MEET DIANA (she, her)
Fresh perspective dedicated to strengthening Elgin
Diana Alfaro is proud to be from Elgin, Illinois. Elgin is familia (family)! It is the very place that her family has called home for more than 50 years. It is where she was born. It is where her mother single-handedly raised her sisters and her. Diana’s mother, Maria, taught her to work hard, not give up, be self-reliant, and to remember to always treat people with dignity and respect – for you never know if you will ever be in their place. These values helped shape who Diana is today.
Diana attended the following schools:
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Lords Park Elementary
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Larsen Middle School
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Elgin High School
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DePaul University
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Bachelor’s in Political Science and Latin American/Latino Studies
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Master’s in International Public Service
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Photo by Pam Castro
In Diana’s professional career she worked at DePaul University in regulatory compliance for 12 years. This gave her an opportunity to understand how to function and work effectively under federal regulations. Diana learned how to build trust, ensure university compliance to help secure potential funding, keep the university and stakeholders informed, improve operations and safety, prevent crises, and be innovative. While working at DePaul University, Diana was also able to assist teaching teams for incoming freshmen and serve as Staff liaison for service trips, both domestically and internationally, to expose students to critical social justice issues and a life of service.
She then channeled her skillset to work full-time in the community, specifically in economic development. For the last several years, she has worked in state government empowering and supporting small businesses, focusing on marginalized businesses such as those owned by people of color, women, persons with disabilities, veterans, Arab/MENA (Middle East North Africa), and LGBTQIA+. Diana's principal role is serving as the state liaison to Latinx/o/a and Hispanic owned businesses. Diana has created initiatives and modules that have been replicated to assist in strengthening the business ecosystem. She works on conducting intentional outreach, serving as a bridge for business owners, creating programs, and removing systemic barriers. Diana is passionate about supporting small businesses as they are vital to a strong economy.
Thank you for your consideration,
Diana Alfaro