It’s been a difficult time in tech over the past few months as mass layoffs have occurred, employees and their families have been impacted, and collectively, we’re all trying to figure out what’s the next opportunity out there for us. Whether you have personally been impacted by layoffs or you are looking to make a transition in this current environment, the Latinas in Tech – Denver chapter is here to support you in that journey.

We’re hosting our first event of 2023 on Thursday, March 2nd! It will be an evening focused on career development and helping you put your best foot forward as you continue in your job search or career transition.

Attendees will have access to:

• Professional headshots by some of Denver’s best local photographers
• Resume reviews by seasoned tech recruiters who can help provide feedback and potential opportunities for open roles (please make sure to bring a physical copy of your resume if possible)
• Networking with the LiT Denver community

If you or anyone you know is currently navigating the next step in their career, we’d love to have you attend. Feel free to email us at denver@latinasintech.org with any questions. And if you’re a recruiter impacted by the layoffs that’s interested in getting involved and showcasing your expertise, we’d love to hear from you!

Our Photographers:

• Alan Castillo: Alan Castillo is an entrepreneur born in Mexico City and CEO and the founder of Panamericana Media, a content production company that works with businesses to develop the right strategy to engage with their market. He is committed to creating a better community and society, through his work in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the development of key relationships between businesses, government, colleges/universities, and nonprofits. Alan is a big believer in the fact that a stronger economy brings better opportunities for everyone.
• Alvaro Saucedo: Alvaro Saucedo is the founder and CEO of Saucedo Media. Although from the outside looking in, starting a business in his early twenties with no resources or funding quickly forced him to realize entrepreneurship was anything but easy. Taking it a day at a time with patience and consistency, Saucedo Media began to grow. Focusing on real estate content creation as a priority, Alvaro never forgets the reason why he chose this career path: to create art with love and expression.

Our Recruiters: 

• Jose Luis Nino de Guzman: Jose Luis Nino de Guzman is a Peruvian American recruiting professional with experience in non-profit, healthcare, and big tech. He has worked for some of the world’s largest companies including Microsoft and Meta and has seen first-hand the power of advocacy, mentorship, and providing access and opportunity to all candidates. Jose Luis is passionate about the impact of his work and achieves success by blending empathy, preparation, and a growth mindset. He has an exceptional track record of sourcing and hiring talented professionals and is known for his ability to earn the trust of hiring managers by listening to and directly addressing their pain points. As an immigrant and first-gen college graduate, Jose Luis is a firm believer in the power of diversity and inclusion and has been a prominent advocate for these values without needing a title or program directive. His work in this area flows naturally from a desire to pay it forward and to see success in the communities he grew up in and cares deeply about.
• Karla Rivas: Karla Rivas is an accomplished Talent Sourcer with a strong focus on results, Karla has honed her skills in leveraging data to inform strategic decisions and drive organizational success. Her unwavering commitment to fostering meaningful connections between individuals and the world of work has been a defining characteristic of Karla’s career trajectory. With extensive experience in full-cycle recruiting and HR, as well as expertise in project management, employer branding, and tech/non-tech sourcing, Karla has consistently demonstrated her ability to deliver exceptional outcomes in dynamic and fast-paced environments.
• Jessica Larson: Jessica Larson collaborates with a team of talent acquisition specialists to recruit top talent for Ball Aerospace. Ball’s Drive for 10 vision enables the company to go beyond what is expected by its customers. They specialize in astrophysics, earth science & weather, planetary & heliophysics, data analysis, defense & intelligence, tactical mission systems, and commercial business. Ball Aerospace looks for candidates who value sustainability, innovation, and community.
• Lauren Brown: Lauren Brown has 6+ years of recruiting experience. Shortly after moving to Colorado from Maryland, Lauren worked at a Denver-based staffing & recruiting firm, hiring admin, HR & IT positions. Lauren currently works in talent acquisition for Ball Aerospace, partnering with several engineering groups to bring great talent to Ball. She is passionate about connecting people together in order to advance their personal and professional growth.
• Tania Ortiz: Tania Ortiz is a DE&I and Talent Acquisition leader at Salesforce focused on implementing fair and equitable hiring processes for underrepresented minorities through enablement with key stakeholders. She develops strategic initiatives for recruiting diverse talent in the organization. She previously spent 6 years at DHR International working on senior-level executive searches for the technology sector. Tania was born in Mexico City and has lived in Brazil, Mexico, and currently resides in the United States. She is fluent in Spanish, and English, and has been highly effective working across multiple cultures and business environments.
• Paulina Villagomez: Paulina Villagomez immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 7 from Mexico and is the first in her family to graduate from a 4-year university. She began her career as an agency tech recruiter but has since moved into corporate recruiting at large companies such as Apple, Dish Network, and currently JLL Technologies a subsidiary of JLL – a global commercial real estate company. Paulina supports JLL Technologies as a Senior Sourcer by providing diverse pipelines and streamlined processes to help build teams that will shape the future of real estate for a better world.
• Jorge Alvarado: Jorge Alvarado is originally from Zacatecas, México, has lived in Denver, CO for over 30 years, and is a proud DACA recipient. Currently, Jorge Alvarado is a Talent Acquisition Manager at Dish Network managing a team of 6 and supporting departments including IT Operations, Internal Applications, and SlingIT. Jorge comes with over a decade of tech recruiting experience working in industries including Aerospace, Healthcare, and Telecommunication. Jorge truly believes in matching people to their dream job and is invested in helping people grow professionally.
• Meghan Milani: Meghan Milani is an experienced technical recruiter with over 7 years of experience in agency and corporate recruiting. She is originally from Baltimore, MD, and has been living in Denver for the past 4 years. Meghan is currently a Talent Partner at Adobe supporting the Creative Cloud Business hiring specifically focused on technical skills such as Software, Cloud, and DevOps Engineering. Meghan has a lot of knowledge of the software industry and how to recruit top niche talent.
• MJ Specht: MJ Specht is a proven talent strategist and advisor, with an in-depth understanding of how talent acquisition propels a company to success. With 15 years of experience, she is seen as an industry expert in hiring, and she has successfully implemented and executed complex programs that create a standardized, equitable, and fair hiring process. The impact of a well-run Talent Acquisition team is strategic, affecting the overall direction of a division, line of business, or organization. With hands-on experience, MJ has the industry perspective and business judgment to influence executive leadership, to help determine and drive objectives. She partners with executive teams to define the talent needed to meet the business goals, and educate stakeholders on the market availability of desired talent.
• Ben McEnderfer: Ben McEnderfer is a recruiter with over 4 years of technical recruiting experience. He is from Spokane, Washington and now resides in Denver, Colorado. Ben spent three years in an agency recruiting for Software Skillsets and moved to Adobe in October 2021. He is currently supporting technical recruiting needs for the Digital Media business. He is supporting business units for the Search & Sensi, Research, and Emerging Products Group.

Thank You to our Partners!

• Beverage: Olipop is a new kind of soda with 2-5 grams of sugar, 9g of fiber, and 11 delicious flavors! Check them out on IG and Facebook.
• Venue: Convivio Café is a women and immigrant-owned, Guatemalan-inspired, fully bilingual cafe connecting seed to cup to the community. Check them out on IG and Facebook.
• Vendor: Ana Marina is a trained metalsmith and a jewelry designer and artisan currently based in Denver CO. She was born and raised in Mexico City and migrated to Los Angeles California when she was fifteen years old. Ana Marina’s early journey as an immigrant living in the U.S. posed the opportunity for self-exploration and discovery that allowed her to shape her identity as a Mexican woman who uses her passion for art, history, and community to elevate her cultural heritage through her work. Check her out on IG.