Berenice Bonilla Cortés

Berenice Bonilla Cortés is Vice President of Communications at Prosperity Now.

Previously, she was Managing Director of Communications at The Leadership Conference and, before she worked as Owner and Director of Bérica Agency, a branding and event design consultancy created to support social justice efforts through strategic communications consulting, community-oriented educational events, and charitable giving. The company was launched in Upstate, NY, serving clients like Centerstate Corporation for Economic Opportunity, Upstate Minority Economic Alliance, Syracuse University's La Casita Cultural Center and the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center. During part of her tenure managing the venture, she also served as Director of Communications and Development at YWCA of Syracuse and Onondaga County.

Through leadership roles in Prospanica DC, the WISE Women's Business Center, WISE Latina Conference and Nosotros Radio, Inc., she helps propel and promote professional development initiatives aimed at increasing the number of opportunities available to all Americans.

Prior to her launch of Bérica, she supported and helped expand programming, communications, and operations at Rice University, Unidos US, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, and the Inter American Development Bank. She offers expertise in strategic communications, community relations, and leadership development.

Ms. Bonilla Cortés is a proud alumna of Syracuse University, as well as the University of Southern California, where she completed a Master of Communication Management at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Summary of Recent Work

Social Impact Communications:

• Managed launch communications for UMEA chamber (Upstate Minority Economic Alliance)
• Managed conference communications for the multicultural leadership development organization, You Can't Fail, Inc., 2016 Inaugural Celebration
• Supports branding efforts for WISE Latina Conference in CNY
• Developed communications and advised on outreach strategy for the Up Start Business Development and Work Train programs at CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity

Event Management:

• Organized the first U.S. Conference on Engineering Leadership at Rice University
• Directed, marketed, and expanded the programming of six national NCLR Líderes Summits
• Managed all conference communications for the 2014 Global Latino Summit
• Managed logistics of the WISE Latina Conference 2015

Community Engagement:

• Contributor of Cuse Culture Magazine for Minority Millennials; Editor of Fall 17 Issue
• Co-organizer and co-host of the first "CNY Latino Seminar for Food Industry
• Entrepreneurs" in 2016
• Facilitator of focus groups, leadership meetings, and board updates for the Work Train Economic Inclusion Initiative. Helped build the initiative‚Äôs website, worktraincny.org.

Sub-specialties: Immigration, Latino Leadership, Latino Youth Leadership, Civil Rights, Census, Voting Rights, Women's Rights