Scholarship Chair

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Dr. Catherine Olivarez is Chair of the LIP Scholarship Committee and the current Parliamentarian for the HWNT Dallas chapter. In addition, Dr. Olivarez is the Dean of Transfer, Articulation, and Alternative Credit Programs at Dallas College, where she is responsible for maintaining transfer partnerships with universities in the region, developing opportunities and access to credit for prior learning, and overseeing the college’s first-year experience program for Latina/o students, called Ascender.

HWNT Chair-Elect

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Laura is a Dallas native of Ecuadorian descent. As a first-generation student, Laura understands how vital education is and strongly believes in paving the way for our future young generations. Her passion for helping others was installed at a young age and still holds a special place in her professional and personal life. Previously, she worked in education and had the privilege to help both students and parents understand the educational systems in Texas and the great opportunities they offer. The advice she received from a former colleague still resonates and fuels her passion to help others, "when you see first-generation students, remember your journey and be the advocate both you and your parents desperately needed and deserved." She later switched her career path to healthcare and currently works in the Digital and Virtual Health realm at Texas Health. She obtained her master's from Louisiana State University in the Fall of 22'. She has been a part of LIP as a mentor for a few years now and serves as the EOY coordinator. Laura also currently serves as the Secretary on the HWNT Board. 
End of Year Committee Co-Chairs
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Marlene Yepez-Porras and Veronica Martinez are co-chairs to our End of Year Ceremony.  Every May we have the honor and privilege to host an amazing event to award our LIP graduates for their dedication to the program. 

Marlene, born in Ecuador, devotes her entire professional career to Parent Engagement within Dallas ISD. Veronica, a proud graduate of GPISD, selflessly volunteers her time with the LIP program, empowering young Latinas to pursue their aspirations. The End-of-Year (EOY) ceremony serves as a culmination of the outstanding efforts and unwavering support our volunteers have provided, guaranteeing that our students can revel in the celebration of their remarkable accomplishments.
2022-2023 Mentors:

Mentors & Committees

Mentorship Program:
The Mentorship Program and LIP Committees are composed of dedicated volunteers who help LIP students strengthen their leadership skills. 
  • Students have access to established professional mentors who will help foster confidence, as well as allow learning through role modeling, and offered valuable advice and support, along with resources for their overall pursuits. 
  • Team Leads interact and communicate with mentees to ensure retention in our program and aid with college preparation.
  • Mentors participate and attend all seminars, Mentor Convocation, End-of-Year Ceremony, and all other activities as desired.
  • All mentors should be members of the HWNT organization. 
  • All LIP alumni are invited to return and join the HWNT organization. 

​Committees:
LIP has various committees that help serve and support the LIP Program. These typically meet during certain dedicated times. If any of these committees interest you, please see below.

End-of-Year Committee
  • This committee focuses solely on all preparations for the end-of-year ceremony. At this ceremony, scholarships are awarded to qualifying LIP students and this allows HWNT and LIP to celebrate all students' achievements. 
  • Meets once a month, typically November- May
Scholarship Committee
  • This committee reviews all criteria for eligible students and selects recipients to be awarded. All members of this committee are not associated or hold any relationships with LIP scholarship candidates. (i.e., parent or mentor)
  • Meets towards the end of the program, typically February -May

Volunteers:
You do not have to be a mentor to join a committee. We understand you might face time constraints due to other obligations and perhaps you cannot commit the time to be a mentor, but there are other areas you can help in. We count on the support of our volunteers in other avenues like chaperones for trips, contributions for snacks, or providing food for specific events, or perhaps you are a subject matter expert regarding the topics we cover at seminars and can provide expert advice on a panel. We are grateful for your help and support in any capacity!