Emmy Award-Winning Journalist Maria Elena Salinas to Be Honored at National Hispana Leadership Institute’s Leadership Conference in Miami Along With an All-Star Line Up of Latina Leaders Representing Nonprofit, Government and the Business Sectors

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), the nation's premier leadership organization for Hispanic women, will recognize Emmy award-winning journalist and co-anchor of Univision Network's nightly news "Noticiero Univision," Maria Elena Salinas at the 2010 Mujer Awards as Chair's honoree.

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The award presentation will be made at the Mujer Awards Gala — the closing ceremony of the Executive Leadership Training Conference  on Friday, November 5 in Miami, Florida.

Celebrated since 1993, the Mujer Awards Gala pays tribute to the achievements and contributions of exceptional Latina leaders.

Each year, NHLI selects an outstanding leader whose influence generates and promotes change in her community.

"Maria Elena Salinas exemplifies NHLI's values, has lived a life of extraordinary leadership and is an exceptional role model for Latinas and women nationwide," said Marieli Colon-Padilla, NHLI's Board Chair.

Dubbed by The New York Times "The Voice of Hispanic America," and featured in Hispanic Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics" in the United States, Maria Elena Salinas has been instrumental in the lives of millions of Hispanics in this country and in Latin America for almost 3 decades. One of the most recognized Hispanic female journalists in the U.S., Maria Elena Salinas co-anchors the highly rated "Noticiero Univision," nightly news and the primetime news magazine "Aqui y Ahora" (Here and Now). Throughout the years, Salinas has interviewed more world leaders, dictators and political figures than any other female journalist. She has handled some of the most challenging assignments in modern day journalism.

"It is her relentless commitment to informing, educating and advancing the Hispanic community, and her amazing professional accomplishments that make Maria Elena Salinas an exceptional leader and this year's Chair Award recipient," commented Cristina Lopez, NHLI's President.

Maria Elena joins other notable leaders to be recognized at the Mujer Awards:

Janet Murguia, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, will be honored with the National Mujer Award for her tireless advocacy on behalf of the Latino community.

Business pioneer Remedios Diaz-Oliver, CEO of All American Containers, has been selected to receive this year's Regional Mujer Award.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will be honored with the Mujer Legislative Award. This is a newly created NHLI award to recognize Latina policy makers for advancing public policy important to the Hispanic community.

"All of our honorees represent the strength and diversity of the Latina community. They fight vigorously to ensure a better future for Latinos and to change the status quo of Hispanic women," said Lopez.

Hundreds of Latina leaders from across the nation will descend on Miami on November 4-5 for two days of leadership and professional development training, dialogue on issues important to Latinas and the Hispanic community, inspirational speakers, networking, and more, under the banner The Latina Mosaic: Strength in Diversity, which underscores how Latinas are changing the face and strengthening the social fabric of this country, and making major inroads in the leadership pipeline for a growingly diverse America.

Conference highlights include:

Cutting-edge workshops on Leadership, Executive Management, Business, and other topics

Top-level Latina trainers and inspirational speakers

Nonprofit management institute

Financial town hall with Latina financial guru Julie Stav (sponsored by State Farm Insurance Companies)

Style branding for leaders by fashion expert Martin Llorens (sponsored by Procter & Gamble)

Homeownership and foreclosure prevention fair with Chase and Fannie Mae

Latina authors book fair including Leila Cobo, Executive Editor for Latin Content and Programming for Billboard and author of Tell Me Something True and Patricia San Pedro, author of Dish & Tell: Life, Love & Secrets

Youth track for college student leaders

Honoring of Rising Stars including immigration activist Gaby Pacheco from Miami; Maria Isa Perez, a Latin hip-hop artist with a social justice message, and more

The Conference will take place from November 4-5 at the Hyatt Regency, 400 South East Second Avenue, Miami, Florida. For a full schedule of events and to register visit www.nhli.org. Discounted rates available until October 27.

NHLI 2010 Conference Sponsors to date include: State Farm Insurance Companies, MillerCoors, UPS, Southwest Airlines, The Coca Cola Company, Nordstrom, Ford, Merck, McDonalds, Anheuser Busch, Pfizer, Chase, Goya, Fannie Mae, Prudential, AARP, The Walt Disney Company, Nielsen, Nissan, Macys, and Mount Sinai Hospital, NY; Scholastic; Media Sponsors: The Miami Herald, Univision; LATINA Style magazine; Media Partners: Hispanic PR Wire, Diario Las Americas, LatinaLista.net, PowerfulLatinas.com, CapitalWirePR, Hispanic MPR, Outreach Partners: Las Comadres Para Las Americas; Latinos in Higher Ed; Media Partners Grand Central Publishing, and HACR.

Founded in 1987, NHLI has trained and empowered more than 10,000 Latina leaders from the public and private sectors, through its award-winning programs and conference, who have been appointed to leadership positions in government, corporate America, nonprofits, foundations or have started their own businesses. NHLI's mission is to develop Hispanas as ethical leaders through training, professional development, relationship building, and community activism. www.nhli.org

Twitter.com/NHLI

SOURCE National Hispana Leadership Institute