Election results are in!
The Brown University Latino Alumni Council (BULAC) is pleased to announce the newly elected officers and board members.
2008-2010 BULAC Officers and Board Members
President-Elect:
 Tehani Collazo
Providence, RI
AB ’91, Education Studies
MA ’95, Sociology, University of California at Los Angeles
Ph.D. ’08, Educational Studies, University of Michigan
Tehani Collazo, ’91 is Director of Education Outreach at Brown University where she develops strategic partnerships between Brown, community-based organizations, and local urban schools. She began her career as an educator and scholar at Connecticut College where she advised undergraduates affiliated with the College’s Unity House. While in graduate school at UCLA, she oversaw a summer camp and an academic after school program for youth from East Los Angeles. Tehani also directed programs for the Girl Scouts and more recently was a project manager at the Smithsonian Institution where she developed outreach programs, including museum exhibitions with local Latino/a and African American youth and their teachers. Through her research, Tehani documents the connections between the day-to-day experiences of Latino/a youth residing in urban areas such as Detroit and Washington, D.C., and their academic learning.
While at Brown, Tehani led the Latin American Students Organization (LASO), worked as the Latino programmer at the Third World Center (TWC), served as a Minority Peer Counselor,
and volunteered with local youth.
Vice President of Programs:
Mariella Martinez
Bayside, NY
AB ’99, Political Science
JD ’05, Rutgers School of Law – Newark
Mariella is currently a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society in New York City. As a member of the Juvenile Rights Practice, she represents children in juvenile delinquency proceedings in Bronx Family Court. Prior to that, she worked as an Assistant Child Advocate for the New Jersey Office of the Child Advocate. Additionally, Mariella serves as a board member for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s NYC Alumni Association and the Rutgers Law Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
Mariella received her J.D. from Rutgers School of Law – Newark in 2005, and was awarded the Judge J. Skelly Wright Prize for her commitment to civil rights. While at Rutgers, she was a Kinoy-Stavis Public Interest Fellow and a Governor’s Executive Fellow. As a law student, Mariella was also a member of the Public Interest Law Foundation, the Association of Latin American Law Students, the Minority Student Program and an editor of The Rutgers Law Review. Mariella graduated from Brown in 1999 with a BA in political science. During her time at Brown, she was a member of the Latino performing arts troupe MEZCLA, participated in the Latin American Students Organization (LASO) and served as a Minority Peer Counselor.
Vice President of Administration:
Alba Villa
Edgewater, NJ
AB ’01, History and International Affairs
MA’04, American School of Communication, Journalism & Public Affairs
Alba Lucero Villa is the founder of Villa Consulting, an education and media consulting boutique based in New York. As a writer, editor, and education consultant, she helps companies, nonprofits, and educational institutions communicate more effectively with audiences and develop inclusive assessment practices. Alba has also been an Associate Editor for TRIAL, the American Association for Justice’s flagship magazine and has published numerous articles on disability rights, community impact litigation, and labor law.
Alba was born in Cali, Colombia and is active in campaigns that promote peace and civic participation in Colombia and across borders. She also works with nonprofit legal organizations in New York conducting employment rights trainings for workers and advocates. Additionally, she serves on national committees such as the Hispanic Scholarship Committee.
During her graduate studies, Alba was a fellow at The Washington Post and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. At Brown, Alba was community outreach chair for the Latin American Students Organization (LASO), a minority affairs presidential advisor, and a choreographer for the Latino performing arts troupe MEZCLA. She also worked as a Minority Peer Counselor and a Language and Literacy Program Coordinator at the Swearer Center for public Service.
Vice President of Finance:
Thomas Baldwin
New York, NY
AB ’06, International Relations
Tom Baldwin is a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs. As an analyst, Tom performs company and industry analysis, writes equity research reports, and provides investment advice to institutional investors. Tom is a Registered Securities Representative and has passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. At Goldman, Tom is active in Brown University diversity recruiting, and has successfully helped Latino undergraduates obtain internships and full-time job offers.
At Brown, Tom was President of the Pre-Law Society, where he managed and expanded the budget, doubled the size of the leadership committee, and launched the Pre-Law website. Tom also served as teacher’s assistant for “Hispanic Cultures and Civilizations” and was selected for a Corporate Social Responsibility Fellowship sponsored by the StartingBloc Institute. Off-campus, Tom volunteered as a Spanish language interpreter, helping non-English-speaking Latino immigrants communicate with their doctors at Rhode Island Hospital. In 2005, Tom received the Goldman Sachs Scholarship for Excellence, which provides Black, Hispanic, and Native American undergraduates with tuition assistance and an internship.
Board Members
María Gracia Gálvez Picón, M.D.
Berkeley, CA
AB ’94, Modern Literature and Society-MCM (Honors)
MD ’99, Case Western Reserve University, School Of Medicine
Maria Gracia is a pediatrician who has worked at Mission Neighborhood Health Center in San Francisco's vibrant immigrant community for the past 5 years. As a bilingual and bicultural pediatrician, she also trains health professionals in Cultural Humility and Competency.
Maria Gracia spearheaded the Bay Area Ivy Latino Alumni Network (BAILAN), several years ago. She hosted a Bay Area BULAC brunch which has grown into an Inter-Ivy Latino network. She has formed partnerships with local and national Ivy League organizations to strengthen the group. She collaborates with Latino Ivy Alumni to organize social and educational forums which enrich the alumni's connections to their universities while also serving the college-bound students. At Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), she served as the Latino liaison to Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and formed the Latino Organization of Medical Students (LOMS).
At Brown, Maria Gracia co-founded La Fuerza Latina and organized the first New England Latina Conference, performed in the Latino performing arts troupe MEZCLA, participated in Latin American Students Organization (LASO) and El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/a de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A.), served as a Minority Peer Counselor (MPC) and volunteered as a "Friend of the MPCs" in the Third World Transition Program.
Gerardo Tristan
Chicago, IL
AB ’92, Economics, International Relations
JD ’02, DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Gerardo Tristan, ’92 is a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney. He has been a prosecutor since May 2003 and is currently assigned to the Criminal Prosecution Division’s Felony Review Unit. He is charged with reviewing felony cases, before they are charged, to determine the appropriate charges and whether or not the case should proceed to a court for trial. Prior to becoming a prosecutor, he was employed at Motorola, Inc. as a proposal manager for Latin America.
Mr. Tristan is a founding member of CL100. CL100 is a political action committee formed to address the need for responsible leadership, in the Latino community, in and around Illinois. CL100 is active in supporting politicians who can effectuate positive change for issues that affect Latinos.
While at Brown, Mr. Tristan was active in the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), serving as the Treasurer for two years and serving as the Co-Chair for one year. He was also one of the founding members of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc.
Andrea Frias
Carlsbad, CA
AB ’02, Hispanic Literature and Culture
MAT ’03, Elementary Education
Andrea Frias currently teaches high school math and physics at a project-based school in
San Marcos, California. Daily, she strives to create a student-centered learning environment where students develop skills and acquire knowledge applicable in real world situations. She believes that in this environment, students develop as caring citizens that respect themselves, their school, their family, and the local and global community. A graduate of Brown’s MAT Program, Andrea started teaching elementary school in 2003. Most recently, she has made the transition into secondary education where she loves to help students solidify an understanding of the importance of preparation and dedication, both necessary for higher education success.
While at Brown, Andrea was a member of the student group M.E.Ch.A. and performing arts troupe MEZCLA. Her sophomore year she also served as a Minority Peer Counselor for incoming freshman. She worked extensively in the Providence community. She was a member of the CityGirls R.I. program, Textron Chambers’s tutoring program, and both the Volunteer in Providence Schools and Partners in Education organizations. As an active member in the Providence Latino community she was the student speaker in 2000 when Cesar Chavez Day was made an official R.I. state holiday. Currently, she serves as a volunteer in the BASC program interviewing candidates in the San Diego County area.
Brett H. Bonet
New York, NY
AB ’05, Economics, International Relations
Brett currently resides in New York City and works in the banking industry; his group helps companies to accomplish their internal funding and debt requirements to carry out their global operations. Prior to banking, Brett worked for an investment management firm, also in New York City, managing the assets of conservative investors and insurance companies.
At Brown, Brett was an active member of the Federación de Estudiantes Puertorriqueños (FEP) and Brown University Simulation of the United Nations (BUSUN). Additionally, Brett served as a peer tutor in Spanish and also a translator at Miriam Hospital in Providence. Currently, he continues to serve his community by participating in Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America and also by interviewing prospective Brown students in the New York area. He also is a member of several professional initiatives at his company which focus on hiring, training and development of minority talent.
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