Lola M. Juan (Maya Q'anjob'al), Interim Executive Director, Director of Cultural & Political Education
Lola is a well-respected and recognized political, cultural, and spiritual authority within the Q'anjob'al Maya Nation. Lola has developed important relationships with Indigenous peoples around the world. Lola guides and tempers the work of the CMPI team with her deep understanding and cultural authority. Lola's knowledge and expertise are critical to ensuring that our work is of the highest integrity and that we are accountable to the Maya people and community we serve.
Lizandra Mateo Lorenzo (Maya Q'anjob'al), Executive Assistant
Lizandra works in our Omaha, NE community center and home office. She provides critical day-to-day support for Maya Q'anjob'al community and leadership in Omaha Territory.
Domingo Alvaro (Maya Q'anjob'al), Program Manager and DOJ Accredited Representative, Maya & Indigenous Human Rights Program
Prior to joining CMPI, Domingo’s advocacy work included working as a community organizer, providing case management services for asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors, and organizing immigration legal clinics. Most recently, Domingo worked as a paralegal where he helped to conduct legal orientations for unrepresented individuals detained by ICE in the Otay Mesa Detention Center at the San Diego, CA - Tijuana Border Region.
Domingo was born in San Pedro Soloma, Guatemala. His immigration experience shaped his career choice to become an immigration advocate. A fluent Q’anjob’al speaker, Domingo has used his language abilities and cultural knowledge to advocate for the Q’anjob’al community to protect due process rights of Indigenous migrants. Domingo obtained a BA in Economics at California State University Long Beach. In his free time, he likes to spend time with his friends and family, hiking, social dancing, and staying physically active.
Cindy Toledo (Maya Q'anjob'al), Program Manager and DOJ Accredited Representative, Maya & Indigenous Human Rights Program
Cindy is a proud Maya Q’anjob’al woman living in the Chumash Tongva territories, known as Los Angeles, California. Cindy has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations and a minor in Latin American Studies from UCLA. Prior to joining CMPI, she worked as a legal assistant at immigration law firms. Currently, she is a member of the Technical Team for the National Council of Indigenous Peoples in the Diaspora (CONPID) and volunteers with various other Indigenous rights organizations across the nation. She has also represented Indigenous peoples at the United Nations Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues. In addition to her work, Cindy is dedicated to preserving and promoting Maya Q'anjob'al linguistic traditions. She has been participating in cultural activities since she was very young and has been a culture bearer for the Maya Q’anjob’al Nation for over 20 years. Cindy's ultimate goal is to ensure that Maya customs and traditions are kept alive and never forgotten and to advance and safeguard the original peoples' and original nations' interests, especially those pertaining to the Maya Q’anjob’al nation.
Lucero Gonzalez Alvarado (Maya Q'anjob'al), Program Manager, Maya & Indigenous Human Rights Program
Lucero is also taking on additional responsibilities pertaining to the roles of Grants Coordinator and Hiring Liaison for CMPI. Lucero holds a Masters Degree in Human Rights Practice and was trained as a social worker. Her six years of experience in social work and cultural knowledge is critical to our family reunification project work with Maya and Indigenous families separated at the U.S. - Mexico border region. Prior to joining the CMPI Team as a full-time Program Manager, Lucero spent two years working on Human Rights Research with the United Nations, working with Skylight (https://skylight.is), and as a CMPI Human Rights Program partner. As a Maya Q’anjob’al woman, she is honored to be part of a lineage of strong, kind, empathetic, and resilient women who came before her. We are so grateful she chose to bring her talents to CMPI!
Sandra Alvaro (Maya Q'anjob'al), Program Manager, Maya & Indigenous Human Rights Program
In addition to her role as Program Manager, Sandra assumes the roles of both Communications and Grants Coordinator. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology and Justice Studies from California State University San Marcos. Her career includes hands-on experience in Children and Family social services, and Behavioral Therapy for children and young adults with disabilities throughout San Diego County. Prior to joining CMPI, she provided case management services to underserved families enrolled in early childhood services. In her role, she effectively bridged language barriers by utilizing her language proficiency in Q’anjob’al to deliver essential services to numerous Q’anjob’al speaking families. While volunteering as a mentor for vulnerable children and young adults who are at-risk of negative social and health issues. Sandra has consistently advocated for underserved families, helping them thrive within their homes and communities. She aspires to forge pathways that empower and uplift the Maya community.
Julio Salinas, Executive Assistant, Paralegal, Maya & Indigenous Human Rights Program
Julio Salinas, originally from Bakersfield, California, moved to San Diego with his family at the age of three. His family, being of mixed status, faced numerous challenges in establishing themselves in the United States, particularly in regard to the difficulties that arise for children in the educational system. Julio's career began as a receptionist in a private law firm, where he soon gained invaluable knowledge of immigration law. During his seven-year tenure as a paralegal at the firm, he helped hundreds of families reunite. Seeking new challenges, Julio transitioned to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), where he gained expertise in the court system and worked alongside immigration judges and personnel. Currently, Julio works as a paralegal, where he actively works with reunited families that were separated at the border. His unwavering commitment to supporting the immigrant community remains steadfast.
Leah Vinton, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Leah Vinton, MPA is a bilingual professional and motivated team player with over a decade of experience supporting for-impact organizations and causes with expertise in resource development for international and domestic organizations. Most recently, Leah has worked locally with the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and Heritage Omaha, and has worked in Latin America with the Pan American Development Foundation and Mercado Global in fundraising and development roles. She lives in Omaha, NE.
Jenny E. Fimbres-Gonzalez, Community Support & Social Services Manager
Jenny has worked for over 18 years in the non-profit sector, with a bilingual proficiency in Spanish. Her primary focus has been on serving the undocumented community, where she has held various roles such as advocate, case manager, DOJ Accredited Representative, and supervisor. Additionally, Jenny has an extensive background of over 16 years working with survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
Jenny's parents are from Mexico and she is originally from Oceanside, California. She moved to the Omaha, NE area at the age of 14. Jenny attended Kaplan University and Bellevue University. Married to an EL teacher at Ralston Public Schools, Jenny and her wife share their home with two fur-babies. She is extremely close to her family, and is the oldest of 7 and has 6 nieces and 2 nephews. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, attending to her nieces/nephews activities and playing soccer. Jenny currently helps manage the Women's Futbol Club of Omaha and recently became a board member for the Nebraska State Soccer Association. One of her favorite quotes that guided her into the field of social services is- “Help others without any reason and give without the expectation of receiving anything in return." -unknown
Flory was born in San Pedro Soloma and currently lives in Nebraska with her family. She is a psychologist and holds a master's degree in Political Science with an emphasis on International Affairs from Rafael Landívar University in Guatemala. She worked at COPMAGUA as the Coordinator of the Indigenous Women's Commission and later in the Technical Negotiation Commission, supporting parity commissions. Her greatest satisfaction in this process is the creation of the Indigenous Women's Defender's Office. She also worked as an independent consultant for the Organization of American States (OEA)/Propaz Guatemala, focusing on the design and facilitation of the Intersectoral and State Dialogue and Approach process. Flory is the co-author, along with Ann Sittig, of the book "The Mayans Among Us," published by the University of Lincoln in Nebraska. This publication highlights the challenges faced by Maya migrant women and also celebrates Maya culture, language, and spirituality, offering a vision of hope and resilience. Flory remains an active advocate against the injustices faced by Maya women in Guatemala and the United States, promoting awareness, solidarity, and respect for cultural diversity. She and her family are also involved in real estate activities.
Sergio Sosa, Regional Indigenous Food Business Program Manager
Prior to CMPI, Sergio founded and served as the Executive Director of the Heartland Workers Center, a grassroots organization established in 2009. Sergio’s devotion to community, inclusion, and social justice is a lifelong passion stemming from the inequities he witnessed in his native Guatemala. He is a person of firm convictions committed to social change, believing that to represent a community, one must know it firsthand by building relationships at the grassroots level and learning from the people living the reality.
Candelaria Lorenzo, Maya Q’anjob’al, Maya Education Initiative Director
Candelaria Lorenzo is fluent in Q’anjob’al, Spanish, and English. Her journey includes working for the Omaha Public Schools as a health aide and paraprofessional. She holds a distinguished title as a Bilingual Intercultural Elementary Education Teacher (Q'anjob'al-Spanish) graduate. Beyond her academic achievements, she has served as a youth group leader in her hometown, Santa Eulalia (Jolom Konob') Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Her multilingual skills and commitment to education make her a standout force in bridging cultures and building community connections.