Cesar Rolon Jr - Executive Producer

Cesar’s past and present affiliations include: Chicago Latino Film Festival, Illinois Latino State Legislative Caucus, Aspira of Illinois, Lulac Midwest, YMCA of Chicago, Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition, Chicago Public Schoos, the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association and the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Cesar has obtained and worked with clients such as Chicago of Chicago, Miller Brewing Company, Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, Univision Television Variety Show Sabado Gigante, ABC Television, National City Bank, Charter One Bank, Sears, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Motor, Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, Metropolitan Pier & Expo, North Michigan Avenue Association, Puerto Rican Parade of Chicago, United States Hispanic Summit, Microsoft, Sally Beauty Supply, Sony Discos, Universal Music, McCormick Spice and Barcardi Spirits, just to name a few.

As the CEO of Imagen Marketing Consultants Cesar cliental lists continues to grow. In October of 2007 Cesar launched the 1st. Chicago Latino Fashion Week, the only one of its kind the United States. Since its inception local designers have received national recognition, awards and product placement and contracts with Macy’s Department stores. This year Chicago Latino Fashion Week will launch an online magazine and shopping store. Cesar plans to launch a national health, beauty, fashion and educational trade show in March 09.

Arabel Alva Rosales is an entrepreneur that has been described in Chicago Magazine as a “Renaissance Woman” because of her ability to talk about what is happening on Wall Street, discuss global issues and care about what is happening in our communities. She also is known to have a critical eye for art and fashion. She is known for genuinely loving her life and not being afraid of bringing together highly skilled teams to achieve what others deem impossible. She considers herself “bilingual and bicultural.”Her life is a great representation of the American success story. With both her parents being of Mexican descent, they instilled a strong work ethic, a clear sense of self, and a belief in a higher good that has Sheppard her through the best and the worst of times.

Arabel truly enjoys utilizing her national and global contacts to create events that bring together high level, worldly movers and shakers that can make a historical impact. That is why she created AAR Enterprises, an events company that gets involved with “legendary events only”. AAR is involved once or twice a year in events that have a historical impact. She gives herself the opportunity to get involved in events that she is truly passionate about, especially those that create a positive impact on our global community, especially with regards to business. This year, AAR Enterprises supported the U.S. Premier of “A Secret to Share: Mesa de Moctezuma,” which brought to the Field Museum, and the U.S., the dinner and ritual that Moctezuma presented to Cortez. AAR Enterprises, LLC., is also the Managing Producer for Chicago Latino Fashion Week, which helped cement Chicago’s stamp on the Fashion map when last year it was initiated for the first time in U.S. history.

Brazilian-born Kimberley McArthur grew up in Latin America, arriving to the U.S. in 1993, with her professional career in Chicago focusing primarily on media, entertainment, business development and Hispanic marketing and promotions. As an integral member of the Multicultural practice at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, she leverages her diverse background to create media and promotional campaigns for major corporate clients looking to break into the U.S. Hispanic market. From grassroots community and influencer-outreach programs to national media campaigns and internal communications, she has worked with a variety of health care, food, nutrition and consumer-packaged goods clients. She is also the owner of Canela Entertainment Group, LLC and recently produced, edited and directed her first documentary short, "Amor: Necesidad Biologica" which premiered in the 24th Chicago Latino Film Festival (2008). Kimberley is very active in the Chicago political, media and civic communities, working closely with local chambers of commerce, health, arts and community organizations as they increasingly engage with the Latino community.

Luis Cruz currently serves as the President of the Marketing, Media and Technology Company he founded Good Group LLC. As President his responsibilities include developing the companies overall business strategies as well as overseeing their execution. Good Group is the parent company to Good Visual Studios, a fast growing internet marketing and web development. Other entities under the good group umbrella is good publishin which current published Latin Webzine, GoodLife, and Latino Fashion Weekk Magazine.

Luis is a Founder Father of the Omega Delta Professional Fraternity which was established in 1997 at the University of Illinois in Urban Champagne. This innovative organization is committed to building young men into professionals who can contribute to our society. His leadership extended to his post college years as he was a founder of the National Organization and has served on the National Board since its inception. Luiis leadership has been well documented as he has served as National President, National Vice President, National Director of Expansion and currently serves as the National External Vice President. His leadership has played an integral role in the success of this fast growing organization. Luis is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Omega Delta Professional Network which hosts a variety of professional and social network events in the Chicagoland area.

Luis is passionate about giving back to the community. In addition to his philanthropy activities within Omega Delta, Luis continues his commitment to community service by serving on various Charitable Advisory Boards. Currently Luis serves on St. Jude’s Hispanic Advisory Board and Chicago Boys and Girls Club Board of Managers. Additionally he founded ChicagoToyDriveorg an organization which provides inner city children with toys during the Holiday Season. This cause has delivered over 10,000 gifts in the last ten years and continues to grow.

Luis graduated with a Bachelors of Sciences in Computer Engineer from the University of Illinois in Urbana. He has 12 years of software development, project management, media creation, marketing and event management experience. Luis currently serves as an Associate Producer and is the Director of Internet Marketing, Media and Technology.

Yanira Garza started her career as a part time model while studying Fashion Design in Chicago. After an internship with CFM (www.chicagofashionmagazine.com), she became their Fashion Editor in the matter of months. In the past few years she has also been a make up artist for Chanel, Maven, and most recently Shiseido. With a background in design and cosmetics, Yanira has teamed up with several photographers and MUAs to create a bigger fashion awareness in Chicago. She specializes in wardrobe styling, fashion consulting, and fashion show production.

Establishing DHS Spa & Boutique which is an upscale full service salon in Chicago’s Wicker Park… together with my creative team members we are winners of the Hair Wars 2002 & 2003, awarded Salon of the Year and Avant Guard Fashion Designer of the Year at the Chicago Fashion & Beauty Awards. Exclusive Salon Sponsor for the Miss & Teen Illinois USA Pageant, and Chicago Latino Fashion Week 2007 / 2008.

Today, I am proud to say that I am a licensed Nail Technician, Licensed Esthetician, a degree in Fashion Design, have participated, created and produced countless fashion shows and beauty pageants, Visionary for the production of numerous Calendars, Photo shoots and Magazines. Also, awarded La Raza & Staples Premio Empresarial 2007 (Entrepreneur of the year 2007) nominated by the Puerto Rican Chamber, it was a great honor out of five awards being the only nominated and winning female business owner.

With all that I have accomplished in my short thirty+ years, I would have to say that “I am just getting started!”

Associate Board Members

Guatemalan-Chinese Fashion Designer Anna Fong’s talent, creativity and name is quickly becoming a sensation in celebrity circles and is among the young rising stars of new designers destined for international stardom.
Borrowing from her unique heritage Anna is bringing fresh new concepts in the world of fashion that exudes traditional elegance and sophistication with a flare for the international contemporary design that speak uniqueness in a woman’s style.                                                                       
After working in New York at Chaps Ralph Lauren licensee design house, where she gained professional experience in the fashion industry, Fong decided to return to Chicago to pursue her own business. More

Carol Pinero - Designer

Carol Piñeiro, native of Puerto Rico, has nurtured her designer’s heart since the age of 11. Design studies include, Liceo Art & Technology in Puerto Rico, F.I.T. in New York, and ultimately, receiving her degree in Fashion Design at the International Academy of Design & Technology in Chicago. She interned with the renowned designer, James De Colón for 3 years and has participated in several fashion shows throughout her career; including, Telemundo’s fashion show at the Auto Show, and the 1st annual Chicago Latino Fashion Show in 2007. Carol’s designs accentuate a woman’s delicate curves and she compares it to that of a flower. Though Carol has served on the design team for JC Penney’s Private Brand in Texas, specializing in intimate apparel; her heart remained in Chicago, and she recently returned to reside in Chicago. Carol has come back to her passion, designing for the sensual, yet casual woman.

Diana Palomar Scott is Vice President of Community Affairs for ABC 7 Chicago responsible for guiding the station’s public service efforts and on-air PSA campaigns.  She works with the non-profit community to help them enhance their media/marketing efforts, resource development and advocacy.  As ABC 7’s representative she relays the community’s issues and concerns, working with station management/staff to heighten awareness and promote dialogue in order to better serve viewers with a broad informed scope of relevant stories and programming.  Helping convey stories to the newsroom that are important to the community is a top priority.  She also works with local groups on how to access media, navigate newsrooms and invite media sponsorships.  

She nurtured her passion for community relations in the early 1990’s working for Prime Cable (now Comcast Cable) and developed, among other things, an on-air community calendar unique to cable at that time and hosted the company’s quarterly on-air infomercial presenting subscribers with the latest information on cable technology and its impact on the consumer as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the cable company.

Elda De La Rosa is well known in Chicago for her beautiful handmade creations. She personally works with each client from first sketches to fabric selection, muslin and fitting process to the final customized garment. Elda creates elegant outfits for all occasions, specializing in Cocktail, Evening, Bridal and Commitment Ceremony ensembles. Elda De La Rosa creates striking, intricate designs that have a powerful presence and an extraordinary flow. Each of her dresses has its own individual personality, and reflects the bold beauty and style of the women who wear them.

Elda De La Rosa has been sewing since the age of 13 and can create elegant outfits with both technical and hands-on methods. Her passion for the arts and her creative vision has helped her establish a thriving business with a loyal clientele. The fitting process and the coherence of design with fabric, she strongly believes, is the most important aspect of creating a successful garment.

Elda De La Rosa’s work has been recently featured in the Rush/Presbyterian Fashion Show and the Apparel Industry Board’s Chicago is…Red Hot! Fashion Show as part of the city’s Fashion Week celebration in Millennium Park. She is widely regarded as one of Chicago’s best and brightest designers. Her dresses have been featured on NBC news and the Bridechicago.com annual networking event, and she herself has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Social Bride and Chicago Bride Magazines. For the third year in a row, she has created eveningwear for the Giordano Dance Company, and is currently working on her Fall 2008 designs. She has been in business since 2001, and works from a boutique located in the arcade of the historic Edgewater Beach Apartments, a space which reflects her poetic style and sense of aesthetic.

Chicago-based couturier James De Colón is a native New Yorker with strong ties to his homeland San Juan, Puerto Rico. Born in the Bronx, he is the youngest of five children.  At an early age, his fashion-savvy older sister influenced him to pursue the visual and performing arts because of his ability to sketch and his fascination with ballroom dancing and musicals.

Because women were the dominant forces in his family, they became his first “models.”  Due to De Colón’s artistry, they were the arbiters of fashion in their community.  He later enrolled at one of the most prestigious colleges in America, the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) in New York City.  After college, he spent a great deal of time as a freelance designer in New York before moving to Puerto Rico, where he opened his San Juan boutique De Colón & Garcia.  His designs for the boutique were highly recognized and well received among Puerto Rico’s fashion community.

Maritza Santibanez - Edelman PR

Maritza Santibáñez is a native of Mexico, but considers Chicago her hometown given that she’s lived in the Windy City since the age of 10. She grew up between the neighborhoods of Pilsen and Little Village before she moved to the East Coast to continue her education. During her junior year in college she had the opportunity of studying abroad at Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. She obtained her B.A. from Brown University, where she majored in Hispanic Studies and Portuguese and Brazilian Studies. She currently works at Edelman PR Worldwide in their Multicultural Practice where she focuses on national and local media outreach for clients such as: Abbott, Butterball, Texas Beef Council and Speaking of Women’s Health. She also volunteers with the Pilsen Neighbor’s Community Counsel and their Fiesta del Sol Scholarship Committee and the Hispanic Scholarship fund, both of which she was a recipient.

With her finger on the pulse of the hottest new trends, hometown designers and local artist synergies, Melissa is turning our city sidewalks into see-and-be-seen catwalks.

A die-hard Chicago shopper, Melissa can be found pounding the pavement in search of new trends, designers and deals at shops around the city. From large department stores to one-off neighbourhood boutiques, Melissa seamlessly marries the two offerings in the annual event, Fashion Focus Chicago, which takes place each autumn. Melissa found a new case to make: launching Chicago into the international fashion limelight. Melissa currently serves as the Department of Cultural Affairs director of fashion arts and events.

Jamie Escalante - Director of Photography

Escalante has been a professional photographer for over 20 years and has shot high fashion, editorial and commercial work. Born in Mexico and raised in the USA , and having both cultures as a influence on his upbringing and his creative visions.

He got his start in photography as a sophomore in high school, in southern Texas and continued his photography education at Columbia College in Chicago. He first became interested in photography by way of photographing people to serve as a reference when he would paint and draw portraits. When exhibiting his art, Escalante would show both his own painted and drawn artwork as well as the photograph. Soon, Escalante was receiving more calls for photography then for his paintings and sketches.

Escalante has been a test photographer for fashion agencies since 1987, and he currently works with more than 78 agencies worldwide.

Isabel Muniz
Bio Coming soon