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  • About
  • Experience
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  MARIA T. CADENAS, MBA

maria t. cadenas, MBA
strategist, Adviser, Thought Partner

Strengths

  • Strategic thinking and vision setting
  • Cultural competence, with a special focus on Latin America
  • Network and collaboration building
  • Project management
  • Innovation and organizational development
  • Communications
  • Community organizing
  • Facilitation
  • Meetings and events
  • Internship program design and management
  • Philanthropy
  • Public and motivational speaking
  • Volunteer engagement and management
  • Writing and editing

Media

  • TEDx Talk - Changing the Game; Our Future Economy (Video)
  • ​Building our Future: Democratic Business Ownership
  • On Stories, Leadership, and Persistence 
  • Faulty Premise of Capitalism 
  • Yes, Race Matters: On Creating a Strong LGBT Movement​
  • Interview on Milwaukee's WUWM: LGBT and Race issues
State of Youth Homelessness.pdf
File Size: 1255 kb
File Type: pdf
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Corporate Equality Report.pdf
File Size: 1062 kb
File Type: pdf
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Community Involvement Report.pdf
File Size: 1752 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Leadership Roles and Recognition

  • Women's Policy Institute of the Women's Foundation of California (Local Fellow 2018-2019)
  • Hispanas Organized for Political Equality Leadership Institute (Fellow 2017) 
  • Kitchen Table Advisors (Steering Committee Member 2017 - Present)
  • New Way Homes (Board Member 2017-2019)
  • Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust (Finance Committee Member 2017-2019)
  • Santa Cruz Montessori School (Finance Committee Member 2015-2018)
  • Sustainable Agriculture and Food System Funders (Steering Committee 2015-2017)
  • Roots of Change (Steering Committee 2012-2014)
  • Diversity Partnership Advisory Committee at the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County (Member, Chair 2013-2018)
  • Funders for LGBQ Issues (Vice-Chair 2009-2015)
  • 100 Women We Love (Go Magazine 2014)
  • Medal for Community Achievement (PrideFest 2011)
  • Young Alumni Award (Beloit College 2010)
  • Community Leader Leadership Award (Fair Wisconsin 2009)
  • Equality Award (Milwaukee LGBT Community Center 2005)

Past Projects and Initiatives 

  • Moving Health Care Upstream - Strategic leadership and innovation in the design of cohort model that incorporates social determinants of health services at a community health clinic serving a rural agricultural community. 
  • Agricultural Career Pipeline - Developed and implemented grant making and community outreach strategy to increase interest in careers in agriculture in partnership with local government, academic institutions, and nonprofits across the US, Mexico, and Chile.
  • Philanthropy Summit - Launched and organized annual transnational leadership summit for leaders across the US, Mexico, and Chile. The three day summit focused in developing networks, sharing best practices, and identifying key areas of work for grant making and employee led corporate social responsibility efforts supporting farmworkers in agricultural communities. 
  • Youth Homelessness Initiative - Multi-year effort to increase resources and funding for homeless youth in the Metro Milwaukee region, with a special focus on LGBTQ youth. Effort brought together foster, shelter, city, and community leaders. Initiative launched Q-Block, a new independent living model. Project also supported the development of Out on the Street, a documentary focused on the story behind LGBTQ youth homelessness. Read more
  • Business Equality Luncheon - Developed and oversaw the creation of the first Wisconsin LGBTQ luncheon focused on human resources practices and creating LGBTQ welcoming workplaces. The luncheon brought together leading global companies headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Read more​
  • Gay Neighbor/Mi Vecino Gay - Groundbreaking multi media bilingual public education campaign aimed to challenge stereotypes about LGBTQ people and their families. The Metro Milwaukee campaign featured  images of real families and showcased their values of love, family, and commitment. Campaign ran for two years and included bus and billboard impressions, an interactive website, radio, TV, and community outreach.  Read more​​
Let's Work Together
2015 copyright