Founder & President

Zenaida Mendez

Zenaida earned a BA in Government and Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Masters's degree in Public Administration from the City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Affairs. Her selfless activism and leadership have earned her recognition from local, national and international organizations. 

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In 1991, Zenaida founded the Dominican Women’s Caucus (DWC)  in NYC  to ensure the equitable participation of Dominican Women and Latinas in general in NYC Civil society.  In March 2000 she expanded the DWC to a National Platform National Dominican Women’s Caucus (NDWC): The National Dominican Women's Caucus is a non-partisan feminist organization that unites activists, scholars, and advocates in the pursuit of a vision of an inclusive and effective democracy. As a result, the NDWC promotes reforms that are inclusive to all New Yorkers and motivates the participation of all in civil society.

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Zenaida has over 30 years of experience working on issues affecting women, and African descendant people. She has also spoken about the role of the media in perpetuating violence against women and fueling negative stereotypes, electoral politics, and parenting and immigration issues. In 2001, Mendez was one of the Women of Color Resource Center’s Delegates to the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances in Durban, South Africa. 

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Ms. Mendez, a social justice activist, served for several years as Director of Racial Diversity Programs at the National Organization for Women (NOW) National Office in Washington DC. Mendez was one the organizers of the 2004 National March for Women’s Lives that took place in Washington, DC. An avid voice for tolerance, during her tenure as Director of Racial Diversity Programs at the National Organization for Women (NOW), she successfully spearheaded a diversity and inclusion training program, a woman of color and allies summit, and the campaign to end the femicide of the women of Juarez and Chihuahua, Mexico among other initiatives. 

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Ms. Mendez recently retired from the esteemed position of Director of Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) El Barrio Firehouse Community Media Center, and is author or the book "Love and heartbreak of the diaspora".

Vice President

Auretnisse Santos

Auretnisse Santos, MSW, is. currrently the Program Manager at Comunilife’s Life Is Precious Queens site, where she leads culturally responsive suicide-prevention and mental-health programming for Latina adolescents. A proud first-generation Dominican American born in Washington Heights and raised in the Bronx, Auretnisse was deeply influenced by her mother’s activism for women’s rights, Latino empowerment, and children’s welfare. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baruch College, with minors in Women’s Studies and Nonprofit Management, and a Master of Social Work specializing in Gerontology, Long-Term Care Administration, Policy, and Regulation. Her multidisciplinary work spans program leadership, mental-health advocacy, life-skills coaching, community organizing, workshop development, and community-based programming. At age 15, she became the youngest member of the National Organization for Women’s NOW) Young Feminist Task Force, beginning a lifelong commitment to gender equity. She currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors and Mental Health Committee Chair for the National Dominican Women’s Caucus. Across her work with youth, families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, Auretnisse remains committed to creating stronger, more equitable systems—firmly believing that “until all women around the world are free, no woman is free.”

Executive Member

Carla Franchesca

Carla Franchesca Robles is a Dominican filmmaker, educator, and community media advocate whose work centers on documentary storytelling, culture, and community. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Film from The City College of New York. Her work spans documentary and short narrative filmmaking, with experience as a director, assistant director, and editor. Her films have been screened at festivals and film events including the New York Latino Film Festival, Dominican Film Festival in New York, Festival de Cine Global Santo Domingo, and the American Pavilion at Cannes.

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Carla spent several years at Manhattan Neighborhood Network’s El Barrio Firehouse, where she facilitated community productions and taught media workshops, supporting emerging filmmakers and community members in developing their voices through storytelling. In 2022, she received a Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media for a voter education program.

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She was selected for the PBS Creative Voices Ignite Fellowship, receiving mentorship and professional development in documentary filmmaking. She has also taught documentary filmmaking with the Educational Video Center and currently teaches Video Production to multilingual high school students. In 2026, Carla received an LMCC Manhattan Arts Grant supporting a community-centered screening and conversation focused on street vendors and small business owners.

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Carla serves on the Board of the National Dominican Women’s Caucus and is a member of New York Women in Film & Television. She is also the proud mother of four children.

Executive Member

Damarys Vazquez

Damarys Vazquez is a seasoned legal professional, entrepreneur, and proud native New Yorker of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. With over a decade of experience in litigation support and administrative law, Damarys has built a reputation for her tenacity, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to client advocacy. She is the founder and owner of Vazquez Consulting Group, LLC., a legal support services company providing comprehensive assistance to attorneys, law firms, and individuals across New York. In her role as a Trial Paralegal at DeSimone & Associates, LLC, Damarys has managed complex litigation from initial filings through judgment collection, while also assisting in deposition prep, trial strategy, and legal research. Expanding her impact beyond the legal field, Damarys also serves as an Associate Consultant with Bridge Philanthropic Consulting, the nation’s largest African American-owned fundraising and philanthropic strategy firm. Her expertise extends to representing clients in administrative hearings before the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission and navigating licensing and compliance matters. Damarys holds certifications as a New York State Notary Public and Real Estate Salesperson. A proud John Jay College of Criminal Justice alumna, Damarys brings a unique blend of legal insight, entrepreneurial drive, and cultural pride to her work — championing justice, equity, and empowerment in every space she enters.

Executive Member

Virginia Lazala

Virginia Lazala is a retired life sciences company executive. In her last role, she served as Vice
President and Legal Head for the LACan (Latin America and Canada) Region and for Human
Resources for the global oncology business unit within Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
(NPC). Ms. Lazala was with the Novartis group of companies since February 2000 having joined the company from Hudson United Bank where she was Senior Vice President and Bank Counsel. At Novartis, she held various positions of increasing responsibility. From 2002-2005,
Ms. Lazala served as General Counsel for Novartis Animal Health, Inc. in Greensboro, NC. She returned to her home base in New Jersey in 2005 and progressed through NPC until retiring
from the Company in January 2022.

Ms. Lazala earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science from Wellesley
College and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Lazala returned to her childhood residence of the Bronx, NY to give back to her
community as a prosecutor in the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.

Ms. Lazala immigrated to the Bronx from her native Dominican Republic at a young age to join
her single mom to fulfill their American dream. Ms. Lazala earned a scholarship for A Better
Chance, Inc. to attend a prestigious private school in New York City for high school. Ms. Lazala believes in paying it forward. She has served on various non-profit boards and mentored many mentor students and professionals. Ms. Lazala has been featured magazines including the Hispanic Executive November/December 2016 issue for her role as a mentor.

Since retiring, Ms. Lazala has continued to mentor students and professionals helping guide
them in their educational and career choices. For example, Ms. Lazala served as a Leadership
Coach in the Braven Accelerator program at Lehman College. Braven empowers promising,
underrepresented young people - first generation college students, students from varied economic backgrounds and students of color - by enhancing the skills, confidence, experience, and networks needed to transition from college to strong first jobs.

Ms. Lazala currently lives in Smyrna, Georgia with her husband, David Southers, with her two
grown children residing nearby.