| Home > Events > Disease, Disaster, and Democracy, 2006 > Conference Speakers > Nelson A. Ortega Nelson A. Ortega Professional Biography
Mr. Ortega is Executive Director of Centro de la Comunidad, Inc., a community-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides direct and referral services to Latinos/Hispanics in health, education, housing, employment, and legal matters. Governed by a culturally diverse volunteer Board of Directors, Centro is located in Baltimore City and provides services to Maryland residents—primarily Spanish-speaking and newly arrived immigrants. However, requests for services have also come from surrounding states such as Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Virginia and from as far away as North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and New Jersey.As Director of Centro, Mr. Ortega is responsible for all program, strategic planning, and fiscal operations, including resource and program development, marketing, and public relations. Mr. Ortega currently oversees a staff of 4 in addition to 2 volunteers and many college, graduate, and post-graduate students. Prior to his tenure as director, Mr. Ortega served as the Operations Director of Centro since 2003. In this capacity, he was responsible for day-to-day operations of the CDBG Program, ensuring that goals and objectives were met and monitoring processes and quality assurance in the delivery of health, education, housing, legal, training, and employment services. He was temporarily responsible for Training and Employment services and was also charged with physical plant and technology support to all staff. Prior to that position, Mr. Ortega was a private global consultant specializing in project and construction design for industrial plants. This included management, budgeting, planning and cost engineering for construction, industrial plant operation budgeting, and minor business activities. Mr. Ortega also served as the senior executive for the Venezuelan Andes Region Corporation, where he was charged with oversight of 95 employees; oversight, monitoring, and control of the regional budget of $100 million (4 states); leading the corporation through a massive internal change initiative; and leading the development of more than 25 social, cultural, and technology programs for the region. Finally, Mr. Ortega served as the Secretary’s Assistant of Planning and Budgeting for the Venezuelan Government and was responsible for planning, developing, budgeting, and identifying resources for the east Venezuelan region as well as helping to design and develop the 6-year strategic plan for Venezuela’s infrastructure in the areas of agriculture, health, public transportation, public works, and education. He also evaluated financial reports and interpreted government regulations. A Maryland resident since 2001, Mr. Ortega is a member of the Baltimore County Hispanic Advisory Committee, the Cultural Competency and Mental Health Committee, the Hispanic Network Association and the Baltimore Hispanic Roundtable committee. Mr. Ortega received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and pursued a master’s degree in business administration from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, in 1984 and 1986. He is bicultural and is fluent in English and Spanish. |
