Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors consists of the elected Executive Committee members, all appointed or elected officers and the Immediate Past President. Our Executive Committee consists of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Parliamentarian, Financial Secretary, Immediate Past President and any other Executive Committee position established by the Board of Directors.
Juan Yniguez
President
Juan has over thirty years as an higher education administrator and policymaker, as an assistant dean at Stanford University, Senior Vice President for the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU), Executive Director of the Association of Private Postsecondary Education Colleges (APPEC), research analyst for the California Postsecondary Education Commission, and a program coordinator at UCLA’s Chicano Studies Research Center.
As an higher education administrator, Juan has served on many statewide and national committees and boards, such as Mathematics, Engineering, Sciences, Achievement (MESA), California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities State Executives (NAICUSE). Additional policy experience includes serving as a California Senate Fellow, legislative staffer and district office representative for State Senator Art Torres.
Juan has also served as a consultant with organizations such as the California Latino School Boards Association, Semillas del Pueblo (charter school), and City of Sacramento Thousand Strong (youth training program).
Juan has a long history of community service as Governance Committee chair of the Marymount California University Board of Trustees, executive director of the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project (CLYLP), president of the Sacramento Hunger Commission, Interim Vice President of Sustainable Wellness Solutions (a peer driven non-profit for people with mental challenges), and as a member and chair of local Catholic parish and diocesan committees.
Alexis Arriaga
President Emerita
Alexis Arriaga was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, and has been a resident of Sacramento since 2015. Alexis received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and earned her Juris Doctorate from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Alexis is heavily involved in the arts, as well as civic engagement. Alexis is honored to have been the first female President of United Latinos, and continues to carry out the mission of United Latinos and its members as United Latino’s President Emerita.
On April 12, 2024, Alexis was sworn in as a licensed practitioner of the law. The entire UL board is exceedingly proud of our President Emerita. Alexis Arriaga, Attorney at Law, further confirms the strength and contributions that Latinas provide to civil rights efforts.
Arturo Aleman
Vice President
& Co-Founder
Arturo is a key co-founder of United Latinos. His parents were community organizers with the California Service Organization (CSO) and their influence continues with him and his family. Arturo’s career began as a governor’s appointee with the State of California after returning from his tours in Vietnam. He has been responsible for implementing Equal Opportunities programs in State Government and has served as an executive in Departments like the Cal EPA and the Department of Parks and Recreation. He earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from Sacramento State University.
Cristina Mora
Treasurer
Cristina Mora was born in Texas but raised in Sacramento. She retired from the California State Chancellor’s Office California Community Colleges (COCCC). She also served as director of the Mathematics Engineering and Science (MESA) Program for UC Office of the President. She served on boards such as MECHA, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment, LULAC, Mexican American Addiction Program MAAP, and Washington Neighborhood Center during her adult life. She also served as a mentor to students enrolled in the PUENTE Program (Community College System) throughout the years. Cristina continues to collaborate with the community in any way she can to advance education, health and volunteerism of Chicanos/Latinos in the Sacramento area.
Michael Orosco
Board Member
Dr. Manuel Guillot
Executive Director
Dr. Manuel Guillot is a multifaceted leader whose career has been marked by tireless advocacy for underserved communities, a lifelong commitment to education, and a deep dedication to global progress and human rights.
Prior to joining United Latinos as Executive Director, Dr. Guillot held senior leadership roles in prominent Latino organizations, including serving as Chief of Staff to the first Hispanic elected to the Illinois State Senate, as well as leadership positions at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), the World Academy for the Future of Women, and the Sacramento City Unified School District.
His extensive experience—both in the United States and internationally—has positioned him as a leading voice in education, civil rights, human rights, and community development. A global thinker and compassionate changemaker, his work continues to drive meaningful impact at the intersection of social justice, global citizenship, and the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr. Guillot holds a Doctorate in Global and International Education from Drexel University in Philadelphia, and brings an educational lens to every aspect of his leadership.
Richard Falcon
Project Manager
Fifteen years in community organizing. Appointed to the Sacramento Police Review Commission (SCPRC), Chair of the UC Davis Staff Advisory Committee for Equity Diversity and Inclusion (SACEDI), President of the Artists of Color, active member of the Latinx Health Equity task force, active member of the Sacramento Latino Community Round Table, member of the City of Sacramento Task Force for Cultural Equity and the Arts, member of the Latinx Census subcommittee. Community partnership and collaboration with United Latinos, La Familia, Vida de Oro, Latino Center of Art & Culture. Owner of Teatro Nagual; a social justice theatre arts organization focusing on the core values of Cesar Chavez fostering service to others.