2024 Achieving the Dream Scholarship Luncheon “Lunch with the Stars”

MAY 30, 2024

FCHCC celebrated the achievements of the 2024 ATD winners at this year’s ATD Scholarship Luncheon!

FCHCC’s Achieving the Dream Scholarship program was designed to assist Hispanic students continue their educational endeavors.

Check out photos from the luncheon here and read the recap article here!

If you want to learn more about our Achieving the Dream Scholarship Program, click here.

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Presenting Sponsor

Master of Ceremony

Tenekka Hughes
Anchor, CBS 47 & FOX 30 News Jax

Tenikka Hughes is a three-time Emmy Award-winning evening anchor with CBS47 & FOX30 Action News Jax. She was born and raised in North Carolina and has worked in television news for nearly 20 years with stops in Charlotte, Memphis and Macon.

Tenikka is a well-respected journalist, known for her authenticity, compelling storytelling and compassion for others. She also mentors young journalists across the country. Tenikka has a heart for children – spending countless hours reading to kids and promoting the importance of literacy and education.

She is also the driving force behind “Tenikka’s Books for Kids,” an annual book collection drive that has put nearly 30,000 free books in the hands of local children, in partnership with the Jacksonville Public Library. 

Tenikka graduated summa cum laude with an undergraduate degree in Mass Communications from Benedict College, an HBCU in Columbia, South Carolina. She also earned a Master of Journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park. Tenikka enjoys traveling and discovering great restaurants with her husband. 

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Presenting Sponsor

Jaguars Foundation

Whitney Meyer is the Senior Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer for the Jacksonville Jaguars. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the Jaguars community impact initiatives, including operations of the Jaguars Foundation, Inspire Change and Social Justice Initiatives and community activities in connection with local development projects.

She previously worked as the inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at the University of North Florida. In that role she advised University leadership on diversity, inclusion and racial equity pertaining to strategies and policies, learning and research, community relations and the recruitment, retention and admission of faculty, staff and students of color. Currently, Whitney serves on community boards such as the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, JAX Chamber Hightower Fellowship, and the World Affairs Council. She also is a frequent volunteer for the Friends of Boone Park South.

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Keynote Speaker

Andy del Rosal
Vice President Product Innovation & Liquid Quality – Global Supply Chain

Andy is responsible for Bacardi’s Product Innovation from research, development, introduction of new spirits and packaging, while working closely with the Maestros (Master Blenders and Distillers) of Bacardi Limited’s Brands upholding the Quality of their precious spirits.
Andy has one foot in the ever-changing creative word of Innovation & research, working closely with Bacardi Limited’s group Brand teams in enabling them to build out exciting new innovations and expressions. Paradoxically the other foot is in preserving Bacardi’s Brands’ history and heritage, supporting and developing the Maestros and the Next Generations of blenders and distillers that make Bacardi’s portfolio of spirits and ensure their excellent Quality.

Andy joined in Bacardi in 1994 and has had various roles in Bacardi from Quality to Production to Bottling to Research and New Product Development. He spent 5 ½ years outside of Bacardi where he worked at Cargill in Minneapolis MN heading up the Beverage Applications Lab and at Pernod-Ricard as the Director of New Product Development in Ft. Smith Arkansas.

Andy is based in Jacksonville, Florida where he continues to support his team in being fearless in leading and transforming Bacardi’s innovation approach. Bacardi is the largest privately owned international Spirits company that owns brands like Bacardi, Patron, Grey Goose, Bombay Gin, and Angel’s Envy Bourbon. Bacardi has a Bottling plant in Jacksonville and employs over 220 people locally.

Special Speaker

Yanira (YaYa) Cardona
Hispanic Outreach Coordinator
City of Jacksonville/Public Affairs

Yanira “Yaya” Cardona is a multifaceted entrepreneur, media personality, community leader and owner of YaYa Productions with nearly two decades of experience in events management. Her career in radio began at 17, propelling her into a prominent role as a community advocate.

Yaya first demonstrated her knack for event planning in 2006 when she organized “Hispanic Day,” an event that sparked her passion for cultural festivals. She founded “Latina Hot Summer Fiestas” at the Jacksonville Landing in 2015, which attracted over 10,000 participants and earned her commendations from Mayor Brown’s administration in 2014 for her contributions to the Hispanic community.

Yaya worked as a publicist for Universal Music Group Latino and Acoustyle Digital Marketing and Communications, where she collaborated with internationally acclaimed artists such as Juanes, Luis Fonsi, and Don Omar. She was instrumental in launching KQ 105.3, a bilingual radio station in Orlando, and “Urbana,” the first 24/7 Reggaeton station in the U.S. Which help launch Bad Bunny’s career in the U.S.

In 2017, she established Yaya Production LLC, through which she produces more than 30 events a year including Jacksonville’s exclusive Hispanic festival, “Viva La Fiesta,” the inaugural Hispanic Cultural Film Festival, and Art In The Park: Chalk Art Competition. Her outstanding service was recognized in 2019 with the First Coast Hispanic Chambers Rising Star award.

Beyond her event productions, Yaya is deeply involved in community service, organizing back-to-school drives, Thanksgiving turkey giveaways, Christmas toy distributions, and wellness events. She serves on several influential boards including the Florida Theatre Marketing Committee, Visit Jax DEI board, RAP Steering Committee, and more. Her client list includes notable organizations such as Blue Zones, Cultural Council, PGA Tour, Florida Theatre, James Weldon Johnson Park, and The Jessie.

Yaya was recently honored by the Jacksonville Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” for 2024 and was also selected as a member of Class 7 of the Hightower Fellowship, underscoring her influence and leadership in the community.

Yaya is also the official voice for Cre8Jax, where you can hear her every Thursday on WJCT 89.9FM reading the Cre8Jax list of events. On October 15, 2023, Mayor Donna Deegan honored Yaya Productions with a Proclamation for “Viva La Fiesta,” the sole Hispanic festival in Jacksonville. Yaya’s dedication to fostering unity is evident across all her activities, continuing to make her a pivotal figure in Northeast Florida and a beacon of inspiration. She recently assumed a groundbreaking role as the first-ever Hispanic Outreach Coordinator for the City of Jacksonville, appointed by Mayor Donna Deegan.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

Student	College	Major
Andrew Palma	University of Florida	Aerospace Engineering
Camila Isabella Pena	University of North Florida	Marketing
Carlos Balbuena Munoz	Georgia Institute of Technology	Mechanical Engineering
Chanttal Martinez	Colorado State University	Biological Science + DVM
Gretchen Garcia Cintra	University of Florida	Communication Sciences and Disorders
Marina Caraballo	American University	International Relations
Melody Angelica	University of North Florida	Sports Management
Mia Vazquez	University of West Florida	Fine Arts
Soleil Martinez	University of North Florida	Junior/Child Psychology
Veronica Shoff	Rollins College	Biology
Lucas Cardosa Bertran	University of North Florida	Mechanical Engineering

FCHCC’s Achieving the Dream (ATD) Scholarship 2024 Recipients were awarded at the “Lunch with the Stars” luncheon at Florida Blue
May 30, 2024

View the entire luncheon photo gallery here!

Purchasing a promotional ad for your business to appear in our Event program comes 3 different sizes:

• 1/4″ page (2-3/4″ x 4-1/4″ portrait orientation)
• 1/2″ page ad (5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″ landscape orientation)
• Full page ad (5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ portrait orientation)

All ads can be in color or black/white.

Prices are as follows:

• 1/4″ page ad – $100
• 1/2 page ad – $200
• full page ad – $300

All ads should be in either a .png or .jpg format.

Please keep in mind that promotional ads are included in the Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsorships (refer to the ATD Sponsorship packet for more information). NOTE: Ad purchases are sold separately.

About the ATD Luncheon

About the ATD Scholarship Program: The First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (FCHCC) has supported the education of Hispanics for many years with over half a million dollars in scholarships that have been awarded. Furthermore, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Jacksonville (FCHCC), is proud to have impacted the lives of more than two hundred fifty (250) earnest and qualified scholarship recipients during its 30+ years of existence.

FCHCC scholarship program; Achieving the Dream, not only enables students who have worked hard and achieved academic excellence to start or continue their education, it gives them the opportunity to become future successful entrepreneurs.

This year, FCHCC and its Community Development Fund plans to award $20,000 in scholarships valued at $2,000.00 to each deserving and competent Hispanic
Students of Northeast Florida.

We invite and encourage you to support these endeavors, together we can really make the difference, first in our communities and second in our own families. Come be part of this and together we can celebrate the achievements our Hispanic community has worked so hard for.

Presenting Sponsor

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Gold Sponsors

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Scholarship Sponsors

Jimenez-Bellisario Family Trust
Clark Vargas Scholarship

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In-Kind Sponsors

Support ATD

When you donate any amount to our Achieving the Dream Scholarship program, you become one of our Circle of Friends plus you’re helping deserved Hispanic students to continue their education. 

First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce congratulates the 2023 Achieving the Dream Scholarship Recipients! We wish them much success in their future educational endeavors!

Student Name	School	Major
Abigail Hernandez-Carias	University of Central Florida	Bachelors in Health Science
Jose Monteagudo	Yale University	Bachelors in Global Affairs
Sofia Arce	University of South Florida	Bachelors in Biochemistry
Mia Vazquez	University of West Florida	Bachelors in Musical Theatre
Marlene Silva-Juarez	University of North Florida	Bachelors in Nursing
Melania Carrigan	University of Central Florida	Bachelors in Civil Engineering
Soleil Martinez	University of North Florida	Bachelors in Psychology
Esteban Cano	University of North Florida	Masters in Music
Veronica Shoff	Rollins College	Masters in Biology
Andrew Palma	University of Florida	Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering

2023 Sponsors

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

TABLE SPONSORS

SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORS

Jimenez-Bellisario Family Trust
Jimenez-Bellisario Family Trust  in honor of Clark Vargas

GALA SPONSORS

IN-KIND SPONSORS

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2022 Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor:

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GOLD SPONSORS

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SILVER SPONSORS

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BRONZE SPONSORS

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SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORS

ATD Committee
Jimenez Bellasrio Family Trust
Monica Hernandez

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GALA SPONSORS

Ashley Smith Juarez & Alex Juarez
First Coast YMCA

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IN-KIND SPONSORS

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Alive Credit Union
Jacksonville Transporation Authority (JTA)

If you’re interested in becoming one of our Circle of Friends, click here!

Partners: