Ximena Gates Hartstock, CEO/Co-Founder, BuildWithin
Dr. Ximena Gates-Hartsock is a serial tech entrepreneur, co-founder, and Chief Executive Officer of BuildWithin, a venture-backed technology company located in Washington, DC. BuildWithin's platform streamlines the process of addressing skills shortage challenges for employers, governments and job-seekers. Previously, Ximena founded Phone2Action, which was acquired in 2019. She is a researcher, philanthropist, and the author of two software patents. With a background in education, Ximena has served as a former school principal and Assistant Superintendent of Instruction in Washington, DC. She currently holds executive board positions at the Washington Economic Club, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and The Consumer Technology Association, and advisory roles at the Center for Innovative Technology of the state of Virginia, the Migration Policy Institute, and the Gender and Policy (GAP) Center of George Mason University. Ximena has been featured in prominent publications such as Fortune, Forbes, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. Recently, she was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the 50 women in tech in the U.S. In March of 2024 she was featured in the documentary, 10 Chilean Women Changing the World. A native of Chile, she holds degrees in Literature and Philosophy from Chile and a Doctorate in Administration and Policy from the George Washington University.
Cid Wilson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)
Cid Wilson was named President & Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) in July 2014, where he manages a growing staff of talented, dedicated professionals. He leverages more than 30 years of corporate finance and Wall Street equity research experience to work closely with corporations, their CEOs and board directors, and chief diversity officers to increase the representation of Hispanics at all levels in Corporate America. In addition, he directs programs and initiatives aimed at encouraging Fortune 500 companies to increase Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America.
Wilson is considered one of the foremost national leaders on executive-level diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is a featured speaker at numerous annual convenings in the U.S. and globally as well as a source on the topics of diversity and inclusion on corporate boards, C-suite pipelines, CEO ascension, corporate acculturation, strategic board service, and inclusion empowerment. Wilson serves on the governing steering committee for the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, the Fortune CEO Council, the CNBC CEO Council, and the Wall Street Journal CEO Council. Wilson serves on the governing steering committee for the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, the Fortune CEO Council, the CNBC CEO Council, and the Wall Street Journal CEO Council.
Clarissa Ramon, External Partnerships Lead, Civil Rights, Google
Clarissa Ramon leads partnerships and program management for Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy, US Civil Rights team. The Civil Rights team leads engagement with national civil rights and multicultural organizations. She joined Google in 2015 to lead community engagement and government affairs for Google Fiber, an innovative home broadband product, in her hometown of San Antonio, TX. This role developed social impact partnerships promoting broadband access and close digital divide. She was previously on the government affairs and outreach team for Public Knowledge, a nonprofit tech policy organization based in Washington, DC. She has a Masters in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin and Bachelors in Political Science from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. She is Mexican-American and the proud daughter of former migrant workers.
Moderator - Diego Deleersnyder, Managing Director, Latinos and Society - Aspen Institute
Diego Deleersnyder is the managing director of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society program, where he leads the Latino Digital Success Initiative. This initiative focuses on enhancing Latino workers' and entrepreneurs' preparedness for the 21st-century digital economy.
With over a decade of experience in local capacity building, economic development, and urban policy, Diego has worked in the public and non-profit sectors across Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. At CIPPEC, a leading Latin American think tank, he led research and technical assistance projects on the gig economy, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and metropolitan policy coordination.
In Argentina's federal government, Diego spearheaded initiatives to bolster local economic development and capacity building of local governments, including launching the National Network of Productive Municipalities, a collaborative platform including over 400 local governments. In London, he served as an international development researcher at the UK Parliament and managed the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mexico.
Diego holds a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University, an MSc in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics, an MSc in Urban Economics from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, and a BA in Political Science from Universidad de Buenos Aires.