OUR COMMUNITY

Hispanic Business Roundtable

Twelve members, Twelve equal seats. One Table.

A trusted community of leaders creating opportunities for one another and for the communities we serve.

There is no head of a round table.

Carlos Medina

Founder & Convener

The idea behind the Hispanic Business Roundtable has always been bigger than another networking organization. It is about bringing good people together, building genuine relationships and using those relationships to create opportunities for one another and for our community.

That is also why we chose not to have a traditional chair. At a round table, there is no head and there are no lesser seats. As founder of Modesto, I serve as the convener, helping bring the right people and resources to the table. But once we sit down together, we sit as peers. Every member brings something of value, and every member should have a voice.

I may have convened the table, but I don’t sit at the head of it. There is no head of a round table.

THE INAUGURAL MEMBERS

Twelve perspectives. A shared purpose.

Meet the 12 inaugural members of the Hispanic Business Roundtable.

Alberto “Al” Rivas

Of Counsel
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

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Alejandro Fuenmayor Ferrer

Founder & CEO
CAVANY FOODS

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Andrés Acebo

Chancellor
Kean Jersey City

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Any Oliva Valera

Founder & CEO
A&R Media Group

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Carmen Gandulla

CFO & Treasurer
Invest Newark

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Diana C. Valencia

Founder & CEO
Valencia Media Group

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Hilda Mera

Co-Founder
S&A Auto Center

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Leonardo Ramos

First Vice President & CRA Officer
Provident Bank

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Ona Diaz-Santin

Owner & CEO
5 Salon & Spa

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Pablo Fonseca

Founder & Principal
Fonseca Consulting Group

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Rolando “Roly” Acosta

President & CEO
JAG Companies

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Tania Lopez

Director of Community Lending
OceanFirst Bank

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RELATIONSHIPS & SIX PILLARS

Relationships are the new currency.

A relationship-driven community built on trust, shared expertise and meaningful connections.

Access to Capital

Connections to funding and financial resources.

Business Growth & Leadership

Shared expertise for stronger businesses.

Visibility & Influence

Opportunities to share your story and expertise.

Trusted Advisors & Resources

Guidance from experienced professionals.

Peer-to-Peer Relationships

Collaboration built on trust and shared learning.

Opportunity & Economic Advancement

Partnerships that strengthen our communities.

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Alberto “Al” Rivas

Of Counsel
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

The Honorable Alberto “Al” Rivas, J.S.C. (Ret.), is Of Counsel at Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC, focusing on alternative dispute resolution, litigation, and white-collar defense. Appointed to the New Jersey Superior Court in 2010, he served in the civil, family, and criminal divisions in Middlesex County, including as presiding criminal judge and assignment judge. He oversaw court operations and supervised judges and more than 500 employees. Earlier, Judge Rivas spent 14 years as a litigation partner and nearly a decade as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, including as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. He also served as Perth Amboy’s Law Director and an adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School. A Princeton graduate, he earned his J.D. from Rutgers Law School.

Alejandro Fuenmayor Ferrer

Founder & CEO
CAVANY FOODS

Alejandro Fuenmayor Ferrer is a Venezuelan-born chef, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and community leader known for resilience and service. After arriving in the United States, he began as a dishwasher and rose to Executive Chef. Trained as an industrial engineer, Alejandro studied culinary arts in Argentina, worked a decade in Aruba, and continued his education at Le Cordon Bleu Los Angeles. He is Founder and CEO of CAVANY FOODS, an award-winning Jersey City culinary company focused on wellness, hospitality, and community impact. His honors include Business of the Year awards from the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey and New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commerce. His community work supports food programs, nonprofit partnerships, humanitarian relief, and entrepreneurship.

Andrés Acebo

Chancellor
Kean Jersey City

Andrés Acebo is Chancellor of Kean Jersey City and former 13th President of New Jersey City University. A first-generation son of Cuban exiles raised in Union City, New Jersey, he has dedicated his career to higher education and expanding opportunity. In January 2023, Andrés became the third Hispanic leader of a four-year public higher education institution in New Jersey and the youngest known person to lead a public university in the state. At NJCU, he helped guide the university through a major financial crisis and toward recovery, laying the groundwork for its historic July 2026 merger with Kean University. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School and was named New Jersey’s top higher education influencer by ROI-NJ in 2024.

Any Oliva Valera

Founder & CEO
A&R Media Group

Any Oliva Valera is a Mexican-born journalist and media entrepreneur with 30 years of experience amplifying Latino stories, leadership, culture, and business. As Founder and CEO of A&R Media Group, she leads a portfolio that includes Negocios Hispanos USA Magazine, México Latino Magazine, Ink-nnovation Design & Printing, and GI Gonzalez Photography. Any holds an MBA in Digital Marketing from Westfield Business School and an Executive Master in Exponential Transformation from EIG Business School in Madrid. She provides pro bono media support to cultural organizations and has assisted communities during natural disasters. Her environmental advocacy and eight years of altruistic journalism earned her the President’s Volunteer Service Award, presented through the White House and AmeriCorps.

Carmen Gandulla

CFO & Treasurer
Invest Newark

Carmen Gandulla is a public finance, economic and community development executive, consultant, advocate, and mentor committed to expanding opportunity and strengthening communities. She is Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Invest Newark, Chief Operating Officer of Carey & Co., and leads The C Company, advising nonprofit and mission-driven organizations. A Trenton native of Puerto Rican heritage and Rider University graduate, Carmen began her career in banking and finance. Her service includes the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, LUPE Fund, and New Jersey Puerto Rico Commission. Honored by the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey and National Community Development Association, she brings expertise in finance, housing, grants, strategy, governance, and leadership

Diana C. Valencia

Founder & CEO
Valencia Media Group

Diana C. Valencia is a growth strategist and business development executive with 20 years of experience building partnerships, expanding markets, and advancing multicultural marketing across media, sports, retail, and nonprofit sectors. She is Senior Director of Business Development for the ANA’s Cultural Leadership Alliance and Founder and CEO of Valencia Media Group. Diana led multicultural communications at Porter Novelli and held executive roles at Univision Interactive Media, helping build its mobile business. Her clients include Charter Communications, CONCACAF, La Liga, NASCAR International, and CAA Sports. A Colombian-American, she earned a B.A. and MBA in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and was named one of Hispanic Business Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Hispanics.

Hilda Mera

Co-Founder
S&A Auto Center

Hilda Mera is an entrepreneur, business leader, mentor, and advocate for Hispanic entrepreneurship and community empowerment. She is Co-Founder of S&A Auto Center, a certified minority- and women-owned automotive business serving New Jersey since 2013. Through mentorship and community engagement, Hilda helps entrepreneurs and small-business owners build confidence, knowledge, and connections to succeed, particularly within Hispanic and immigrant communities. She also founded Visión y Acción Media, a platform that amplifies voices, shares inspiring stories, and connects people with opportunities for personal, professional, and economic growth. Her leadership has earned recognition from Forbes, BINJE, the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, and other organizations.

Leonardo Ramos

First Vice President & CRA Officer
Provident Bank

Leonardo Ramos is a banking and community development executive with 26 years of experience in mortgage lending, retail and small-business banking, regulatory compliance, and community development. As First Vice President and CRA Officer at Provident Bank, he leads the Community Reinvestment Act program and initiatives expanding financial services, affordable housing, financial education, homeownership, and economic development in underserved communities. Leonardo has held senior leadership roles at financial institutions, building teams and advancing business growth, technology, regulatory oversight, and community partnerships. He holds an MBA from Rutgers University and a B.S. from Lee University and is committed to economic inclusion and opportunity for families and small businesses.

Ona Diaz-Santin

Owner & CEO
5 Salon & Spa

Ona Diaz-Santin, known as The Hair Saint, is a celebrity stylist and Owner and CEO of 5 Salon & Spa in Fort Lee, New Jersey, a women-owned, MBE-certified salon and spa. With more than 30 years of experience, she is a licensed cosmetology educator and recognized curl expert. Ona helped develop Bumble and bumble’s Bb.Curl curriculum and trained the original Miss Rizos team in the Dominican Republic. Her work spans HBO Max’s The Gordita Chronicles, The Walking Dead: Dead City, and the Soberanos Awards, and she has been featured in HOLA! USA, People en Español, Bloomberg News, PopSugar, and Refinery29. A first-generation American and fourth-generation beauty professional, she serves on the Maestro Cares Foundation committee board and hosts a monthly community Worship Night at 5 Salon & Spa.

Pablo Fonseca

Founder & Principal
Fonseca Consulting Group

Pablo Fonseca is a government and business strategist with 25 years of experience in government, politics, consulting, real estate, and community affairs. As Founder and Principal of Fonseca Consulting Group and Newark Strategy Group, he advises leaders on government affairs, strategic planning, land use, and commercial real estate. His senior roles include Business Administrator, Chief of Inspections, and Campaign Manager. Pablo was New Jersey’s first Latino Political Director for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and served as the first Chief of Staff to then-Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker. Born in Cuba and raised in New York, he earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from St. John’s University. He founded the Fonseca Foundation to expand community opportunity and social impact.

Rolando “Roly” Acosta

President & CEO
JAG Companies

Rolando “Roly” Acosta, Esq., is the second-generation President and CEO of JAG Companies, parent company of Northeast Remsco Construction, Caldwell Marine International, and Huxted Trenchless. Founded by his father, Juan Gutierrez, in 1978, the minority-owned companies deliver construction projects nationwide, specializing in underground utilities, treatment plants, microtunnels, horizontal directional drilling, and submarine power cables. Roly has served as Superintendent, Project Manager, Legal Counsel, and Executive Vice President, bringing field and executive experience to his leadership. He serves on industry, education, and nonprofit boards and mentors through NYC Small Business Services. A Princeton University graduate, he earned his law degree from Rutgers Law School–Newark.

Tania Lopez

Director of Community Lending
OceanFirst Bank

Tania Lopez is Director of Community Lending at OceanFirst Bank, where she advances financial empowerment, homeownership, small-business growth, and community development. Originally from the Dominican Republic, she came to the United States and became the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned an associate degree in Business Administration from Middlesex College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rider University. Tania serves on the boards of The Arc of Middlesex, Junior Achievement of Central Jersey, and Dress for Success Central New Jersey, and as Treasurer of the Puerto Rican Action Board. Guided by integrity, resilience, and compassion, she works to expand education, financial literacy, workforce development, and economic opportunity.