Connect and Celebrate Latino Contributions and Influence
CHCI has organized several unique events to help attendees make new connections, build beneficial partnerships, and continue discussing ideas and actions presented during plenary and summit sessions.
Conference Lunch Sessions
As you enjoy lunch and get to know new colleagues, CHCI will feature thought-provoking speakers on these topics.
Monday, September 11 | 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
A Discussion with Mayors: Cities and the Quest for Equity in America
This discussion will focus on the role of cities as key drivers in the quest for equity in our society. Cities have long been staging areas for upward mobility, but could contribute even more if approached with intentionality and strategy. In an era in which the traditional Federal mission of addressing inequality is stalled and states are impeded by budget realities, it falls to local governments to address these important subjects. Cities are at the epicenter of so many dimensions of inequality issues: demographic changes, the new economy, education and training, spatial patterns, race and immigration, and concentrated poverty. What are current best practices in cities for promoting these objectives and what are future prospect for progress?
Moderator:
– The Honorable Henry Cisneros, Founder & Chairman, CityView; Chairman of the Executive Committee & Principal, Siebert Cisneros Shank; Former U.S. HUD Secretary and former Mayor of San Antonio, TX
Panelists:
– The Honorable Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, TX
Location: Atrium Hall
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, September 12 | 12:15 p.m. until 1:45 p.m.
Latino Influence in the Sports Industry Luncheon
The recent World Baseball Classic (WBC) brought to the mainstream an important fact about American sports: Latinos are influencing the business and culture of sports in many ways—as athletes who exhibit their culture proudly, passionate fans who drive television ratings, merchandise and ticket sales, and entrepreneurs who are seeking opportunities in the lucrative industry. Learn more about how Latinos continue to shape the sports industry during this lively luncheon.
Session Chair: Congressman Adriano Espalliat
Moderator:
– Jorge Castillo, Washington Post Baseball Reporter
Panelists:
– Eduardo Perez, ESPN
– Rodrigo Fernández, Managing Director of MLB Mexico Office
Location: Atrium Hall
Hosted by:
Sponsored by:
Wednesday, September 13 | 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Leadership Awards Luncheon (By invitation only)
Join us as we recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Latino leaders. CHCI will honor CHCI Board of Director Rudy Beserra, Vice President for Latin Affairs at Coca Cola, with the CHCI Pioneer Award and honor Susan I. Santana, Assistant Vice President, Federal Relations for AT&T with the 2017 Medallion of Excellence for a Distinguished Alumnus.
Speakers:
– Congressman Joaquin Castro, Chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
– Keith McCoy, ExxonMobil, Senior Director, Federal Relations
– Adrian Molina, Co-Director of “Coco”, The Walt Disney Company
– Amilcar Guzman, National President, CHCI Alumni Association
Honorees:
– Rudy Beserra, Vice President for Latin Affairs, The Coca-Cola Corporation
– Susan I. Santana, Assistant Vice President, Federal Relations, AT&T
Location: Independence Ballroom A-D, Marriott Marquis
Hosted by:
Sponsored by:
Networking Events
Monday, September 11 | 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Arts & Culture Reception
The Arts & Culture Reception serves as the cultural kick-off to a month-long, national celebration of the richness and diversity of our heritage. Join us in the Pavilion for our premier networking event that showcases and celebrates the societal contributions in art, cuisine, and music that the Hispanic community has made. This reception will also honor the brave men and women of the military, first responders, and veterans who have served and continue to serve our country.
Session Chair: Congressman Joaquin Castro
Speakers:
– Daniel Alegre, Google Inc., President, Strategic Partnerships, President, Retail and Shopping
– Daphine Moore, Communications Director, Walton Family Foundation
Entertainment
– Blue Agave
Location: Pavilion
Hosted by:
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, September 12 | 11:15 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
How to Run for Office–and Win (special RSVP required)
Presented by CHCI Alumni Association and Solidarity Strategies
The CHCI Alumni Association, in partnership with political consulting firm Solidarity Strategies, will present a two-part training for civically-minded Latino professionals interested in running for political office. This session will present key strategies and examine the finer nuances of effective campaign management from experts in advocacy, fundraising, and communications. Participants will then hear directly from current and former elected officials, who will share best practices, lessons learned and what it takes to win.
Trainer: Chuck Rocha, President and Founder, Solidarity Strategies
Welcome Remarks:
– Amilcar Guzman, National President, CHCI Alumni Association
Opening Remarks:
– Congressman Jimmy Gomez
Panelists:
– Michael Anthony Vargas, CHCI Alumnus
– Vanessa Cardenas, Director of Strategic Communications, Emily’s List
– Miguel Solis, President, Latino Center for Leadership Development
Location: International Gateway
Presented by: CHCI Alumni Association and Solidarity Strategies
Session Strategic Partners:
– All In Together Campaign
– Latino Victory
– New Leaders Council
– People For the American Way
– Run For Something
Sponsored by:
Tuesday, September 12 | 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
CHCI Alumni Association 2017 Reception Honoring Chiefs of Staff (By invitation only)
This special event will recognize outstanding Chiefs of Staff for their leadership and commitment to CHCI’s programs. These individuals play an important role as advocates for diversity on the Hill and work hard to ensure our interns and fellows have a great experience during their placements. It’s also a chance for our alumni to re-connect and share their professional and personal successes with each other and CHCI.
Emcee: Amilcar Guzman, National President, CHCI Alumni Association
Members of Congress
– Senator Cory Booker
– Congressman Raul Grijalva
– Congresswoman Michelle Lujan
Sponsor Remarks:
– Juan Otero, Vice President of Federal Affairs, Comcast, CHCI Board of Directors and CHCI Alumnus
– Janis Bowdler, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Honorees:
– Amy C. Emerick, Chief of Staff, Office of Rep. Raúl Grijalva
– Dominic Gabello, Chief of Staff, Office of Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham
– Matthew Klapper, Chief of Staff, Office Sen. Cory Booker
Location: Pavilion
Sponsored by:


Tuesday, September 12 | 7:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m
An Evening with Women Trailblazers
An Evening with Women Trailblazers will bring together the unique perspectives of several female trailblazers from diverse backgrounds who will share their insights, challenges, and life lessons. This conversation will illustrate the power of dreaming big, the importance of maintaining focus and resilience, and the joy of achieving goals and motivating others. Join us in the Amphitheater for this powerful dialogue that will resonate with every guest. This event will also be live-streamed for millions more to enjoy.
Opening Remarks:
– Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto, U.S. Senator for Nevada
– Congressional Women Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01)
Moderated by:
– Nely Galán, founder of the Adelante Movement and author of Self-Made, Becoming Empowered, Self-Reliant and Rich in Every Way
Panelists:
– Ms. Bob Bland, National Co-President, Women’s March on Washington & CEO and Founder, Manufacture New York
– Ms. Carmen Perez, National Co-Chair, Women’s March on Washington & Executive Director, The Gathering for Justice
– Ms. Tamika Mallory, National Co-Chair, Women’s March on Washington & Founder, Mallory Consulting
– Cynthia Hogan, Vice President for Public Policy for the Americas, Apple
– Susan Jin Davis, Chief Sustainability Officer, Comcast Corporation
– Marie R. Sylla-Dixon, Vice President of Federal Government and External Affairs, T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Location: Amphitheater
Hosted by:
Sponsored by:
Wednesday, September 13 | 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
CHCI 40th Anniversary Awards Gala Chair’s Private Reception | 5:00 p.m. until 6:15 p.m.
Location: Independence Ballroom A-D, Marriott Marquis
Reception Host:
CHCI 40th Anniversary Awards Gala General Reception | 5:00 p.m. until 6:15 p.m.
CHCI’s Awards Gala General Reception is the perfect opportunity to meet up with friends and colleagues as you prepare to honor and recognize Latino achievements and commemorate CHCI’s 40th anniversary. Entrance to the Awards Gala General Reception is included with your gala ticket.
Location: Atrium Mezzanine Level, Marriott Marquis
CHCI 40th Anniversary Awards Gala | 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Join us as we celebrate achievement and commemorate four decades of empowering Latinos to lead in every sector of American life. Our Awards Gala is the largest and most prestigious gathering of Hispanic nonpartisan, public and private sector leaders and supporters in the nation. For one special evening, these individuals gather to honor the tremendous accomplishments of the Latino community. CHCI’s Awards Gala is the perfect ending to our Hispanic Heritage Month events and an incredible kick-off for the national observation of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on September 15.
This year, CHCI will be celebrating its 40th anniversary during the Awards Ceremony. As we recognize this milestone, we will highlight Hispanic culture and heroes with live entertainment and the Medallion of Excellence Honorees and the 2017 Chair’s Award Honoree.
Location: Marriott Ballroom, Marriott Marquis
Hosted by:
CHCI 40th Anniversary Awards Gala Entertainment Finale (Open to all Gala guest) | 8:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Showcasing Special Guest: Paulina Rubio
Multi-talented singing sensation takes center stage for a private performance.
Singer, record producer, presenter, actress, model and Mexican businesswoman, Paulina began her musical career as a member of the Timbiriche group in 1981, from which she separated in 1991 after having recorded ten studio albums.
In the 1990s, she prepared her solo career and signed a contract with EMI, with whom she released four studio albums that proved to have considerable success in the Mexican territory. The Golden Girl, Paulina’s debut album, sold one million units after several re-releases over the years in countries like Mexico, the United States and Spain.
In 2000, Rubio signed with Universal Music Group. She then released Paulina (2000), which sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide a year after its publication and helped Paulina gain considerable recognition in Europe and Asia as well as North and South America. Today, Paulina has sold over 1.3 million copies.
After Paulina’s success, she released her sixth studio album (the second under Universal) and the first English-language album, Border Girl (2002), which went Gold in the U.S. In 2004 and in 2006 she released her next studio albums, Pau-Latina and Ananda, respectively, which consolidated her among the most important artists in the Latin American region. In 2009 Paulina released Gran City Pop and in 2011 she published Brava!
Paulina Rubio has sold more than 8 million albums, which makes her one of the most successful Spanish speaking artists in history. Various media outlets such as Univision and Terra Networks have included her among the most influential Latin celebrities.
Paulina has been a host/judge on numerous international TV shows including the X Factor, The Voice and most recently La Apuesta with Televisa. She has experience in modeling and acting and is positioned as the most followed Mexican celebrity on twitter with more than 10 million followers.
Location: Marriott Ballroom, Marriott Marquis
Sponsored by:
Post-Gala Celebration (Open to all Gala guests) | 10:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.
CHCI’s Post-Gala Celebration will take place in the Independence Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis. Entrance to the Post-Gala Celebration is included in your gala ticket.
Location: Independence Ballroom, Marriott Marquis
Dignitary Private VIP After Party (By invitation only) | 10:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.