Latino Leadership More Important than Ever as UnidosUS Strengthens Its Executive Team

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WASHINGTON, DC—At a critical time for the Latino community, UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza) announced recent changes to strengthen the organization’s leadership team, including the promotion of Rita Carreón to Vice President of Health, and welcoming Yvette Núñez as the Deputy Vice President of Communications and Marketing.

Rita Carreón will take on an elevated role as Vice President of Health. Since joining UnidosUS five years ago, Carreón has developed and grown the organization’s health programs with a strategic eye and cultivated strong relationships with leading public health institutions and partners. This includes expanding relationships with national funders like the Walmart Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to advance health equity and address the social determinants of health. She has also brought new allies to our work, including the National Institutes of Health’s COVID-19 Prevention Network.

Carreón’s leadership and external visibility as a trusted partner have been essential elements in guiding our swift and persistent public health response to COVID-19, all with a central focus on supporting UnidosUS Affiliates and protecting the health and well-being of our community.

Yvette Núñez joins the organization with more than 20 years of experience in communications and the nonprofit sector, with a specific focus on expanding economic opportunities for Latinos and low-income communities. In her role as Deputy Vice President, Núñez will be responsible for leading the strategy and implementation of integrated marketing and communications initiatives for institutional and issue-specific campaigns. She will also manage the day-to-day operations of the communications and marketing department, a team that is responsible for institutional communications, programmatic communications, policy communications, media relations, social media and digital communications, brand management, advertising, content creation and event/conference strategy and planning.

Núñez is no stranger to the organization’s presence in the community, having previously worked at two UnidosUS Affiliate partners in Philadelphia: Congreso de Latinos Unidos and Asociación de Puertorriqueños en Marcha (APM). Prior to UnidosUS, Núñez served as the vice president of civic affairs at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia where she led their social impact strategies, including advocacy communications, their poverty reduction strategy, nonprofit programs and diversity, equity and inclusion initiative.

Núñez will report to the Zandra Zuno Baermann, Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing, and Carreón reports to Sonia Pérez, Chief Operating Officer.