OUR TEAM

As the Acting President & CEO, Andrew leads the Indiana Latino Institute’s strategic operations and statewide programming, overseeing organizational growth and community impact across Indiana. Andrew has worked in education in different capacities since 2006. From working with ESL students in Indianapolis to teaching high school in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, he has continued to serve the Latino community in their pursuit of higher education and workforce development. He serves on the board of Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis and has been recognized with the 2024 Impact Award for College Career Development Professional of the Year and the 2024 Mayor’s Community Service Award. Andrew has presented internationally, including at the Foro de Educación Migrante México – Estados Unidos in Mexico City. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University, an M.S. in Inclusive Education from Nyack College in New York, and is currently working on a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership and is an alumnus of the ILI Latino Leadership Circle.

Dr. Danny Mendez holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University.  His 23 year career as an educator includes 18 years of school/district leadership that spans the entire K-12 spectrum. He served as a Principal at the elementary, middle, and high school level, as well as central office.  In addition, he worked with leadership teams from over 100 schools that were seeking guidance for growth.
Dr. Mendez had previously served on the Indiana Commission on Hispanic Latino Affairs and as a President of District 7 and 9 for the Indiana Association of School Principals.  These roles have helped deepen his knowledge of education policy so that he could advocate at both the state and national level.

Maria Quiroz-Southwood has her Bachelor and Master’s in social work from Indiana University.  She has dedicated her 22+ years of professional life, using her bilingual skills and working in the non-for-profit sector with a focus on the Latino community in health, education, volunteer and social services.  She has a broad range of skills and experience in program development, grant writing, training, and community collaboration with a passion to serve non-for-profit, mission driven organizations.  Maria has worked in both the health and education programs at ILI, focusing her current work on assisting Latino college students throughout their higher education paths.   Maria is a key contributor to ILI’s grant-writing team, and facilitates the partnerships between ILI and 40+ universities in supporting Latino college student recruitment and retention.

Ligia Zosel is an accomplished educator with a diverse background in bilingual education and communication. Began her journey by graduating as a Bilingual Preschool Teacher in Guatemala. Her pursuit of knowledge then led her to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Media and Communication from Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Ligia used her bilingual education and communication background to work as a Teacher, Spanish Tutor, and Assistant Director of a Bilingual School in Seattle, Washington before joining ILI. Ligia is deeply invested in giving back to her community. Ligia has dedicated her time to voluntary work as a motivational speaker for the Catholic Church, where she empowers and inspires youth through her words and actions.

Dolly as our new Director of Communications and Leadership. She brings over a decade of experience in communications, public relations, and strategic leadership across both public and private sectors.

Dolly holds a Bachelor’s in Commercial Advertising, a Master of Arts in Public Relations, and an MBA in Global Strategic Leadership. Her career includes impactful roles at Elevance Health, where she led supplier diversity across a $1.2B global supply chain, and the Indy Chamber, where she supported over 5,000 Hispanic entrepreneurs and helped distribute $4M in pandemic relief loans. She also served as Director of the Indiana Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs, advising state leaders on policy.

A proud alumna of the ILI Latino Leadership Circle, Dolly is a passionate advocate, mentor, and entrepreneur who celebrates Latin and Hoosier culture. 

Brenda Owens is a new addition to ILI as our Bookkeeper.  She received her MBA in Accounting from Indiana Wesleyan University.  She has worked 10+ years in various accounting positions in Corporate, Manufacturing with 4 years in Nonprofit.  Payroll & Bookkeeping Certificate and is QuickBooks Online Certified. She is also a U.S. Air Force Veteran.  She has excellent customer service skills, is a self-starter, team player, detail-oriented, efficient and a great trainer.  She enjoys assisting with business functions outside of the scope of accounting and has worked alongside co-workers at volunteer functions.  Brenda Owens is dedicated to addressing food insecurity in the Americas and abroad.

Brenda Gutierrez is the Educational Specialist for the South and Central Region at ILI. She graduated from Marian University with a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education, laying the foundation for a meaningful career in education. For many years, Brenda poured her heart into teaching, both as a special education teacher and a 6th grade teacher. These experiences didn’t just shape her career; they ignited a profound passion within her to serve and uplift the Latino community. In her current role at ILI, Brenda leverages her extensive classroom experience and deep understanding of diverse educational needs to support and enhance educational initiatives throughout the South and Central Region. Her dedication to empowering students and educators alike aligns perfectly with ILI’s mission of strengthening communities through education

Estrella Mejia graduated from Marian University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Minor in Spanish. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, she is committed to serving and supporting the Latino community across the state. As an Education Specialist Marion County, Estrella is dedicated to guiding Latino students toward higher education and assisting them in navigating the various opportunities available to them. Her previous experience includes working with programs where she provided support to the immigrant community with naturalization and legal services, as well as practicing youth counseling.