As a business development consultant in Silicon Valley, Mr. Castaneda equips business owners with the network necessary to strengthen a business and provide a competitive advantage.

Mr. Castaneda is passionate about empowering the economic and social advancement of low- to moderate- income Latinos and other underserved communities.

 

As the Board Chair for Sabor del Valle for the past 6 years, Mr. Castaneda brings together culturally diverse vintners and restaurants to support nonprofit organizations making a difference in our community and beyond.

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Favorite thing about Sabor del Valle: The joy everyone experiences by giving back and serving our community.

 

Favorite Wine: Encantos Vineyards, Pinot Noir,

Gustavo Wines, Mario Bazan Cellars

 

Favorite Latin Food: Fresh Caught Cod Fish Tacos

Dianna is a retired QA, Telecommunications /Router Technology Engineering Manager from Nokia. Currently co-owner of Staxx’s Paint Parties. Dianna is a mother of four amazing adult children and a delighted grandmother of 5 brilliant grandchildren.

Over the past 18 years, Dianna has volunteered for several non-profits organizations, serving on the board of directors for Valle Monte League, Chopstix Alley Art, and Sabor del Valle. Dianna’s desire is to give back to her community using her talent as an artist while developing friendships along the way.

“My hope is to inspire the younger generation, without borders, & to believe in their dreams.”

Favorite thing about Sabor del Valle: Besides Ray, the founder, who is the heart and soul of our vision, my favorite thing is the ability to bring out the best of our most unfortunate ones, by serving the underrepresented in our community.

Favorite Wine: All Reds from Gustavo, Encanto, and Ceja vineyards

Favorite Latin Food: I’m an enchiladas freak. I judge on a scale from 1-10 uniqueness

/quality/taste of enchiladas I order from California to N.Y.N.Y.

Sergio has an entrepreneurial spirit with a supportive personality that loves assisting new and established businesses with their ideas all the way through to their success. He has a wide range of experience from a foreign owned small business to mobile strategy, social media strategy & management to business financing. Sergio sat was a board member of Sabor del Valle up until 2013 and now assists as an advisory board member.

 

Favorite thing about Sabor del Valle: The mission! To raise funds for local non-profits!

 

Favorite Wine: Carmenere

 

Favorite Latin Food: Burritos

Elizabeth Castillo is a Senior Sales Executive for Fidelity National Title in the Bay Area. Fidelity is a Fortune 200 Company*. Elizabeth launched her Real Estate career in the Title Insurance Space in the year 2000. 

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Today her clientele personally believes in her expertise that she provides, how she provides it and the enormous benefits they receive from it. She is also active in various organizations non-profit and otherwise. Currently a member of SCCAOR, NAHREP, NHORA. On a personal note, she just celebrated her 30th wedding anniversary to her husband Luis and is a proud mother of three boys.

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Favorite thing about Sabor del Valle: Signature Event in San Jose and the collaborative spirit displayed.

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Favorite Wine: Sangria served in 2018

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Favorite Latin Food: Sopes

Chester Ruiz is an experienced real estate entrepreneur and industry leader. His ‘big why’ motivates him to help the next generation achieve the American Dream through homeownership.

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Chester provides his marketing experience and develops strategic marketing plans to better serve existing clients and new customers. He taps into his past experience as a building contractor assisting clients with compliance with the California Contractors Licensing Board concurrently offering assistance with obtaining a license. Chester believes in giving back to the community by helping nonprofits increase their capacity to serve the greater good. His greatest accomplishment has been raising his five children who have grown to be productive citizens and caring adults. Lovingly Chester is the primary caregiver of his 99-year-old immigrant Father. “Our greatest privilege is to serve to leave a legacy of hope & prosperity for the next generation, Si Se Puede!®” Chester Ruiz

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Favorite thing about Sabor del Valle: I like the fact that SDV Celebrates the history of California farmworkers as our roots and that farmworkers from humble origins are now owners of wineries that are Internationally acclaimed.

 

ADELANTE! SDV!

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Favorite Wine: Céja, Dulce Amor, Red Dessert Wine, Love the name....

 

Favorite Latin Food: Chicken Mole Enchiladas, I love to make homemade Enchiladas.

My name is Leslie Rubalcaba Muniz, I grew up in The North Side of San Jose. I have lived here for most of my life, because I love helping my community. My roots will always be here, as a resident and community advocate. I attended San Jose High School and graduated in 1972. Both of my parents are also San Jose High alumnus. I have three grown children, 10 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. so I have done a lot of volunteer work helping out several organizations that my children were involved in as well. Here are some of the organizations and boards I have served on or been involved with:

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Alum Rock Youth Soccer League

• Tournament Coordinator

• Equipment Manager

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Northside Neighborhood Community

• Outreach/Community Member

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César Chávez Family Vision Inc.

• Board Member

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San Jose High Alumni Association

• Secretary, Fundraiser, Grant Writer

• Coordinator for San Jose High Alumni Association Golf Tournament 

• Coordinator Big Bone Bash Gala

• Coordinator for Student Scholarship Committee Fundraiser

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San Jose High Bulldog Foundation

• Secretary and Fundraiser

 

I have also been involved in local politics and worked on campaigns for several candidates.

Danette is a lifelong resident of East San Jose. She has served her community in a variety of capacities. Devoted to community service, Danette has been a volunteer for Latinas Contra el Cancer (LCC) since its original formation as Las Isabellas. Working hard to fundraise and support the much-needed service provided by Latinas Contra el Cancer.

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Currently, Danette has also become very much involved with the Farmworkers Caravan Program. The program consists of generating donations of supplies, food and services to help farmworkers in the Monterey/Salinas area, San Benito and Santa Clara County. Once a month, nearly 100 vehicles filled with supplies caravan to a farming area to distribute the supplies to farmworkers and their families.

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On a professional level, Danette as served as the General Manager for an Event Planning company providing services to large and medium size organizations; from Santa Clara Valley non-profits to some of Silicon Valley’s most successful companies. With over 20 years of experience, Danette brings with her style and expertise to every event she plans. She has a unique ability to forecast design trends, has impeccable attention to detail She is currently in the process of launching her own enterprise that will focus on home furnishing and one of kind home accessories.

Maria dedicated 20 years of her life as a bilingual teacher with the utmost love and passion for the profession. Her main goals as a teacher were to raise her students' academics as well as their self esteem. As an educator Maria met people that shared in her dreams of improving the educational opportunities of Latino Students. Along with other colleagues, Maria founded organizations that brought changes to the lives of many students. One of her most rewarding work was the founding of Community Alliance for Upgrading Student Achievement (CAUSA). Trough CAUSA college students were hired and trained as tutors to help underachieving kindergarten-12th grade students improve in their academics and gain a more positive outlook of themselves. Maria's involvement in sponsoring the first Chicano High School graduations at the Gilroy High School was a very successful endeavor that brought parents and the school community together. During the early 1980's Maria and a team of visionaries formed the Latina Coalition in Gilroy. One main goal was to raise money for Latino students scholarships.

 

Today, Maria is a team member of TOLA Properties Realty. As a realtor, her main desire is to help friends and family realize the American dream of owning a home.

At an early age Shirley began to help others in her high school and community; always emphasizing the need to help those less fortunate. She was a founding member of numerous organizations including CAUSA, Uoxina de Paz. Institute for Non-Violence, Latina Coalition and numerous others. At Santa Clara University she fought for the increase in Latino enrollment and more scholarships for Latino
students. After graduating from the University of Santa Clara she worked at Casa Legal and then joined Agricultural Labor Relations Board; she was appointed and served as Chief of Operations in Sacramento. In 2007 she was named one of the 100 most influential Latinas of Silicon Valley. She has significantly contributed to making positive change wherever she has lived or worked. Senator Anna Caballero honored her with the “Outstanding Woman of the 12th District” award and in 2022 La Raza Historical Society honored her with their annual leadership award. During her 45 years of working in the field of Labor Relations she has earned a reputation as a strong advocate for workers especially Farmworkers. She made considerable contributions while working for the Department of Industrial Relations and the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement. She promoted worker rights and worked to protect and enhance the welfare of California's workforce.

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Favorite Thing about Sabor del Valle: 1) Our commitment to promote Latino Vintners, Latino artists and restaurateurs and 2) our commitment to providing funds for non-profits that serve our vulnerable
communities.

 

Favorite Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon and all wines by our Latino Vintners.