In 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower established the "Sister Cities Program" to promote greater understanding and peace among citizens throughout the world. Tucson embraced this vision and has adopted formal relations with communities in Hungary, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ireland, Greece and Mexico.
The Tucson-Mexico Sister Cities Committee has enjoyed a very special relationship with Guadalajara, Jalisco since 1972, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora since 1980 and now Mazatlan, Sinaloa and Puerto Peñasco.
"Increased collaboration with our friends in Mexico presents outstanding opportunities for our cities. Our shared interests are the foundation of our strong relationship."
- Mayor Bob Walkup, City Of Tucson
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Dr. Ricardo Castro-Salazar - President Dr. Ricardo Castro Salazar has an international trajectory as an educator. He started his educational vocation as a middle and high school teacher in Mexico. Later, he continued in higher education at Pima Community College District (PCC) in Tucson, Arizona. At PCC, he has worked as a Coordinator in the Office of International Projects, a Faculty Member in International Business Studies, as Business Department Chair, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, Division Dean, and is now a History and Political Science Professor, as well as a Research Associate for the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona. Dr. Castro has traveled extensively throughout the world and has lived, worked and studied in different countries, including Mexico, Holland, Brazil, China and the United Kingdom. He graduated from the Technological Institute of Sonora (ITSON) with a Bachelor’s in Business Management. He holds masters’ degrees from universities in the US, the Netherlands, and Mexico with specialties in Latin American Studies, International Relations, and Educative Innovations respectively. He also has a doctoral degree in Education with a focus on Intercultural Studies from Durham University, England. |
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Enna Cassler - Corresponding Secretary & Enna Cassler is part owner of Cassler Accounting Service and Makoti Realty, LLC. She is a native of Panama and earned a degree in Business. While in Tucson, she attended the University of Arizona taking business administration and accounting courses. She has served as Treasurer in many organizations throughout Tucson, such as the League of Mexican American Women, Los Descendientes del Presidio del Tucson, and Community Outreach Committees to mention of few. She has served as special and social events coordinator, fund raising and nominating committees. She is currently the TMSC Treasurer and is active in all TMSC activities. Enna and her husband, Ken, have three grown university-graduate children and have called Tucson their home for 41 years. |
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Alejandra M. Dreisbach - Treasurer  Alejandra has more than eighteen years of leadership experience in healthcare organizations, both in the US and Mexico. She has published in topics of healthcare finance and administration in textbooks and other publications and has presented at international and national conferences. Ms. Dreisbach has held faculty positions at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and in universities in Mexico. Previously to her work in the healthcare industry, Ms. Dreisbach spent four years in Saudi Arabia working for the Ministry of Science and Technology as a program manager. Here in Tucson, at TMC HealthCare, she was the CEO of TMC de Mexico becoming a leader in the Hispanic market in Arizona and northern Mexico. Ms. Dreisbach has been a member of nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving healthcare in both sides of the US-Mexico border and has developed key prevention and cooperation programs with the Cruz Roja de Guadalajara and the American Cancer Society. Among her recognitions, in 2004 she received the Bienvenidos and Excellence in Service award from the Tucson City Government. In 2007, she was named one of Tucson’s Ten Women of Influence by the Tucson Inside Business newspaper. |
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Norma Pernisco - Special Events Chair Norma Pernisco is originally from Honduras, Central America, daughter of an author and journalist. Her father wan an entrepreneur. She came to the United States in 1966 to attend school and got married and has to beautiful daughters, Vanessa 29 and Natalie 28 years old. She was an entrepreneur for many years and worked for the University of Arizona in the Athletic Department, until her retirement. She has been a member of the TMSC for 10 years and hopefully for many more. |
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Frank Valenzuela - Economic Development Frank Valenzuela is a native Tucsonan. He was born to Luis and Mary Valenzuela who were natives of Silverbell Arizona and Altar Sonora respectively. He was one of 4 children. He is a graduate of Tucson High school and received an Associates Degree from Pima College in banking and later received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. After 42 years in the banking industry he retired from Wells Fargo Bank. In November of 2006 he began working with Community Investment Corporation as Executive Director where he presently works with similar non-profit organizations providing down-payment assistance programs to qualified borrowers and small business loans and heads up charter school disclosure monitoring program. From an early age, Frank believed in giving back to his community and volunteered his time to several organizations. Along with Sister Charlotte Swift, Frank founded Project Yes, a drop-out Prevention Program in South Tucson. Project Yes was awarded the Angel Charity Grant to build the youth Center there. Frank has served on the Board of Directors of El Rio Health Center for over 22 years. He has served as treasurers for the political campaigns of Congressman Raul Grijalva and Supervisor Richard Elias. In 1992, Frank was appointed to the Pima Country Industrial Development Authority by the then Pima County Supervisor Raul Grijalva and continues to serve in that capacity. As President of the Tucson International Mariachi Conference, Frank was instrumental in organizing numerous events for its 25th anniversary celebration. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of La Frontera Center. In his spare time, Frank is a board member of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Diocese of Tucson Catholic Cemetaries and chairs the University of Arizona, Cancer Disparities Institute. Eight years ago Frank married to Donna Whitman, also a long-time member of Tucson Mexico Sister Cities. |
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Donna Whitman - Puerto Peñasco Chair Donna Whitman is a native Tucsonan. She graduated from the University of Arizona earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Romance Languages. Having immigrated to Mexico in 1971, she had two children, Alejandro and Arturo Alcantara. As Director of Interpreter Services with Arizona Superior Court in Pima County, she worked for 32 years coordinating language services for the court system in Tucson. She also worked as an interpreter practitioner, which was her first love professionally. She is federally certified by the Administrative Offices of the United States District Courts. Donna also teaches interpretation and translation at the University of Arizona as adjunct faculty. In her spare time, Donna works as a free-lance interpreter specializing in forensic evaluations and she loves to travel with her husband Frank Valenzuela. Donna’s other loves are her dogs Franny & Samba, and serving on the boards of Tucson Mexico Sister Cities, Tucson-Pima Women’s Commission and the Puerto Peñasco Youth Sports Foundation in Rocky Point Mexico. |
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Janina Latack - Scholarships Committee Chair Janina Latack is a Career Guidance Specialist with the YWorks Program of the YWCA. She counsels women who are unemployed, underemployed or transitioning into the workforce. She is also an Adjunct Faculty member at Pima Community College teaching Student Success classes and was an Advisor and Counselor in the Student Development Department at Pima. She chairs the Scholarship Committee for Tucson Mexico Sister Cities. She earned her PhD in Organizational Behavior and Personnel Psychology from Michigan State University. Her career experience includes 13 years as a faculty member in Human Resources at The Ohio State University and 5 years as adjunct faculty in what is now the Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona. She has been a Tucson resident for over 15 years. Along with TMSC, Janina’s community interests include tutoring for Literacy Volunteers of Tucson and studying Spanish. She has traveled to Guadalajara to complete a Spanish immersion course, has completed Spanish courses at Pima Community College and is a member of a weekly Spanish conversation group. She has one son who is an attorney with a sports and entertainment agency in New York City. |
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Marilyn Civer - Newsletter Chair Marilyn Civer is a native Arizonan and was born and raised in Douglas, Arizona. Marilyn is a graduate of Arizona State University and did graduate work in Public Health at the University of Arizona. She considers growing up in a border culture, a great gift. Currently, Marilyn is a Realtor with Long Realty and is a Certified International Specialist and has a Transnational Certification in Real Estate for Mexico. She is a former Sales Manager and Trainer for Long Realty. Marilyn was involved in the Kazakhstan Sister Cities program for three years where she assisted with event planning and fund raising. Prior to her career in Real Estate, Marilyn worked in Health Promotion and Wellness for 25 years. As a Health Education Program Manager for Worksite Wellness for Intergroup, she taught and coordinated wellness programs for 100 Tucson Companies. Prior to that time she served on the Public Health Committee of the Arizona Mexico Commission and organized the first Substance Abuse Prevention Conference between the United States and Mexico in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora. Marilyn received the L.U.L.A.C, FBI Community Service Award for organizing health screening at the El Pueblo clinic for three years. Marilyn taught a number of personal development and business related courses for the U. of A. Extended University for seven years. Marilyn loves Mexico, has traveled extensively, speaks Spanish and plans on retiring to Mazatlan, Sinaloa. Marilyn has three grown children and six grandchildren. Her youngest grandson was adopted from Guatemala. |
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Jose Hernandez - Honorary Board Member Jose Hernandez is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, and is currently owner of Import Export Associates LLC. Jose has been a member of Tucson Mexico Sister Cities since 2007, and has served as president of this esteemed organization. He is currently also on the board of directors of the Tucson Museum of Art’s Latin American Art Patrons organization, and serves as adjunct faculty with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Jose’s company, Import Export Associates, deals in international and US business development ventures, particularly in the trading/brokering of scraps such as steel and various types of plastics, as well in basic commodities, such as sugar, urea, cement, and various wholesale consumer products and grocery items. Additionally, Mr. Hernandez’ company assists in the researching, preparing, editing, and presenting of business, academic, and other documents, programs, and marketing media. Finally, as a strategic planning and program management consultant, Jose’s company works with organizations to improve processes, capitalize on opportunities, and plan for operational risk management mitigation. |
