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Purposeful Leadership and Strategic Vision

Our Board of Directors is the strategic pillar that guides the course of Children First. This team is comprised of professionals with extensive experience in diverse industries, deeply connected to our mission and united by the vision of building a better future.

Thanks to their experience, wisdom, and guidance, we drive high-impact initiatives while always upholding our core values.

Learn more about the leaders who make up our

Kathy Vega

Board Chair

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Thays Morgan

Board Vice Chair

Shanti Gangadharan

Secretary

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John Allen

 

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Marcus Balbed

 

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Robert A. Rees, Jr.

 

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Dr. Michelle Robbins

 

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Celia Soriano

 

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Miriam Lopez

 

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If you are interested in learning more about our board members or exploring opportunities to join the cause (by invitation only), please contact Maite Fuertes at maite.fuertes@losninosprimerousa.org

Together, we can

continue making a difference, inspire change, and create a brighter future for Latino families.

Kathy Vega

Kathy Vega De Alba Ruiz serves as Board Chair of Los Niños Primero and brings more than 27 years of leadership experience in portfolio management, enterprise transformation, and organizational strategy. Following a 27-year career at Global Payments, she most recently served as Director of Portfolio Management, where she led enterprise initiatives focused on strategic planning, organizational transformation, and cross-functional collaboration.

In addition to leading the Los Niños Primero Board, Kathy previously served as Board Chair of DeKalb PATH Academy Charter School and as a board member of GALEO. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster and a passionate advocate for leadership, education, and community engagement.

Kathy is honored to serve as Board Chair of Los Niños Primero, where she brings her experience in leadership, governance, and collaboration to support the organization’s continued growth and impact.

What Inspires Your Commitment to Los Niños Primero? 

I have always believed that when children are connected to their unique gifts and given the opportunity to learn, they discover what is possible for their lives. The first time I met the children and families of Los Niños Primero, I was struck by the way the children looked me directly in the eye. They carried themselves with confidence, kindness, and a sense of possibility, and in that moment, I saw my belief reflected in their lives. I knew I wanted to help grow that mission because Los Niños Primero does more than provide educational support. It helps children discover their potential, strengthen their confidence, and create opportunities that can change the course of their lives, their families, and our community. It is an honor to serve as Board Chair.

Shanti Gangadharan

Shanti Gangadharan is an experienced product management executive and sales leader with over 15 years of leadership in the healthcare technology sector. Currently serving as the AVP of Product Management at HealthStream, she has played a pivotal role in driving innovation and strategic development within the company’s suite of products aimed at enhancing healthcare workforce development specific to the academic market. In this role, Shanti leads cross-functional teams to deliver impactful solutions that empower healthcare organizations, academic institutions and students to improve both clinical and operational performance. Before joining HealthStream in 2020, Shanti was the General Manager and Sales Leader at myClinicalExchange, where she was responsible for leading the company’s sales efforts and overseeing its strategic growth. Her work at myClinicalExchange involved forging key partnerships, driving revenue growth, and managing a diverse team focused on developing software solutions that streamline clinical education and training programs for healthcare institutions. In addition to her professional achievements, Shanti is an active advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and serves as a committed member of the DEI Committee at HealthStream, where she helps shape the company’s initiatives to create a more inclusive workplace culture.  She was also part of the Leadership Perimeter class of 2023 where she thoroughly enjoyed learning about her community and how she can make an impact. Outside of her corporate career, Shanti is also a passionate teacher, having dedicated over the past 17 years as a children’s education teacher. Her leadership in this space has allowed her to foster personal growth, mindfulness, and community-building, making a lasting impact on the lives of those she mentors while linking everything to basic human values. Shanti is deeply committed to blending her leadership in the corporate world with her personal values of empathy, equity, and service to others. She is passionate about empowering individuals and organizations to reach their fullest potential, both professionally and personally.

What inspires your commitment to Los Niños Primero?

I’m inspired to be part of an organization that leverages education to empower families that want to grow and prosper for future generations.

John Allen 

John Allen is EVP and CEO of Chronos Underwriters. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Georgia State University and an ARM designation. John brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his role, having previously served as Division Manager of AmRisc Agency Group after joining the firm in 2011. His experience also includes underwriting roles at Travelers, RSUI, General Reinsurance, and Axis. He also served as a wholesale broker for Peachtree Special Risk, and led as Head of Business Development and Marketing for Aspen Insurance Company. 

Marcus Balbed 

Marcus Balbed is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Global, specializing in the Strategy, Innovation, and Public Policy group (SIPP). With a strong background in strategy consulting across diverse industries, he excels in leveraging analytics to develop corporate strategy narratives for executives.

A recent graduate of Columbia Business School, Marcus was honored with the Columbia Fellows Scholarship, recognizing his exceptional leadership potential. His studies focused on Energy and Infrastructure, and he interned at a clean technology startup that is at the forefront of innovative battery technology aimed at decarbonizing the energy industry through grid-level storage.

At Deloitte, Marcus has been pivotal in launching new Climate and Sustainability services across the firm and has led market research projects at the intersection of mobility and manufacturing. His work includes projects for a Fortune 15 Auto Manufacturer and a Commercial Space Vehicle Manufacturer. Marcus has also conducted interviews with prominent figures, including a former astronaut and a sitting US Congressman.

Marcus began his volunteer work with Los Niños Primero in the 8th grade, observing the organization’s growth from 30 students per year to over 400. He now serves on the board as the Chair of the Development Committee, where he is dedicated to advancing fundraising initiatives for the next generation of LNP students and families.

What Inspires Your Commitment to Los Niños Primero? 

I believe LNP serves as the foundational step on a lifelong roadmap for Latino students and their families to achieve success in the United States.

Robert A. Rees, Jr. 

As CHRO, Robert oversees all aspects of human resources, its practices and operations including strategic business advisor to firm management; staff performance and compensation management; compliance and employee relations; administration and management of the firm’s 401(k) retirement savings plan and the firm’s insurance programs. He works closely with the Managing Partner, COO, Executive Committee members, Practice Group Leaders, and business services leadership teams to develop and execute strategic plans and develop Firm policies.

Robert has over 25 years of progressive HR leadership experience in multiple countries and industries. His experience in global HR operations includes total rewards programs, global mobility, scalability, and firm growth (e.g., organic and M&A). His industry experience includes automotive, logistics, utilities, pipelines, professional services and legal. He has launched offices in new markets; developed successful vendor relationships; managed numerous office openings; led the development and execution of a variety of HR programs; implemented technology and system enhancements; facilitated onboarding for mergers and acquisitions, and designing and administered total rewards benefits & compensation programs.

Robert’s passion is to partner with leaders to understand their business objectives, offer effective solutions, create policies and programs to solve personnel talent gaps, and to purposefully engage and develop talent across the organization. He believes that the Firm and our people deserve mutual respect, and a culture that values innovation, diversity, ethics, professional-development, and personal well-being.

He received his MBA from the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, and he was inducted as an honorary brother for Delta Sigma Pi’s international business fraternity (2019). He has served in multiple key Leadership positions including Vice President of the Liquid Pipeline Roundtable (2010 – 2012) and he served on the EMBA Alumni board for GSU’s Robinson College of Business where he spearheaded their leadership development programs (2013 – 2015).

Robert loves the outdoors, wildlife conservation, home renovation projects, exercise, traveling with friends and family, volunteering, and giving back to his community.

Dr. Michelle Robbins 

Dr. Michelle Robbins retired in 2023 as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University, focusing on Research Methods and Statistics. They currently serve as a part-time instructor at GSU, teaching qualitative research methods in education. Dr. Robbins is also an editor for the “Journal of Latinos and Education” and works as a courtroom interpreter. Additionally, they are an author of both fiction and non-fiction works.

Over the past five years, Dr. Robbins has been a keynote speaker at several prominent conferences, including the Critical Race Studies in Education Association Conference (2020) and the Educators Rising National Conference (2021). They presented “Entre Culturas: Sugerencias Para Padres Inmigrantes con Hijos Biculturales” at the 5ª Cumbre Educativa Para Padres y Estudiantes (2021) and “History as Counter Narrative: The Forgotten Cases of Chicano Resistance to U.S. Educational Subjugation” at the Southern History of Education Society Conference (2022). In 2024, they will present on “Developing Successful Consecutive Interpreting Skills Through Notetaking and Memorization Techniques” at the Mastering the Art of Medical Interpreting Conference.

Their recent publications include “An Interpreter’s Guide to Financial Freedom” and a book chapter on Mexican immigrant mothers in U.S. schools. They received the Teacher Excellence Award from GSU in 2023 and continue to advocate for Latino families in U.S. education.

What Inspires Your Commitment to Los Niños Primero?

Seeing the Latino children’s expressions of gratification and the parents’ pride in what they are accomplishing as a family is what inspires me to be a part of LNP.

Celia Soriano

Celia is a Senior Associate Program Manager at Workday, where she leads and develops innovative programs with her Digital Customer Success team. At Workday, she is also actively involved in hosting events that support the Latinx community within the office and the broader Atlanta area.

A former Los Niños Primero (LNP) student, volunteer, and MBM recipient, Celia now serves on LNP’s Board of Directors. Her dedication to the organization is evident in her successful efforts to foster collaboration between Workday and LNP. She is also pursuing higher education at Georgia State University.

Celia’s journey reflects a full-circle moment, as she acknowledges that her passion for lifelong learning and achievement began with the support she received from LNP. At 22, she attributes her success to the foundation LNP provided, from learning English to supporting her college education. Her achievements are a testament to LNP’s mission and its impact on her life.

What inspires your commitment to Los Niños Primero?

Los Niños Primero has been a family and safe place to dream of wanting a better life. I believe that my academic and professional achievements started with Los Niños Primero’s love and courage to advocate for my education and wellbeing.

Miriam Lopez

Miriam López is an attorney whose career has focused on advancing equitable workplaces and protecting workers’ rights. Now based in Sandy Springs, she spent nearly three decades practicing law in Los Angeles, representing employees, labor organizations, and multi-employer benefit plans. As co-managing partner of her law firm, she oversaw strategic planning and operations, led recruitment initiatives, and mentored new attorneys.

The daughter of Puerto Rican migrants and a first-generation college graduate and lawyer, Ms. López’s personal journey reflects the transformative power of education and opportunity. Her parents, who did not complete elementary school, instilled in her the values of perseverance, integrity, and lifelong learning. Her mother’s later achievement of a GED in the United States further reinforced Ms. López’s belief in education as a catalyst for empowerment and social mobility.

Ms. López’s professional and civic engagement extends beyond her legal practice. She has worked with the ACLU and the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee during national elections to help safeguard voting access and integrity. A longstanding community advocate, as an alumna of Princeton University, she has also led initiatives through the Association of Latino Princeton Alumni to support Latino students and early-career professionals across the country.

Guided by empathy and a deep commitment to social justice, Ms. López draws inspiration from her family, including her grandchildren, Javier and Diego. They inspire her ongoing dedication to advancing educational opportunity—values she brings proudly to the Board of Los Niños Primero.

What Inspires Your Commitment to Los Niños Primero? 

I am inspired by Los Niños Primero’s visionary leadership and holistic approach—empowering children while meaningfully engaging and supporting their families. Education is the cornerstone of opportunity and community strength, and LNP’s mission exemplifies that transformative impact.