About Us
Despierta is a non-profit agency founded in Charlotte, NC. It was birthed out of passion to help the Latina community thrive. Being that Latinas are a very underserved population in Charlotte, we aim to empower Latinas by providing support services that can help individuals thrive and strengthen families.
The issue that was identified when working with Latina immigrants was primarily the lack of knowledge and access to community resources due to language barriers, low education levels, poverty, lack of social support, mistrust of the community, and other cultural barriers.
Our goal at Despierta is to be place where women can acquire the proper and effective tools to become self sufficient and resilient within the community. Immigrants suffer specific stressors and barriers related to establishing a new life in a foreign country. Despierta believes every Latina woman, regardless of her legal status, should have the support needed to thrive in our community.
We must RISE.
Bonita Rising Youth Program Director
Salvadoran American
Bachelor of Social Work from UNC Charlotte
Heidy Argueta
Founder & Executive Director
Colombian American
Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina
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Juliana Lozano, MSW, LCSWA
Jazmin Hermosillo-Aguilar, CHW
Maria Rodriguez
Admin Assistant/ Multimedia Specialist
Mexican
Bachelor of Psychology from UNC Charlotte
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Donna Johnson
Executive Coaching | Board Consultant
American
Bachelor in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University
Master in Education from Capella University
Currently pursuing a doctorate in Public Leadership from Capella University
Melissa (Metcalf) Le Roy
Chief Financial Officer
Bachelor in Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies at Western Carolina University
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Veronica Corral
Despierta Intern Therapist
Currently - Masters in Clinical Mental Health at UNCC
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Sadia Upright, PhD, LCMHC, CA, BCS, CSOT
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Board Certified Clinical Sexologist
Certified Juvenile & Adult Sex Offender Therapist
Forensic Psychology Specialist
Sex Therapist
Traumatologist
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Meet The Board Members
Meet Our team!
Emily Chaskelson
Support Services Committee
ELL Teacher-Myers Park High School
University of Kansas
Masters Degree from University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Emily was born and raised in Kansas City, spent some time in Chicago, and has resided in Charlotte since 2006. Her love of language and culture has driven her career, teaching English as a second language for nearly two decades. Emily ensures that her students have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Courtney Buggs, MSW, LCSWA
Community Outreach Committee
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Winthrop University
Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of South Carolina
Courtney was born and raised in Columbia, SC, and has lived in Charlotte since 2015. Her educational and professional background reflects her passion for working with diverse cultures. She currently serves as a Social Work Supervisor in the Atrium Health Women's Care Division, where she supports women on a daily basis.
Secretary & Health Education Committee
-Master of Science- Family Practice Nursing from Frontier Nursing University
-Bachelor of Science- RN from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
-Specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
Mary Kate Finnigan, NP
Lissette Velez
Board Member
Chief Strategy Officer of Velez Strategies
Ivette Ceballos MPH BSN RN
Board President
RN Program Coordinator
Levine Cancer Institute
Master of Public Health
Columbia Southern University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Georgian Court University
Ivette was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. Moved to the Queen city area back in 2018. Ivette's true passion lies in working with Hispanic/Latino communities and ensuring they have access to resources that empower them to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.