STRUCTURE AND LEADERSHIP
Puentes' activities are centered around two main events: an annual promoters conference and a community health fair. Taking into consideration the needs of the community, in 2020, the group adapted the recommendations of public health agencies in response to the pandemic created by COVID-19 by holding virtual events. The network is held together by the commitment of its members to better serve the Latino community in the region.
To facilitate event coordination and communication between members, Puentes is divided into two main groups:
- Leadership Group—The leadership group is made up mostly of nonprofit agency representatives and independent leaders (see Members section for more information).
- Community Group—The community group is made up of promoters affiliated for the most part with non-profits and other community organizations. Promoters play a key role in the success of The Puentes Network. It is through them the impact on the communities they serve is made greater.
To facilitate the organization of events, within the leadership group there are members with varying responsibilities, although decisions are made through consensus and teamwork to achieve common goals:
- Representative 1 – Calls meetings, sends minutes, and keeps track of group events and actions. All meetings are in Spanish.
- Representatives 2 and 3 – Work closely with Representative 1 to direct the actions of the group.
- Members – Participate in meetings and support decision-making.
- Fiscal representative – This important member of the network is only active during the organization of the Annual Conference of Promoters , to receive and manage funds donated to cover expenses of the event. Each year an agency, on behalf of the group, administers the funds that will be used to cover expenses. Traditionally, the funds are used in their entirety and the agency that manages them presents an expense report for fiscal transparency purposes.
Following the annual conference, representatives and members reassess their readiness to continue serving in their leadership and general involvement roles. In this way, other members of the group are given the opportunity to increase their level of responsibility in the organization of events and strengthen their leadership skills.