Laura Acosta

Executive Director and Founder

Laura was born in the beautiful city of Santiago, Dominican Republic, and immigrated to New York when she was 12 years old. While helping her mother navigate the “American System”, she quickly developed an interest in public service and New York politics. For approximately five years, she was a top-ranking Dominican woman in New York City government, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to the New York City Public Advocate, Letitia James (now NYS Attorney General). Before that, she was President & CEO of LA & Associates, Inc., a professional consulting entity whose main projects were political in nature. In addition to her political endeavors, Laura is a dedicated community activist and advocate for human rights and with the need to support the Dominican community, she founded the Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in 2003. The Foundation provides educational guidance and mentorship to Latino students both in New York and the Dominican Republic. Laura also opened the first Beacon School for the Dominican Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP), which continues to serve thousands of families on an annual basis. Through this work, Laura has helped cultivate the educational success of numerous students who are the first in their families to attend college. Laura has directed field operations for multiple political campaigns, including Bill Thompson for Mayor 2013, 2010 campaign for New York State Assembly, New York State Senate races in Long Island and Washington Heights in 2010. Laura is proud to have been part of the organizing team that helped elect the first Dominican lawyer in New York City history to a Civil Court judgeship in 1997, and part of the 2016 campaign that helped elect the first U.S. congressman of Dominican heritage, Adriano Espaillat. Laura earned her B.A. in Human Services from Metropolitan College of New York. Her favorite song is “La Vida es un Carnaval” by Celia Cruz.

Eleazar F. Bueno

Board Member

Eleazar was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He arrived in the US at the age of 15. Eleazar holds an Undergraduate degree in Psychology and Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. As a JPD Foundation board member, he brings a wealth of experience to the work of public advocacy and community events management. This includes the ability to create and utilize business experience to achieve excellent community relations and policy goals, as well as understanding the role media plays in community relations and outcomes. He is a dedicated and committed member of the Dominican diaspora in NYC. With his business expertise he is responsible for the coordination of various Dominican centered events that include Festival producer for 809 Restaurant, Telemicro TV and the JPD Foundation for the past 10 years. In 2017 he joined the Empanadas Monumental model and has successfully increased from four stores to eight. This model was featured in the Daily News due to its innovative menu which stays true to the flavors and dishes of the homeland.

David Rivas

Board Treasurer

A dynamic and passionate person. Always involved in community affairs and activities. A civic individual who cares about families and humanity. A music lover who enjoys playing the alto sax and listening to all music. An avid traveler. Envisions having time to study music, math, languages and doing voluntary work for the elderly and disabled. David is the President and General Manager of Rivas Travel and Multi-Services, a corporation that has over 20 years of serving the Northern Manhattan Community.

William A. Garcia

Board Chair

William is one of the founding members, and a former chair, of The Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation. He has worked in, and actively served the, Washington Heights and Inwood communities in various capacities for over 25 years. He is the current chair of the board of directors of Viva Uptown, a local non-profit church collaborative focusing on youth mentoring, among other services. He is also a member of the board of directors of Manhattan Legal Services, a provider of free legal services to low-income residents of Manhattan; a member of the Encourage Judicial Service Committee of the New York City Bar; and a member of the Character and Fitness Committee of the Appellate Division, First Department. In the past, Mr. Garcia served as a member of the Judicial Hearing Officers Selection Advisory Committee of the Appellate Division, First Department; a member of the board of directors of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ); a member and chair of the board of directors of the Business Resource & Investment Service Center at UMEZ (BRISC); and a member and chair of Community Planning Board 12, Manhattan. As an attorney in private practice with Garcia & Kalicharan, P.C., Mr. Garcia counsels and represents clients in complex litigation matters, commercial and real estate transactions, estate and probate proceedings, as well as immigration removal, visa, adjustment, and citizenship proceedings. He received his undergraduate degree from New York University and his law degree from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. While in law school, Mr. Garcia had the opportunity to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of the Hofstra Property Law Journal and to assist in the representation of law-income clients at Bronx Legal Services. He is married and the father of four children.

Veronica Smith

Board Member

Veronica is a strategic leader known for building catalytic partnerships that mobilize resources, align stakeholders, and expand opportunity for underserved communities. With more than a decade of experience spanning community engagement, advocacy, and government relations, she specializes in connecting public, private, philanthropic, and community-based organizations to drive collaborative solutions that improve access to health and social services. 
 
As Senior Director of Health Policy and Government Affairs at Public Health Solutions, Veronica leads partnership strategies that strengthen coordination across government agencies, elected officials, and community organizations. Her work focuses on fostering trusted relationships that unlock new opportunities for investment, innovation, and systems-level change that advance health equity. Previously, Veronica served as Principal for Client Management and Community Engagement at Ichor Strategies, where she advised Fortune 15 clients on strategy development and execution. She cultivated partnerships across corporate, philanthropic, and grassroots networks to help direct corporate investment toward historically excluded communities and support initiatives designed to create long-term social impact. 
 
Earlier in her career, Veronica was External Relations Executive in the New York Government and Community Relations Department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In this role, she served as a key liaison connecting agency leadership with community stakeholders, advocacy groups, and public partners. She directed major public outreach and engagement campaigns for complex, high-profile initiatives, including the Restoring the George Construction Program, the George Washington Bridge Bus Station Redevelopment Program, and the Port Authority’s 2050 Master Plan. 
 
Veronica is known for building trusted relationships across diverse stakeholders and translating complex policy priorities into actionable strategies that deliver meaningful community impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and History from New York University and a Master of Arts for International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy from the New School. Veronica is a native New Yorker who is fluent in Spanish.