Sociedad Latina Board of Directors 

Marta Rivera, President

A Mission Hill resident, Marta is a Service Delivery Manager at The Boston Foundation, leading the Foundation’s StreetSafe initiative. Marta has prior experience working with local youth and families as the Director of Capacity Building and Community Partnerships with the Boston Centers for Youth and Families. Marta has served on the  Board of Directors since 2003.

Juan Leyton, Treasurer

Juan is the Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor, a statewide organization that works on grassroots community organizing and advocacy around economic justice issues. Juan has extensive experience in community organizing, serving 8 years as an organizer for the East Boston Ecumenical Community Council and later as Executive Director of City Life/Vida Urbana. Juan is a Barr Fellow and has served on the Board of Directors since 2007.

Kate Weldon Leblanc, Clerk

Kate specializes in non-profit organization management and currently works as the Administrative Director at the Center for Early Relationship Support, operated by Jewish Family and Children’s Services. Kate has previously worked in government relations for Children’s Hospital and on the Mayor of Boston’s School Readiness Initiative. Kate has served on the Board of Directors since 2005.

Patricia Flaherty

Patricia, Senior Project Manager at Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services, lives and works in Mission Hill, advocating for positive community development that benefits low income and working class families in the neighborhood. Pat was recently honored for her tireless efforts by Boston’s Neighborhood Fellows program. Pat has served on the Board of Directors since 2005.

James McCoy

James McCoy serves as the Director of Community Affairs and Campus Engagement (CACE) at Berklee College of Music.  He has over 20 years of management experience in Malawi, the Dominican Republic and the United States with an emphasis on intercultural competency, event production and promotion, music and the arts, community affairs, capacity building, international development, marketing and community building.  His current work is based on the principle that institutions of higher education realize their greatest potential when they serve as fully committed members of their local communities. The CACE team led by James develops neighborhood networks composed of community-based organizations, municipal agencies, elected official, funders and public schools with the purpose of building community and providing urban youth with access to culturally relevant music education programs and pathways to post secondary education. James joined the Board of Directors in 2011.

Cecilia Mendez

Cecilia Mendez is the Director of the Center for Art and Community Partnerships at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.  The Center works to cultivate innovative, sustainable relationships with the broader community to explore and expand the relevance of art in public life.  Her work and passion has always been at the intersection of art, culture, education, and community, and she has worked in or with community arts organizations, galleries, and schools throughout Massachusetts and beyond. An artist, poet, and filmmaker, she lives in Roslindale, MA. Cecilia joined the Board of Directors in 2011.

 Zakiya Thomas

Zakiya Thomas is the Director of Education and Community Initiatives for the Boston Ballet where she oversees the organization’s nationally-acclaimed education programs Citydance, Taking Steps, and Adaptive Dance. She is also responsible for the development of new programs and initiatives designed to engage the community with the work of the Ballet. Prior to joining the Boston Ballet staff, Zakiya worked for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston where she managed the museum’s community programs and shaped new audience development initiatives that involved internal staff, external constituents and the museum’s board. Zakiya also worked for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where her focus was on education research and development. Zakiya studied violin for over 20 years, including time spent at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, Texas. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a graduate degree from Boston University, having studied both journalism and arts administration respectively. She currently serves on the board of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Zakiya joined the Board of Directors in 2011.

Noel Torres

As the Assistant Coordinator for the Curtis Hall Community Center in Jamaica Plain, Noel brings to the Board extensive experience in developing and implementing programs that effect positive change among youth and communities. Noel has served on the Board of Directors since 2005.

Ramon Soto

Ramon brings his experience with intergovernmental relations to the Board of Directors. He is currently a Communications Aide for the Office of Mayor Thomas Menino. He previously served as a 2010 Census Liaison for the City of Boston. A Mission Hill resident, Ramon joined Sociedad Latina's Board of Dircetors in 2010.

Freddie Velez

A Roxbury  resident, Freddie brings experience working with at-risk youth to the Board of Directors. Freddie works with Youth Options Unlimited Boston, a workforce development program primarily working with court-involved youth. Freddie has served on the Board of Directors since 2005.