Ms. Yvette Lugo is currently serving as the Director for the Rio Grande Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a division of the Rio Grande Council of Governments. She has been an employee of the Council of Governments since March 2002. Yvette was originally hired with the AAA as the Caregiver Support Program Coordinator, was promoted to Programs Manager, and then was promoted to serve in her current position as Director. Yvette is a graduate of Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and the University of Texas at Arlington with a Master of Science degree in Social Work.

Yvette is also a Licensed Master Social Worker in the state of Texas.

Over 30 years of experience working on issues of gender and sexuality in academic, community, and clinical settings. Have trained hundreds of providers on LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency and Sensitivity, as well as advanced techniques for working with LGBTQ+ clients. Founder and Executive Director of the Borderland Rainbow Center and the Diversity and Resiliency Institute of El Paso. Clinical experience focused on LGBTQ Affirming Therapy, especially in terms of sexual and other traumas. EMDR trained provider, also proficient in trauma informed counseling modalities such as TF-CBT.

Vivian leads the National Council on Aging’s ecosystem of national and community partnerships, external engagement of NCOA’s policy priorities, and programs focused on vulnerable populations of older adults. For over a decade, Nava-Schellinger has used equity as a baseline principle of her work - whether working on large scale reimbursement programs in the private sector, securing funding for health literacy programs and driving Affordable Care Act (ACA) outreach in vulnerable communities, or advocating for greater health and economic security across the lifespan for underrepresented populations.

Vivian resides in Washington, DC, with her husband Jake, and their two rescue dogs (Fernando and Phil-Chepito).

Grace Ortiz is currently assigned as the Faith Based Community Engagement Specialist for Adult Protective Services of the Department of Family and Protective Services in El Paso. She has been with Adult Protective Services for 16 years and started out by working as an investigator for the Agency. She actively educates our community on how to protect the Elderly and Persons with disabilities on abuse, neglect and exploitation for the Austin- El Paso District. She was recognized as Investigator of the year in 2009. She has been employed with the State of Texas for 27 years and started working under Health and Human Services SNAP and TANF eligibility centers when she transferred to Department of Family and Protective Services.

Laura Ponce is currently the Executive Director for Project BRAVO, a Community Action Agency serving the County of El Paso, Texas. Project BRAVO assists more than 20,000 low-income and vulnerable El Pasoans on an annual basis. Laura strives to collaborate with poor, vulnerable, and underserved families to create healthy and empowered communities through her professional and volunteer endeavors. Laura graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.