Washington, D.C., March 19, 2003 - MANA, A National Latina Organization membership elected Dr. Sandra Rodriguez of MANA del Norte and reelected Diana Rael to the National Board of Directors. Dr. José (Pepe) Estrada of the State Farm Insurance Companies was appointed as a new Board member. Each will serve a three year term.

Dr. Sandra Rodriguez, current Chapter President of MANA del Norte in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been an active MANA member since March of 1999. She became Hermanitas® Coordinator at that time and served in that position until 2001. Dr. Rodriguez is an AvanZamos® Ford Fellow of the Class of 2002. The MANA National Board will benefit from the strong educational and professional background that she will contribute to the board.

Dr. Rodriguez has worked as an educator since 1986 and has experience as a teacher at all levels, from the pre-school level to post-secondary education. She currently works as an Associate Professor at the College of Santa Fe, where she also serves as the Assistant Chair of the Education Department.

Because of her expertise, Dr. Rodriguez has given presentations at various workshops and seminars in New Mexico, including conferences on bilingual education, a mentor training workshop for the Math and Science Academy of Española, and a presentation on literacy for the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children Conference. Dr. Rodriguez also has many editorial credits to her name including now serving as a columnist with the Children's Ministry Magazine and she has also served as Manuscript Reviewer for McGraw-Hill.

Having received her Ph.D. in Multicultural Teacher and Childhood Education, she firmly believes that positive changes for Latinas are possible through continued commitment to education and political activism.

At the February Board Meeting, the board voted unanimously to appoint Dr. José (Pepe) Estrada to a three-year term on the board. Dr. Estrada is a Public Affairs Manager in charge of State Farm's Public Relations with the Hispanic community and has been involved with MANA at the National level for many years. Dr. Estrada brings strong qualifications to his new position on the MANA Board.

In his position at State Farm, Dr. Estrada has shaped the company's outreach strategy for the emerging markets in the US. During his tenure, State Farm has been recognized by various community groups for its efforts to further the economic development of the Hispanic community. In 2000, the NCLR bestowed its President's Award upon State Farm, the first and only corporation to have received this honor. In 2001, the USHLI granted State Farm its Corporate Visionary Award. In the same year, MANA honored State Farm with its Corporate Hermano Award. In 2002, NHLI recognized State Farm's efforts in the Hispanic community with its Leadership Award. At State Farm, Dr. Estrada is a Board member of the Hispanic Employee Resource Organization (HERO). HERO is the first Hispanic affinity group officially recognized by State Farm Insurance Companies.

Dr. Estrada was born in Lima, Peru, and became a US citizen in 2002. He earned his bachelor's degree in Economics from the Universidad de Lima, and his master's degree from the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Lima, Peru. After completing his master's degree, he worked as a consultant for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture - OAS, and in 1993, he earned his Ph.D. in Economics from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The MANA National Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. José (Pepe) Estrada to the Board and looks forward to the expertise that each new member will contribute to MANA.

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MANA, A National Latina Organization, is a nonprofit, advocacy organization headquartered in the nation's capital, Washington, D. C. With chapters across the country, it is the oldest National Latina membership organization in the United States. MANA, whose mission is to empower Latinas through leadership development, community service, and advocacy, envisions a national community of informed Latina activists working to improve the quality of life for all Hispanics. MANA also has the only national young Latina's mentoring program for girls 11 to 17, "HERMANITAS®" which brings over 100 girls to Washington DC to a summer institute that includes a briefing at the White House and a visit to the girls' Congressional representatives Information on MANA can be obtained at the web site: www.hermana.org or send an e-mail to hermana2@aol.com