Institutional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Latine High School Student Leadership Conference
Rise and Lead with Authenticity / Elevate y Liderea con Autenticidad
Friday, May 3, 2024
The Latine High School Student Leadership Conference seeks to inspire, inform, and prepare Latine high school students to pursue their post-secondary educational goals. The conference includes motivational keynote speakers, informative and relevant workshops, and a resourceful college and career resource fair. High school juniors and seniors in high schools in Linn and Benton Counties are strongly encouraged to attend. Schools may also consider inviting sophomores and freshmen. The conference welcomes all students interested in attending a Latine-focused leadership conference.
Conference engagement opportunities:
- Linn and Benton Counties high school information and student registration
- Submit a conference workshop(s)
- Register as a college/university
- Register as non-profit community agency
- Register as industry/company/business
- Volunteer
Opening Keynote Speaker
Greg Contreras
CAMP Director
Portland Community College
From his roots as a migrant child to now serving Latine and migrant families on a national stage, Greg Contreras is the son of Goyo and Lala Contreras. Born into a migrant family, Greg remembers his parents dropping him off at the Migrant Head Start Program in Nyssa, Oregon while his parents worked in the onion and beet fields of Eastern Oregon. As a young teen, Greg also spent his summers alongside his family weeding and picking. His family introduced him to the work sombrero, and in return, Greg introduced his family to education – earning an Ontario High School Honors Diploma, Treasure Valley Community College associate degree, and Oregon State University bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. Greg has worked in higher education for 17 years and currently serves as CAMP Director at Portland Community College.
Closing Keynote Speaker
John Haroldson Suárez
District Attorney
State of Oregon
John Haroldson Suárez is the first Mexican-American District Attorney in Oregon. Raised in Mexico and the United States, John attended Law School in Oregon, and has served 36 years as a prosecuting attorney, and 17 years as the Benton County District Attorney. John is the only prosecuting attorney to receive the Oregon State Bar’s highest honor for professionalism. In addition to serving as Benton County District Attorney, John serves as Board Chair for the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute.
For additional conference information, email equitycenter@verastore.net.