Maria Vizcarrondo-De Soto
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Maria Vizcarrondo-De Soto (born c. 1951) is the first woman and
Latina Latina or Latinas most often refers to: * Latinas, a demographic group in the United States * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America. *Latin Americans Latina and Latinas may also refer ...
to become the President and CEO of the
United Way United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public, prior to 2016. United Way organizations raise funds ...
of Essex and West Hudson.


Early years

Vizcarrondo-De Soto's family moved from
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
in the 1940s in search of better jobs. She received her primary education in the "Barrio" before her family moved to Newark,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. There she received her secondary education and graduated from high school with honors. Vizcarrondo-De Soto earned her bachelor's degree from Kean University and went on to earn her master's degree in Public Policy and Administration at
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. She continued her education by attending the
Harvard Kennedy School The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...
, where she received executive training. She then attended the Business School at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
. El Diario/La Prensa
In 1989, Vizcarrondo-De Soto was an alumna at the National Hispana Leadership Institute. She later became a fellow in the National Hispana Leadership Program and also in the International
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams (philanthropist), Georg ...
Leadership in
Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
, Switzerland.


ASPIRA

In 1980, Vizcarrondo-De Soto became the executive Director of ASPIRA, Inc of New Jersey. She was instrumental in the creation of chapters in different parts of New Jersey serving over 10,000 Latino youth. In 1990 she founded and directed until 1993 the Center for Hispanic, Research and Development at the
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The department is headed by Commissioner Sheila Oliver, who is also serving as lieutenant governor of New Jersey. Function The NJDCA prov ...
in
Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.Changing Minds in Mental Health


United Way of Essex and West Hudson

Vizcarrondo-De Soto renounced from her position in ASPIRA and joined United Way. On April 1, 1996, she became the first woman to be named president and CEO of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson. As president she established two programs which have received national recognition, "Project Leadership" and "Success".


Honors and recognition

Some of the honors and recognitions which she has received are: * 1999 - Featured on the October issue of Hispanic Magazine. * 2000 - Named one of the most influential persons in New Jersey. * 2003 - One of three people to be honored with the Maria DeCastro Blake Community Service Award by the New Jersey Hispanic and Research Center. * 2005 - Recipient of the Newark Now Spirit of Newark Awards - The Broker Award. * 2005 - Honored by '' El Diario/La Prensa'' as one of the most distinguished Latinas in 2005.


Later years

Vizcarrondo-De Soto is also an active member of various organizations. She serves on the Board of Trustees of
Bloomfield College Bloomfield College is a private college in Bloomfield, New Jersey. It is chartered by the State of New Jersey and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) through ...
where she is chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. She is also involved in the following: member of the Education Committee of the
New Jersey Performing Arts Center The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), in downtown Newark, New Jersey, United States, is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. Home to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO), more than nine million visitors ( ...
, board member of the New Newark Police Foundation, New Jersey's Institute for Social Justice and chair in the Essex County Human Service Advisory Council.The Center For Hispanic Policy, Research And Development Welcomes The Dime Savings Bank Of New York To Its Corporate Partnership Board
/ref> Vizcarrondo-De Soto is pursuing her postgraduate work in the area of public policy and during her free time enjoys diving, golfing and cooking Puerto Rican meals.


See also

* List of Puerto Ricans


Notes


References


External links


El Diario/La Prensa
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vizcarrondo-De Soto, Maria 1951 births Living people School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni Harvard Business School alumni Kean University alumni Businesspeople from Newark, New Jersey American people of Puerto Rican descent YMCA leaders