Staff
Aura Valdez (she/ella)
Program DIRECTOR
Aura is a passionate advocate for equity, cultural empowerment, and community-led education. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit programming and outreach, she has led youth-centered initiatives across New York City, building partnerships with schools, artists, and grassroots organizations. Her work focuses on language justice, mutual aid, and inclusive educational practices. As a bilingual educator and curriculum designer, Aura is committed to creating affirming learning environments that amplify underrepresented voices. She studied at Hunter College and continues to pursue professional development in equity-centered leadership and community-based education. A proud FLIA Fall 2022 fellow, she is excited to return as Program Director to support the next generation of fellows and nonprofit partners.
Asalia Arauz (she/her)
program manager
Asalia is dedicated to equitable access for all children to a good education. She believes in a holistic approach to leadership and is passionate about supporting the development of fellows’ skills. Asalia is currently a School Psychology Candidate at Loyola Marymount University. She also has an M.A. in English Education from Grand Canyon University and got her B.A. from Willamette University. Asalia was a FLIA fellow in the summer of 2018 in Portland, Oregon and has been an active member of the FLIA Alumni Board, where as Chair she spearheaded the mentorship program for the Fall 2022 cohort.
Kirsten Abel (she/her)
FOUNDER & Board chair
Prior to co-founding Future Leaders in Action, she worked as a paralegal at Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. She was a fellow with Saha Global during the Summer of 2013. She has gained experience working with the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy and PYXERA Global. She is passionate about FLIA because it cultivates leaders, strengthens nonprofits, and supports youth. She graduated from Georgetown with a major in government and minors in psychology and Arabic. Kirsten volunteers with America Needs You.
Board of Directors
FLIA’s Board of Directors and Executive Director at an October 2023 board meeting. From left to right: Juan Ramirez, Nirmala Singh, Andrea Bell, Paola Muñoz Rojas, Milly Seraus-Roache, Kirsten Abel, and Adam Lorenzana.
Kirsten Abel, MBA, Board Chair Founder, Future Leaders in Action MBA Student, NYU Stern
Clare Connaughton, FLIA Alumni Law Clerk at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Paola M. Muñoz Rojas, FLIA Alumni Manager of Undergraduate Career Services, KIPP NYC
Juan J. Ramirez Senior Director of Human Resources and Operations, Hispanic Federation
Denisha Renovales Attorney at Thomson Reuters
Nirmala Singh Director of New Market Expansion, STRIVE
Allison White Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist