CAFECITO SERIES SPEAKER BIOS
Nalleli Cobo
Environmental Activist & Storyteller
At just 19 years old, Nalleli Cobo led a grassroots campaign resulting in the permanent closure of a hazardous oil-drilling site in her community in March 2020. This site, infamous for its toxic emissions, had inflicted severe health issues on Nalleli and her neighbors. Growing up in South Los Angeles, Nalleli became an activist at the tender age of 9, spurred by the foul odors emanating from the oil well across the street from her home.
Enduring headaches, nosebleeds, and heart palpitations due to the pollution, she began attending meetings and rallies alongside her mother, delivering her first public speech on the matter at just 9 years old. Her natural oratory skills and unwavering dedication eventually positioned her as the leading voice advocating for the ban of oil extraction in Los Angeles.
Co-founding initiatives like People Not Pozos and the South Central Youth Leadership Coalition, Nalleli's activism gained momentum. In March 2020, her tireless work culminated in the permanent shutdown of the AllenCo Energy drilling site, where she had spent her childhood. Furthermore, her advocacy led to criminal charges against AllenCo Energy executives for environmental violations.
Despite facing personal adversity, including a cancer diagnosis at 19, Nalleli persisted. Recognized for her extraordinary contributions, Nalleli received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2022 and placement on the 2022 Time 100 Next list.
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Ignacia S. Moreno
Former Assistant Attorney General for Environment & Natural Resources
Ignacia S. Moreno is the Chief Executive Officer and a founding Principal of The iMoreno Group, PLC, a majority minority-owned and majority woman-owned law firm that provides legal services and strategic counseling on environmental and natural resources, corporate, criminal defense, and immigration matters. Ms. Moreno is recognized as one of the nation’s leading environmental and natural resources lawyers. During her 34-year career, she has served as the top environmental lawyer at the U.S. Department of Justice, been corporate environmental counsel at a Fortune 10 company, and practiced environmental law and litigation at prominent national law firms, including as a partner.
In 2009, President Obama nominated Ms. Moreno to serve as Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (Division). The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her in a 93 to 0 vote and she served as head of the Division from 2009 to 2013. Before her appointment as Assistant Attorney General, Ms. Moreno was Counsel for the Northeast/Midwest Regions and International, Corporate Environmental Programs, at General Electric Company and was previously in private practice at two Washington, D.C. law firms. She also served at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Environment and Natural Resources Division during the Clinton Administration.
Ms. Moreno has significant experience serving on regulatory, university, think tank, and nonprofit boards. She was appointed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to serve a four-year term on the State Air Pollution Control Board and was elected Chair of the Board. Ms. Moreno was appointed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to a four-year term on the Board of Visitors of George Mason University. She serves on the National Board of Directors of the Trust for Public Land and also serves on the advisory boards of the Yale Center for Environmental Justice, the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, and the New York University School of Law Institute for Policy Integrity. In addition, she has served as President and member of the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia (HBA-DC) and as General Counsel and member of the Board of Governors of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA).
In 2022, Ms. Moreno received the HBA-DC Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Lifetime Achievement Award and the HNBA Latina Commission Primera Abogada Award. In 2013, she received the Edmund J. Randolph Award in recognition of outstanding service to the U.S. Department of Justice and the nation. She also received the Meritorious Public Service Award and Medal from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Coast Guard for her outstanding service in initiating and conducting litigation in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and protecting human health and the environment. In 2009 and 1995, Hispanic Business Magazine named Ms. Moreno as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States. She received the AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell in 2016.
Jeffrey Prieto
Former General Counsel, Environment Protection Agency (EPA)
Jeffrey Prieto most recently served as the Senate confirmed General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. His prior federal government service includes over 20 years across various agencies, including as an Attorney-Advisor in the EPA’s Office of Water. Under the Obama-Biden administration, he served as the Senate confirmed General Counsel of the United States Department of Agriculture. He also served at the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division where he served as a Trial Attorney, Counsel to the Assistant Administrator, and General Counsel. Prior to his most recent position, he served as the General Counsel of the Los Angeles Community College District. Prior to his federal service, Prieto worked as environmental planner for a California municipality.
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Hon. Mickey Ibarra
Chairman, Latino Leaders Network
Mickey Ibarra is president of the Ibarra Strategy Group, a government relations and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. since 2001. He is also the founder and chairman of the Latino Leaders Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to ‘Bringing Leaders Together” to establish relationships, build unity, and share personal stories. He is a member of the Ibarra Foundation Board of Directors and completed six years of service on the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund Board.
Appointed Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House in 1997, Mr. Ibarra served as a member of President Clinton’s senior staff. His role was building support for the President's policy initiatives and responding to the concerns of state and local officials on a broad range of issues. He was appointed vice chair of The White House Task Force for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games and was named an honorary mayor for the Para-Olympic Games. Additionally, he co-chaired the White House Task Force on Drug Use in Sports. He began his professional career in Utah as a teacher of at-risk high school students before joining the National Education Association political affairs staff in Washington, DC.
Mickey Ibarra has been honored with the prestigious OHTLI Award from the Government of Mexico, the Maestro of Leadership Award by Latino Leaders Magazine, the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Public Service by the California Latino Legislative Caucus and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Community Champion Award. Additionally, he received the inaugural Mickey Ibarra Medallion for Excellence in Government Relations from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2012. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and the University of Utah and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2007.
Mr. Ibarra is an acclaimed speaker and author, publishing his first book in 2015 titled Mickeyisms: 30 Tips for Success. His most recent book Latino Leaders Speak: Personal Stories of Struggle and Triumph, published by Arte Publico Press, features 33 keynote addresses delivered at the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series since 2004.
Ruben Alvarez
CEO, Latino Leaders Network
Ruben Alvarez is Co-founder and Managing Partner of Molera Alvarez, LLC, a government relations and public affairs firm based in Phoenix, Arizona. Molera Alvarez, named by the Arizona Business Journal as “one of the state’s best government lobbying firms”, has represented a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, non-profit groups and governmental entities, including Coca Cola, Anheuser-Busch, Aetna, HMS Host, Western Union, Hudson News, the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, the Arizona Indian Gaming Association and the University of Arizona.
Prior to forming Molera Alvarez, Ruben worked in the State of Arizona’s Executive branch for 12 years, last serving as Governor Jane Dee Hull’s Policy Advisor for Mexico and Hispanic Affairs. Ruben also served as the Governor’s Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and the Executive Director of the Arizona-Mexico Commission.
Mr. Alvarez graduated from Arizona State University (ASU) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Among his many involvements, Ruben currently serves on the Arizona Commission on the Arts, is Past Chair of CALA (Celebración Artística de las Américas – Artistic Celebration of the Americas), is a member of Board of Directors for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), is a Board Member and CEO of the Washington, DC based Latino Leaders Network, and is a national member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Board of Representatives.
Dr. Jane Carpenter-Rock
Acting Director, Smithsonian American Art Museum
Jane Carpenter-Rock is acting director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the flagship museum in the United States for American art and craft. She also oversees the program at the museum’s branch location for contemporary craft, the Renwick Gallery.
Carpenter-Rock joined the museum in March 2022 as the deputy director for museum content and outreach. Previously, she held several positions at the U.S. Department of State, including director of the orientation division at the Foreign Service Institute (2021–2022), acting director and deputy director of the National Museum of American Diplomacy (2018–2021), and public affairs officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Cape Town, South Africa (2013–2016).
Carpenter-Rock earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary, a master’s degree from Howard University and a doctorate from the University of Michigan. As a student, Carpenter-Rock participated in two of the museum’s prestigious programs: she was a curatorial intern through the museum’s advanced level program (1995–1996) and a predoctoral fellow (2000–2002). She is the author of Betye Saar, part of the David C. Driskell Series of African American Art (2003).
Ruben Barrales
Senior Vice President of External Relations, Wells Fargo
Ruben Barrales manages relationships with national advocacy organizations and works to advance Wells Fargo’s public policy priorities and reputation across the country.
Before joining Wells Fargo in 2019, Barrales was president & CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, and of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network. He also led a consortium of organizations focused on training and electing Latino and Latina candidates to public office.
Barrales served in the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of White House Intergovernmental Affairs for President George W. Bush.
Barrales was the first Latino elected to the San Mateo County (California) Board of Supervisors. He was recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine. Barrales was also honored with the “Ohtli Award” from the Government of Mexico for his commitment to improving the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. Barrales was honored with the LULAC Legislative Award in 2004.
