Nathalie Rayes, Woody L. Hunt and Lucy Perez Join Prestigious Group of Leaders Spanning Diverse Industries and Areas of Expertise
Contact: Jon Purves
Associate Director, Media Relations
The Aspen Institute
Jon.Purves@aspeninstitute.org
Washington, D.C., April 18, 2022 – Lucy Perez, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, Woody L. Hunt, Senior Chairman of the Board of Directors at Hunt Companies, Inc.; and Nathalie Rayes, President and CEO of the Latino Victory Project, are the newest Advisory Board members of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program (AILAS), announced Domenika Lynch, Executive Director. Hunt is a revered businessman, civic leader and philanthropist who is deeply committed to empowering the Latino community, Perez brings a varied background including nationally renowned business consultant, cancer researcher and inventor of multiple scientific patents, and Nathalie Rayes, is national leader with corporate and public service, committed to social equity, civic education, and women’s rights.
“The AILAS Advisory Board is comprised of outstanding leaders from all walks of life, each pioneering a path to professional success and philanthropic altruism,” said Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez, Chair of AILAS. “I’m thrilled to report our newest members are no exception to this rule. Woody, Lucy, and Nathalie profoundly honor us with their commitment to a shared mission of supporting, advocating for, and shining a spotlight upon, the critical need to economically empower Latino communities.”
Nathalie Rayes is the President and CEO of Latino Victory Project, a national organization dedicated to building Latino political power. Prior roles have included serving as Vice President of Public Affairs for Grupo Salinas, Executive Director of Fundación Azteca and Deputy Chief of Staff for Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. Rayes has been recently nominated by President Joe Biden to serve on the board of the United States Institute of Peace, pending Senate confirmation. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Federation, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and she is the chair of the Binational Advisory Group for the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE). She served six years as President Barack Obama’s appointee to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, chairing the Audit Committee. Rayes has received numerous awards and accolades, including being named one of the 25 most powerful Latinas in the U.S. by People en Español. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology cum laude, and a Master’s in Public Policy from UCLA.
“I have been a champion of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program for many years because their mission resonates with the work I have done to empower the Latino community,” said Rayes. “Joining the AILAS Advisory Board is an invaluable opportunity to expand my work to improve the lives of Latinos. I am committed to working closely with the board and look forward to seeing what we can achieve.”
Woody L. Hunt is Senior Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hunt Companies, Inc., and one of the most respected businessmen and philanthropists in Texas. Based in El Paso, he helps run a diversified, family-owned holding company with 3,000 employees, and which invests in operating businesses, real estate assets and infrastructure.
Mr. Hunt graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, and subsequently received his MBA in Finance from UT. He also earned an MA Degree in Management from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. In addition to his professional duties, Mr. Hunt is involved in several organizations, including the Texas Economic Development Corporation, Texas Higher Education Foundation; the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center-Houston; the Texas Business Leadership Council, No Labels and the American Business Immigration Coalition. In addition, Mr. Hunt is deeply committed to the development of Latino leaders in across the country. In 2020, he made a $1 million pledge over five-years to launch the Woody and Gail Hunt Family Fellowship at the Aspen Institute.
“The Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program has given many of our community members the opportunity to elevate the unique perspective of the Borderplex region through the Hunt Aspen Fellowship and their journalism and entrepreneurship tours of the border,” said Woody L. Hunt, chairman of the Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation. “I am honored to join AILAS’ Advisory Board to continue ensuring that global leaders and visionaries in the Latino community, especially those who represent border communities, are supported in bringing forth new ideas and solutions to national conversations.”
Lucy Perez is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. A former cancer researcher, she brings a strong technical background to her work with organizations across the life-sciences sector. Since joining McKinsey, she has partnered with CEOs and top teams at leading organizations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Prior to this role, Perez was a research fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she was involved in the development of novel treatments for solid tumors. She was also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute research fellow at Harvard University while completing her doctoral studies. She is a co-inventor on multiple patents and has published in peer-reviewed journals. Lucy is also the co-founder and co-lead of the McKinsey North America Hispanic Latino Network, a platform for consultants and Hispanic/Latino leaders to connect and build community, as well as advance their professional development. She is also the founder of the McKinsey Latino Economic Forum in partnership with the Latino Corporate Directors Association.
“I have long admired the mission and purpose of Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program and am honored to join the board to help continue the important and necessary work,” said Perez. “Advancing Latinos across the US is a deep passion of mine and a cornerstone of the work I do at McKinsey & Company. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together and the impact we can have for a more inclusive society.”
The Aspen Institute founded the Latinos and Society Program in 2015 to identify and promote ideas and solutions that foster greater opportunity for American Latinos, and enable a more prosperous, inclusive America for all. AILAS offers a series of initiatives, programs, convenings and conversations collectively aimed at increasing the economic advancement of Latinos by seeking to generate solutions and catalyze actions that advance a more prosperous and inclusive future for all.
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