National Leadership Conference July 2019 | Page 40

Alma Diaz MSW, LBSW

Alma A. Díaz Montalvo is a LBSW who recently graduated with her MSW from UTSA. She has over 15 years of experience in the field of Social Work. Her experiences ranges from case worker and director in a Head Start center, to working with and counseling at-risk teens, facilitating adoptions while meeting the needs of birth mothers and adopting parents, linking families with special needs children to community resources, to facilitating low income families with healthcare support. Alma works for Methodist Healthcare Ministries and is an advocate for Laughter Yoga. She was trained as a Laughter Yoga Leader in 2016.

Kenya Bener

Kenya Bener is the current Vice President of Alumnae Affairs. She initiated in Summer 2013 through the Delta Alpha Chapter. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and her master’s degree from Emporia State University. She has been an active alumna since her initiation, has served on the Houston Alumnae Chapter executive board and national leadership team as a member of the National Cabinet and National Administrative Council.

Dr. Brianna Beltran

Dr. Brianna Beltran is an alumna and Charter from the Beta Beta Chapter of Kappa Delta Chi. She graduated from Clarkson University in May 2013 with her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and went on to receive her Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D) from William James College in Clinical Psychology with concentrations in Latino Mental Health and Forensic Psychology.

Dr. Brianna is currently employed as a Clinical Psychology with the State of Hawaii, and is the Clinical Lead for the Family Court Liaison Branch at the Hale Ho'omalu Juvenile Detention Facility. In this role, Dr. Brianna oversees the coordination and and provision of mental health services for the only juvenile detention facility in the State of Hawaii. She regular engages in crisis intervention, risk management, and helps others to build conflict resolution skills.

Dr. Brianna has served Kappa Delta Chi at the Regional/National level for 5 years. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Intake for the 2018-2019 term.

Belen Polanco

Belén Polanco is the Graduate New Member Education Officer for Kappa Delta Chi, Inc. Education has always been a strong focus in Belén’s life as she strives to better herself every day. Belén graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, and Spanish. But yet she did not stop there she also has three Masters of Art degrees, in Spanish Literature, Educational Technology and Instructional Technology Leadership also from Sam Houston State University and Lamar University respectively. Because Belén is a lifetime learner she is currently working on her PHD in Education. Furthermore, Belén has been a High School Spanish teacher for 11 years. She has an abundant passion for educating others and believes that the best way to create change is to share and embody the vision and mission of what the Graduate New Member Educational process should be like. Belén Polanco has integrity, is committed, passionate to make a change and not to mention she lives by the thought that she has never met a stranger.

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