Pilar Moya-Mancera is a lifelong advocate for housing equity, immigrant rights, disability inclusion, and social justice. As Executive Director of Housing Help Inc., a HUD-certified nonprofit based in Greenlawn, NY, she has transformed the organization into a regional leader in affordable housing, financial literacy, and eviction prevention. Under her leadership, the agency has expanded its reach across Long Island—opening offices in Central Islip and Riverhead—and increased its operating budget by nearly 700%. Pilar is also a bilingual financial educator who has empowered countless families through workshops on credit, budgeting, and homeownership. She holds degrees from Baruch College and LaGuardia Community College and is a graduate of both Leadership Huntington and the Parent Leadership Initiative.

Pilar serves on numerous boards and task forces, including as Vice Chair of the NY State Neighborhood Preservation Coalition and Co-Chair of the Town of Huntington Affordable Housing Trust Fund. She is also the founder of Latinos Unidos de Long Island, a grassroots coalition advancing Latino civic power and immigrant rights. Pilar has championed major housing initiatives like the legalization of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and the completion of the long-delayed Matinecock Court project. Her advocacy for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) has centered on expanding access to inclusive, supportive housing. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the 2024 Advocate of the Decade Award from the Women’s Diversity Network. Pilar lives in Dix Hills and remains dedicated to building a Long Island where everyone can live in dignity, safety, and opportunity.

Elisabet Velasquez is a Boricua writer, mother of two children from Brooklyn, New York, now living in Jersey City, New Jersey. Velasquez uses poetry to share her own transformative narrative, illustrating how life’s diverse experiences—especially her experiences, growing up in Bushwick, Brooklyn as a first generation Puerto-Rican teen mother and GED recipient have been instrumental in shaping her unique insights and approach to learning and writing. Her story challenges traditional notions of success and emphasizes the profound value embedded in life’s journey.

Her young adult novel in verse, When We Make It – an auto-fiction gained wide recognition including: Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2021 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2021, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Indies Introduce and Next List selection, Kirkus Reviews Best Books, School Library Journal Best Books, Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction, Américas Award Commended Title, ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project selection, In the Margins Book Award Top Ten selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books, The News & Observer Best Books for Kids, Gotham Book Prize finalist and was a 2021 Goodreads Readers Choice Nominee. The New York Times named it a Young Adult Book to Watch For.

Dr. Marina Badillo-Diaz, LCSW is an experienced former school administrator and counseling director with a demonstrated history of working in community mental health and in education as a social worker. She is the founder of MABD Consulting, where she conducts training for educators and social workers to ethically and responsibly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their practice. Dr. Badillo-Diaz is also an adjunct professor, teaching at New York University, Columbia University, Hunter College, and Louisiana State University.

She is the author of "The AI Social Worker", a widely recognized blog that serves as a 21st-century skills and AI guide for social workers. Her teaching portfolio includes courses for NYU’s Silver School of Social Work postgraduate certificate programs, specifically focusing on school social work practice, data and technology, and AI in mental health. She currently serves on the NASW-NY State Chapter Board as secretary and is a former northeastern rep board member of the School Social Work Association of America. She has presented nationally and internationally on AI and social work practice, including engagements with the National School Social Work Association of America, the Canadian Association for Social Work, and the School Social Work Association of America, and has conducted trainings for over 3,000 social workers across the United States and Canada. Dr. Badillo-Diaz’s areas of expertise include 21st-century skills, social-emotional learning, school social work practice, youth mental health, clinical supervision, AI applications, and data management. Her current research explores how school social workers are integrating AI into their daily practice.

George Siberón, MPA, MSW is the Executive Director of the Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association, a nonprofit organization serving the Village of Hempstead and surrounding communities for nearly four decades. With over 40 years of administrative experience, he has held key leadership roles, including Executive Director of the Nassau County Youth Board, District Manager for Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, and senior positions at ASPIRA of New York.

Siberón has served on the boards of the Dream Foundation, Long Island Latino Students Advocates, and the Village of Hempstead Chamber of Commerce. His work has earned him numerous honors, including the Martin Luther King “Keeper of the Dream” Award, Top Advocate for Latino Empowerment by The Hispanic Network, and the Long Islander Who Made a Difference Award from the Long Island Progressive Coalition.

He holds a BA from Queens College, an MSW from Fordham University, and an MPA (with honors) from Baruch College. He is a National Urban Fellow and a member of Phi Alpha Alpha, the national honor society for public affairs.