Latino Role Models is a FREE conference for Santa Cruz County students from grade 6 to college and their families. LRM features Latino professionals and college students. The conference is conducted in Spanish with English translation.

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO ATTEND

2026 Keynote Speaker – Dr. Adriana Ayala

Adriana Ayala, Ph.D is the Executive Director of the Chicana Latina Foundation (CLF), a Bay Area non-profit that promotes pathways for Latinas. Dr. Ayala has more than 20 years experience in higher education as both a professor and administrator. She taught students at community college and four-year university levels and was a trusted leader at several universities. Adriana is also a member of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS) where she served two terms as the national chair.

Dr. Ayala’s educational accomplishments are vast and include a Ph.D. and M.A. in History from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in History with a minor in Ethnic Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. Adriana’s research interests include Borderland history, Ethno-racial relations in the U.S., and Chicana/o history.

Adriana is committed to guiding the next generation of leaders and has mentored many young women helping them to find their voice and their place in the community