Latino Academy of Workforce Development: Announces the Addition of Margarita Avila
The Latino Academy of Workforce Development is thrilled to partner with Margarita Avila as the new Director of Workforce Development. In her role, Margarita is responsible for developing and steering the agency’s strategy for engaging a broad array of people, communities, and entities across Dane County in the Latino Academy’s important work. This includes creating, identifying, and providing meaningful and curated opportunities for stronger education and training tracks that can lead to sustainable employment for Latino Academy’s participants.
Prior to joining the Latino Academy, Margarita served as the Director for Multicultural Initiatives for the American Heart Association and actively participated in leadership roles across the business and education sectors for the last fifteen years. Ms. Avila’s leadership experiences range from marketing and public relations with Mark Thatcher Real Estate, LCC., MiVoz.com and ESPN Milwaukee; to curriculum design and evaluation for Pathways to College Program and UW-Stevens Point; to global advocacy and workforce development with the United Nations and National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Margarita has a passion for diversity and inclusion.
A native of Durango, Mexico, she understands the barriers and anxiety related to being an immigrant and navigating complex systems. Ms. Avila came to live with her brother in Madison, WI at the tender age of fourteen. Many of the resources the Latino Academy offers to the community are the same resources that assisted Margarita with assimilating to American culture and graduating from James Madison Memorial High School in 2008.
Margarita attended college in Milwaukee where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Communicative Arts from Wisconsin Lutheran College. Ms. Avila continues to make positive contributions to the Latino community by her commitment to holding leadership positions with many local and international organizations. Through her professional career and service to the community, Margarita’s passion has been to empower Latinos to create better futures. She is eager to contribute to the Latino Academy of Workforce Development’s mission, services, and support of their community partners. Margarita Avila is excited to be back in Madison…a place she calls home! Margarita can be reached at margarita@latinoacademywi.org.
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