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Diana Mendoza Scanlan

External Relations and Development Manager

Diana Scanlan joined the Forum to create and sustain external relationships and manage all development activity. Diana has over 10 years of experience managing successful projects across a variety of sectors in Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York City. During the summer of 2014, Diana managed the Forum's first ever voter registration campaign, Voto X Voto. The campaign was successful in registering over 1,200 eligible voters in Chicago, collar counties and across the state, specifically targeting partner organizations with majority Latino client base.

She worked at Instituto del Progreso Latino where she served as Director of Youth Development. Here, Diana grew successful after-school, college-bridge and employment youth programs, doubling client capacity in less than two years and raising nearly half a million dollars in new funds for workforce development programs. 

Prior to Chicago, Diana was in New York City at The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families as the Director of the Latino Child Care Institute. Diana provided operational and technical support for the first year of operation. Before New York, Diana worked within the private and public sector in Washington, DC. Her work in Washington ranged from working on Capitol Hill as a legislative fellow, to serving as the first Latina lobbyist at The Ferguson Group, the largest representative of local government in Washington, D.C. 

Diana received her Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and Women Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She completed the National Urban Fellows program in New York City and graduated with a Master’s in Public Administration from Baruch College in July 2009. Diana was the recipient of the Philip J. Rutledge Capstone Award, awarded to the best master’s thesis. Her winning capstone, “Addressing the School Readiness of Latino Children in the United States through the Professional Development of Child Care Providers” received high praise for her creative approach to addressing the achievement gap among Latinos in the Unites States.

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