The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s committee in charge of identifying and addressing issues in the Latino community has a new chair and vice chair. 

Barbara Fernandez and Delpha DiGiacomo

Barbara Fernandez, a Bloomfield resident, has been named chair of the steering committee for the Latino Endowment Fund.  Fernandez, who is also a charter member of the Fund, now works as Special Assistant to the University of Connecticut’s Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Prior to UConn, Fernandez was the Director of Business Development for the state Department of Economic and Community Development and Executive Director of Guakia, Inc., a bi-lingual arts and cultural organization in Hartford.

New Vice Chair Delpha DiGiacomo, a Glastonbury resident, is part of a leadership team that oversees the 290-person Investigative Services division as Travelers’ Assistant Vice President of Strategy and Operations. According to the Foundation, DiGiacomo has served as the Travelers National Chair of the Hispanic Latino Network, and launched Delpha D, LLC. a cohort of her blog, Leadership and Lifestyle.

Fernandez will succeed the Fund’s outgoing co-chairs Jorge Casanovas and Moraima Gutierrez. 

Founded in 2003, the Latino Endowment Fund looks for grants to fund initiatives to address issues they see affecting the Latino community. In October 2020, the Hartford Foundation announced the creation of two five-year, $250,000 flex-funds to support the Foundation’s key stakeholders of color through its Latino Endowment Fund and Black Giving Circle Fund., according to the Foundation.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving serves 29 communities. More information about the Latino Endowment Fund can be found here.