive.
In addition to his work with Confia Rural, Manuel is also in-charge of Consumer lending. This experience gives Manuel a comprehensive understanding of finance and lending, and the ability to help consumers navigate the complex world of loans and credit.
Overall, Manuel is a valuable addition to any team. With his combination of education, experience, and passion for helping others, he is a true asset to any organization.
Manuel Flores,
Confia Program Coordinator
Jazmin Aguilar Rangel is a first-generation college student who graduated from UC Berkeley in May 2022. She obtained a B.A. in Global Studies with a concentration in Peace and Conflict and a regional focus in the Americas and minored in Public Policy. Formerly, Jazmin completed her International Baccalaureate Diploma at the United World College-USA. She grew up in Michoacán, México, and moved to the U.S. at the age of 12 along with her family in search of new opportunities. Her background of living in these two countries sparked her interest in studying the México and U.S. bilateral economic and political relationship.
Through her role, Jazmin has secured over $3.6 million in federal funds and assists with advocacy efforts and program growth at the Foundation. Overall, Jazmin has strengthened her passion for advocacy and economic and social development throughout her academic and professional experiences.
Jazmin Aguilar,
Development Specialist
Clarissa Vivian,
Women's business center /
Program director
Jasmin Mejia,
Office Manager
