Colon Carrion and Torres will assist the MANO team with building relationships with federal agencies and community partners, establishing open and consistent communication with partners and supervisors, delivering orientation and training webinars to program participants, and supporting the planning, implementation, reporting, and evaluation of all workforce development and internship programs.

Nicole Colon Carrion holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey and a doctoral degree in plant pathology with a focus on forest conservation and agroecology. She also holds a certification in college teaching from the University of Arizona and a certification in project management from Google. Throughout her career, Nicole has focused on creating professional development and educational programs for underrepresented communities. Her professional journey spans academia, industry, and the nonprofit sector, where she has consistently advocated for accessible and equal education and professional development tools for underrepresented minorities.

Veronica Torres graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in justice studies with minors in English and social justice. Throughout her time at Rutgers, she focused on understanding the systems in place that have historically and presently affected communities of color and conducted research on the role of faith and religion while incarcerated, focusing on the positive effects faith exploration has on successful rehabilitation and reintegration.

“Nicole and Veronica have excellent interpersonal skills and a great ability to build relationships with stakeholders of diverse backgrounds,” said Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access. “They are ideal to help expand the MANO Project’s reach and impact on Latino youth.”

Hispanic Access' MANO Project connects, builds, and develops thoughtful Latino leaders who share a passion for serving and strengthening their communities. To learn more about the MANO Project, visit https://hispanicaccess.org/what-we-do/mano-project.