Sandra Garcia
President
Sandra Garcia is a certified Project Manager at Prudential Financial in New
Jersey. She is responsible for managing annual updates to the Prudential
Disbursement Requirements and has oversight of the Financial Management
Vendor Management process. Sandra is also responsible for oversight of
business contingency planning for the Financial Management, Global
Marketing Communication and the Human resource areas. In her role as the
Business Continuation Officer, she is responsible for the advance planning
and preparation necessary to minimize loss and ensure continuity of
critical business functions. She also serves as the Records Executive for
various business groups. In her role as Records Executive, she is
accountable for implementing and monitoring records requirements for the
creation, retention, and destruction of records as outlined by Enterprise
records retention policies.
Sandra was first introduced to ALPFA at the 2005 Miami Convention. She was
so inspired by the professionalism and dedication of ALPFA members, that
she decided to become an active participant of the Newark ALPFA Chapter.
She served a two-year term as the Director of Events and is currently the
President Elect for the term starting in January of 2009. Sandra has a
Master of Science in Management Degree in from Thomas Edison State College.
Gabriel Rodriguez, Jr., CPA
Immediate Past President
Gabe is a senior manager in Ernst & Young’s Northeast Sub-Area Assurance and Advisory Business Services (AABS) practice. Gabe has 11+ years of diversified public accounting experience in external audit services and has provided accounting and auditing services to both publicly and privately held companies primarily in the consumer products, technology, telecommunications, manufacturing, and distribution industries. Gabe has extensive experience with US GAAP, SEC, and Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 compliance and reporting, and has assisted clients in filing registration statements in connection with initial public offerings. As an audit senior manager, Gabe is primarily responsible for the planning, coordination and execution of multi-location integrated audits, which includes SEC and SOX 404 compliance and reporting. Prior to beginning his career with Ernst & Young, Gabe completed a summer internship in the Asset Management and Accounting Group of Smith Barney, Inc. in New York City.
Since March 2006, Gabe has served as the President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities, add value, and build relationships for its members, the community, and its business partners while expanding Latino leadership in the global workforce. As President, Gabe works diligently and collaboratively with the ALPFA New Jersey Board of Directors to plan and coordinate the kinds of quality events that will bring its members the most value for their membership, with event themes focused on leadership, mentoring, networking, professional development, and community service.
Gabe is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA), and the Elizabeth Cuban Lions Club. Gabe is also co-chair of Ernst & Young’s New Jersey Diversity Steering Committee and is an active member of Ernst & Young’s EY/GOLD (Generating Opportunities for Latinos and Diversity) affinity group. Gabe received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the School of Business at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of New Jersey.
Gabe is very passionate about giving back to his community and has been instrumental in the development of students and young professionals. In his free time, Gabe enjoys playing golf, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Yesenia Cabrera
Vice President
Yesenia Cabrera, born to Puerto Rican parents, is a Manager, Financial Reporting at Prudential Financial, Inc. for the Life Insurance Division and has been with the company for 12 years. She is currently responsible for internal & SEC financial reporting for two life insurance companies and two reinsurance companies.
Yesenia began her career as an INROADS intern at Prudential as part of a four year rotational summer internship program commencing with her first year at Seton Hall University. However at the request of her supervisor each summer, Yesenia continued to work part-time through out the academic year for all four years. Upon graduation in December 1999 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting, she accepted a full-time position as an Accounting Associate in the Subsidiary Reporting, Corporate Division. Within less than a year, she was given the opportunity to become part of the GAAP Consolidation Dept where she accepted a Senior Accounting position in the External Financial Reporting Division for the entire company and was promoted to Accounting Specialist. After five years, Yesenia transferred to the Life Insurance Division as a Financial Analyst where she was promoted within a year to her current position.
Yesenia was first introduced to ALPFA when she was given the opportunity by Prudential Financial to attend the 2002 Convention in Orlando, Florida. She then attended the 2005 Convention in Miami, Florida where she was motivated and inspired to get involved with ALPFA and its New Jersey Chapter. Yesenia served as the Treasurer for the ALPFA NJ Chapter from May 2006 – October 2007. She also served as the Secretary from November 2007 – August 2008.
Maria Laura Rodriguez, CPA
Secretary
Maria Laura Rodriguez is an Audit Senior Manager at KPMG LLP. She has been with the company for 8+ years and has provided auditing services to public and private small/medium size companies, mostly manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnologies. She is currently in a rotational assignment in the Global Service Center, where she is helping to develop the materials to be deployed all over the world based on the KPMG audit methodology and is the contact for the Latin America region. Before joining KPMG, she previously worked for Deloitte & Touche (Auditing department) in Argentina and for Glencore Cereales S.A. (Glencore Grain) in Argentina as well.
Maria Laura received her Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Accountancy from Arizona State University West Campus and her Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy from Universidad Católica Argentina. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of New Jersey.
Maria Laura is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA). She is also a member of the KPMG Network of Women and the KPMG Hispanic/Latino Network.
Maria Laura joined ALPFA in 2008 and was elected Secretary of the Board at the end of such year.
Maria Laura enjoys dancing, traveling around the world and watching movies. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Irene Carpio
Treasurer
Irene Carpio works as Financial Analyst for Prudential Financial in Newark, NJ. She works for Separate Accounts in the Annuity area. She started working for Prudential in November of 2005 as an Accounting Associate and in less than 3 years Irene has been promoted two times.
Prior to Prudential, Irene worked for a manufacturing company as Office Manager for 8 years. She was responsible for bookkeeping, sales and inventory control. While working full time, she attended Rutgers University where she obtained her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Accounting.
Irene became a member of ALPFA in May of 2006. From the beginning, she became very involved with the ALPFA organization. She was elected Treasurer for the ALPFA NJ Chapter in November 2007. Irene was born in Riobamba – Ecuador.
Linda Bostel
Director of Events
Linda Bostel is an Audit Manager at Prudential Financial Inc., responsible
for audits of Corporate functions which include GAAP/SEC financial
reporting, tax reporting, actuarial, employee benefits administration,
payroll, accounts payable, etc. Linda has also audited several business
segments within Prudential that have included Investments, Group
Retirement, and Group Life Insurance and Disability. Linda has been with
Prudential since 1987.
Linda has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Seton Hall University,
and also holds a Series 7 designation. She began her audit career in the
banking industry and worked with two large NJ commercial banks before
joining Prudential. Earlier in her career, she also sold residential homes
and mortgage loans to low income families in the Union County area, most of
whom were Hispanic.
Linda has been a member of ALPFA since 2005, and strongly believes in the
positive message and impact they have on the community in bringing together
individuals of all diverse backgrounds to support the community.
Director of Student Affairs
Role currently vacant!
Wilson Lopez
Director of Technology
Wilson Lopez is a Media Systems Coordinator at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, NJ, a $10B not for profit organization that provides $500M+ annually in health related grants. At RWJF, Wilson provides information communication support to professional and executive staff. He is also responsible for video production/reproduction services, intranet support, and consults national program offices on the use of information communication technology to enhance and create efficiencies.
Wilson is a graduate from Rutgers University’s School of Communication, Information and Library Studies in New Brunswick, New Jersey where he received a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in Communication. While at Rutgers, Wilson was a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), where he was directly involved in the promotion of events and activities for various university groups and organizations. Prior to his studies at Rutgers University, Wilson attended Mercer County Community College and graduated in 2003 with a double Associates of Science degree in Television Productions and Communications.
Wilson became a member of the ALPFA NJ Chapter in September 2006. Wilson is currently the Director of Technology and Chairs the Technology Committee.
Camilo T. Guerra, CPA
Director of Member Relations
Camilo Guerra is a Manager, Financial Reporting at Prudential Financial, Inc. for the Annuities Finance Division and has been with the company for 10 years. He is currently responsible for profit center reporting for the Annuities Segment, which includes management reporting, SEC reporting and SOX compliance and reporting. Camilo worked in the following areas at Prudential before joining Annuities Finance: Broker-Dealer Reporting, Subsidiary Life Reporting, Individual Life Reporting, and PSI Legacy Finance.
Before joining Prudential, Camilo worked for the Bank of New York in Commercial and Consumer Lending. He graduated from Montclair State University in 1997 where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and earned his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in 2002.
lliana Estrada , CPA
Deputy Chair of Student Affairs Committee
Iliana Estrada is a Tax Associate for Ernst & Young’s Northeast Sub-Area. She contributes to the planning, delivery, and execution of tax services. Her experiences include FAS 109, FIN 48, Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404, state and local, and federal tax issues. She is heavily involved in community service and her Church where she is currently serving as Secretary of Finance and Music Director.
Before joining Ernst & Young, Iliana interned for Lehman Brothers International Europe in London. She is a recent graduate from Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Science in Professional Accounting. While at Seton Hall, she co-founded the Seton Hall Union of Cuban American Students and served as Treasurer for two consecutive terms. She was also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi.
Since 2004, Iliana has been a member of ALPFA. As Deputy Chair of the Student Affairs Committee, she plans to mentor and develop student leaders at the college level and increase membership and student involvement.
Paola Fernandez
Deputy of Student Affairs
Paola Fernandez is a first year audit associate at Ernst & Young. She works in the Assurance and Advisory practice serving clients in the manufacturing industry. She graduated from the Rutgers Business School in Newark, NJ where she served as secretary of the Rutgers Accounting Society and consulting officer for the Students of ALPFA Rutgers Newark Chapter. Paola joined ALPFA in 2005 and currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Student Affairs Committee. She enjoys working with the students as they show a great attitude and enthusiasm to bring successful and beneficial events on campus. Paola pledges to continue her support for ALPFA for many years to come.
Terry Perry
Deputy Chair of Student Affairs
Terry is a Financial Analyst with Johnson & Johnson, within their Customer Financial Services division. He focuses on providing them with risk assessment and financial analyses for their current and potential external clientele, as well as maintaining their current business relationships. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, he interned at Philip Morris USA, worked for two years as a Lead Credit Analyst and worked in Citi’s Investment Services division. Terry is an alumnus of Essex County College, where he was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and graduated from Kean University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance.
Terry became a member of ALPFA in May of 2007 and has shown enthusiasm and dedication towards ALPFA’s continued success. He currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Student Affairs Committee, with a focus on developing and maintaining the relationship with ALPFA and New Jersey’s County Colleges.
Claudia Gonzales, CPA
Deputy Chair of Events
Claudia is a Senior Associate in the Asset Management business at Prudential Financial, Inc. She is primarily responsible for the preparation of GAAP Financial Statements as well as the monitoring and compilation of monthly results for the business unit.
Prior to joining Prudential, Claudia began her career in the New York Audit Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. Claudia has 3+ years of public accounting experience and has provided accounting and auditing services to both publicly and privately held companies primarily in the Banking & Capital Markets Industry.
Claudia has been an Association of Latino Professional in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA) member for over 4 years and currently serves as Deputy Chair of Events in the ALPFA New Jersey Chapter. Prior to joining as Deputy Chair, Claudia actively served on the Marketing and Communications Committee for the ALPFA New York Chapter.
Claudia holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rutgers University and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New Jersey. She is also a member of the AICPA and the New Jersey State of Society of CPAs. Claudia is passionate about giving back to the community and has participated in many programs to help youth including Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
