Empowering future college students and parents in the Greater New Orleans area since 2018
OUR STORY
ECCO Community Center is the classroom and advisory office outside of our school systems that provides guidance to students and parents from any background with services currently available in English and Spanish. ECCO is a New Orleans based 501c3 organization. It believes that access to higher education should be accessible to all. We provide educational guidance to Hispanic parents & first-generation students on financial, admission, and scholarship application processes for higher educational pathways.
Linett Luna
Program Founder & Instructor
Dr. Amy P. Urbina
Program Founder & Instructor
Sergio Castellanos
Community Outreach & Communications Coordinator
Our Leadership Team
Ingrid Bustos
Founder & Executive Director
Bustos migrated to the U.S. with her family as a teenager in 2001 from El Salvador. After she finished earning her certification in teaching ministry, she was ordained as a Minister in 2018. Her passion is to serve people and to help Youth find their path. She discovered her passion while serving as a youth pastor for 8 years and throughout that experience she found her calling to serve her community and its youth.
Navigating through a new place of living, she believes that the struggle and difficulty always comes from God in the form of a test. In 2018 she founded ECCO Community Center, a place where students and parents from any background can have access to necessary resources to be able to attend college or a university.
Under her leadership ECCO has been a part of several programs with different organizations in the Greater New Orleans Area.
Meet the Board
Michelle Aguirre
Currently serves as the Director of Prevention and Education for La Voz Coalition, where she oversees various federal initiatives focused on reducing risk factors within the Hispanic community. Her work involves supervising programs that support students and families through education, prevention, and community outreach.
In addition to this role, she's also a senior pastor. Through the church, she provides pastoral care and serves as a family counselor, working closely with the Department of Children and Family Services and Juvenile Court. She also partner with schools, churches, and community organizations to support youth and families holistically. My career has always centered on service, advocacy, and empowering communities, both through faith-based and public initiatives.
President
Dr. Amy Urbina
Vice President
Born in Honduras and moved to the U.S. at just 5 years old, Dr. Amy has an inspiring journey. She earned her B.S. in Neuroscience, B.A. in Sociology, and M.S. in Neuroscience from Tulane University before graduating from Tulane School of Medicine in 2025.
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As a resident physician in the Pediatric Neurology Program at LSU, Amy is committed to making a difference in her community.
Paula Múnera Belanger
Paula Múnera Belanger is a bilingual nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience in business communication, customer engagement, and community-centered program development. She currently serves as Board Secretary and Fundraising Committee Chair at ECCO, supporting governance, strategy, and sustainable fundraising initiatives. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Corporate Communications from Universidad de La Salle.
Secretary
Roxanne Moore
Treasurer
Roxanne holds a B.A. in Spanish from Western Washington University and a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration (MNA) from the University of San Francisco. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years, with the last decade in administration, including development, compliance, and financial management. Before joining El Centro, she served as Programs Director at Community Bridges, the largest social service–providing nonprofit in Santa Cruz County, CA, where she oversaw five family resource centers.
CEO Of Colmex Construction
Angelica Rivera
Business Administration - Valencia Community College
Board Experience
HCCLF - Director
HBA - Director
CCANO - Director
Angelo Castellanos
Field Organizer Supervisor,
Resilience Force
Started as a volunteer in "techo para mi pais" back in his original Country, Peru. Later, became a professional commercial pilot at 18 years old and worked as an operations supervisor and second in command of the Safety Management office, besides his pilot duties. In parallel he did several activities, the 2 most important were about the vision and skills he discovered for business and volunteering in a local program in Lima for feeding and supporting the most vulnerable communities that build their houses in non-stable ground. 5 years ago, he came to visit his parents on vacation but the pandemic made him stay in the U.S., he had to close his business and start from scratch in New Orleans. That's when he decided to study again at the age of 25. Resilience Force offered him a volunteer opportunity after Hurricane Ida later offering him a carrera line in Non profits.
Wendy Lopez Jones
Co-Owner & Operator,
Jones Orthodontics
Wendy is a dedicated community advocate with over 20 years of experience in volunteering and fundraising for various organizations, particularly focusing on supporting children's schools. With a strong commitment to giving back to the community and nurturing the next generation, she has played a pivotal role in enhancing local initiatives.
An accomplished leader, Wendy has organized and coordinated a range of successful events, including fairs, galas, and festivals. This experience highlights her exceptional leadership skills, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to unite people for common causes.
As a proud Mexican American and a recent graduate of the Jefferson Leadership program (Class of 2024), Wendy brings a unique perspective to the ECCO board. Her leadership training and deep understanding of the community empower her to connect with students from diverse backgrounds, effectively advocating for their needs and interests.
Stephanie
Davi Mac Neely
Chief Development Officer at
ACE Mentor Program of America
Bachelor's in Political Science from the University of California, Davis and a Master's in Public Administration from LSU.
Community Experience: The fundraising space for 20+ years.
Regional Director of Business Development, OnPath Credit Union
Elizabeth G. Broekman
Elizabeth has been working for financial institutions since 2009 in business development roles. The latest at OnPath as Director of Business Development and serving the undeserved. She serves on several non-profit boards in different capacities and leads the Juntos Avanzamos, Hispanic Initiative at
OnPath Credit Union.
Associate Vice President of Education
at the WWII Museum
Christine Gregg
She has been in the museum field for more than 15 years. His/Her master’s degree is in Museum Studies, and he/she has worked on planning and executing educational programs at museums for students, teachers, and the general public in both Indiana and Louisiana.
ECCO Communications Advisor
Artist Manager, South 25 Entertainment
Marketing Manager, Island Time Management
Axel Rosa