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SLBEF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

One of the highest honors within our fraternity is the opportunity to volunteer your time and talent to Sigma Lambda Beta’s Education Foundation (SLBEF). Following are descriptions as well as the requirements and expectations of our volunteer Board of Trustees positions. If you have questions about these positions, you can send them to contact@slbfoundation.com.

SLBEF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The SLBEF Board of Trustees (BOT) develops the strategy and plans to meet the mission of the SLB Education Foundation. They are also active participants in the execution of those plans through their own initiatives or through existing committees.​

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JAIME BENITEZ

Jaime “Empresario” Benitez is an alum of the Nu Gamma Chapter at the University of Houston - Downtown, where he served as treasurer on the Executive Board. Jaime holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and minor in Human Resources. He is currently employed at BNY Mellon as a Client Service Manager.

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CELESTINO CARREON

Celestino Carreon is an alumnus of the Nu Beta Chapter at Bowling Green State University. He holds a master's degree in Teacher Education from Siena Heights University and a bachelor's degree in Education from Bowling Green State University. Celestino is the founder and CEO of Rainbow Admin, a Salesforce consulting company that delivers tailored solutions to businesses and non-profits.

Throughout his nearly 20-year involvement with the fraternity, Celestino has held multiple roles. Notably, he served as an Assistant Regional Director for the East Region and assisted in re-establishing the DFW Alumni Network. Celestino's dedication to the fraternity and his professional expertise underscore his commitment to fostering growth and excellence within the brotherhood.

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SAM CENTELLAS

Sam Centellas is an alum from the Epsilon Chapter at Western Michigan University. He holds a master’s degree in Education from Grand Valley State University and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Western Michigan. He is currently the Executive Director of CDFI Friendly in South Bend, Indiana and does organizational, leadership and fundraising consulting through his company OutSight Design. 

Sam has held various fraternal leadership positions and is a former President of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. He serves as a general member on the Board of Trustees focusing primarily on fundraising activities and communications.

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DANIEL NAVARRO

Daniel Navarro is an alumnus of the Zeta Beta Chapter at the University of Florida. Born and raised in south Florida, he holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition and a dual Masters in Health Services Administration and Public Health.  Professionally, Daniel spent 12+ years in healthcare management and is currently responsible for the leadership, management and strategic development of a multispecialty Ambulatory Surgical Center in Doral, Florida.

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Daniel has served in multiple fraternal roles both at the undergraduate and graduate level including Chapter President, Regional Director, and founding New Membership Educator for the expansion at Florida International University.

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JOHNATAN RIVERA

Johnatan Rivera is an alumnus of the Phi Beta Chapter at the University of Washington, Seattle. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in Finance, and is currently employed as a Financial Analyst at Cargill, Inc.

 

Johnatan has held several fraternal positions, including Chapter Secretary and President. Currently he serves as Assistant Regional Director of Northwest Region and NW Regional Representative of the Ritual and Education Committee. He is excited to work with the BOT to continue to support Brothers and Entities nationwide.

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STEVE SOLIZ

Steve Soliz is an alumnus of the Gamma Chapter at Illinois State University.  He holds a master’s degree as an alumnus from the University of Illinois-Chicago, receiving his M.B.A. with a dual concentration in Business Analytics & Marketing.  Steve is currently a Sr. Manager of Analytics at Newell Brands, managing a team of seven who use advanced analytics to drive consumer insights. 

 

Steve served in multiple fraternal roles at Gamma Chapter including Chapter President, Vice President, and created the Alumni Coordinator role which he held his senior year to establish more alumni activity and programs with the current undergraduate members.

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LUIS SUIRA

Luis Suira is an alumni of the Rho Gamma Chapter at The University of Tampa. He holds a master's degree in Latin American and Border Studies from UTEP and a bachelor's degree in Government and World Affairs. 

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Luis has held multiple fraternal roles, most notably assisting in the creation of the Paso del Norte Alumni Network, serving as its Executive Secretary, and serving on the Civic Engagement Committee nationally. Luis is a Brother who has dedicated himself to serving the Brotherhood to see it reach its full potential.

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MICHAEL WALKER

Michael Walker is an alumnus and founding member of the Phi Epsilon Chapter at Saint Leo University. He holds an MBA in Data Analytics, a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics. He is currently employed at Citibank as Vice President in Data Management.

 

Mike has held numerous positions in undergrad and as an alumnus. He served on the Finance Committee and presented at BetaCon and co-facilitated Leadership Instute. He currently oversees the Communications Committee. Mike is passionate about giving back to the brotherhood, his community and uses his professional experiences to help the work along.

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RICARDO ZAMUDIO

SLBEF Chair | rzamudio@slbef.org

Ricardo Zamudio is an alum from Alpha Chapter at the University of Iowa and is one of the original founders of Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and a minor in Computer Science. He currently works for State Farm Insurance.

Ric has held various fraternal positions including President, Vice President of Programming and Finance. He was instrumental in establishing the Sigma Lambda Beta’s Education Foundation in 2002 and served as the Chair until 2009. He served as a general member on the Board of Trustees from 2010 to 2015, and once again took on the chair position in 2016.

BOT Member Requirements and Expectations

Requirements to be a BOT Member:

  • A brother of Sigma Lambda Beta, in good standing.

  • Undergraduate degree at a minimum.

  • History demonstrates an on-going desire and willingness to give of time, talent, and treasure

  • Experience in a post-undergraduate fraternal role within Sigma Lambda Beta or as a Sigma Lambda Beta Education Foundation committee member (pre or post undergraduate).

  • Prior work and/or fraternal experience demonstrates ability to lead and deliver successful results.

  • A working knowledge of the Sigma Lambda Beta Education Foundation and a willingness to deepen that knowledge.

  • Agreement and willingness to meet the stated expectations and work approach of the BOT.

  • Previous knowledge or experience working with a foundation or 501(c)3 non-profit organization is not required, but desirable.

  • Commitment to complete the "Nonprofit Board Member Essentials Certificate" on nonprofitready.org prior to starting term as a board member. 

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BOT Expectations:

  • Always be a fundraiser.

  • Understand you are always representing the SLB Education Foundation.

  • Actively attend and engage in all BOT meetings.

  • Give the courtesy of a 4-day or shorter turnaround time when responding to Foundation related emails, texts, etc.

  • Take ownership of your work items and drive them towards completion.

  • Collaborate with other BOT or committee members proactively as needed.

  • If you oversee a committee, take ownership of leading all facets of the team (size, meeting frequency, assignment of work, etc.) as well as accountability for the delivery of committee results.

  • Consistently deliver with quality.

  • On-going actions demonstrate your willingness to give the Foundation each of your 3Ts: Time, Talent, and Treasure.

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