The Arizona Diamondbacks and its Los D-backs Hispanic Council are recognizing their 2025 Los D-backs Líderes**Under 40 Award recipients, four young influential leaders making a significant impact in Arizona’s Hispanic communities, on Friday, August 22 during Hispanic Heritage Weekend, presented by Estrella Jalisco, at Chase Field.**
Now in its third year, the Los D-backs Líderes Under 40 Awards were created to support young leaders positively impacting the Arizona Hispanic community through their career, volunteer work, advocacy, and influence. The winners were nominated by their peers and selected by the Los D-backs Hispanic Council, a group comprised of 17 local Hispanic and minority business professionals who work alongside the Diamondbacks to enhance the relationship between the D-backs and the Hispanic Community. Past winners include Alexis Hermosillo, Corina Fragozo, Elizabeth Canchola, Rafael Martiz, and Ezequiel Domingues (2024) and Nicholas Gonzalez (2023).
The D-backs and Los D-backs Hispanic Council are proud to celebrate this year’s recipients:
Cindy Garcia, Program Director at Chicanos Por La Causa, leads domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking initiatives specifically tailored to assist the Latino community. Her advocacy has helped keep families together and gives people access to services and resources to live a life free from abuse. In addition to her work at CPLC, Garcia started the economic empowerment initiative, Jefa’s Mercado, a community market that features Hispanic-owned businesses, run and owned by survivors of abuse.
Sergio Gonzalez Jr., Corporate Social Responsibility & Foundation Manager at Desert Financial Credit Union, is a first-generation college graduate who has turned early childhood adversity into a career of service and equity. Through his visionary leadership, his efforts at DFCU helped amplify over $5.2 million in charitable giving for organizations that operate as lifelines in underserved communities. Outside of the office, Gonzalez coaches girls’ basketball at Central High School, where he mentors young Latina athletes, serving as a positive, consistent parental figure offering encouragement and stability.
Yasmin Rivera-Klein, President of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) and Talent Acquisition Leader at Nationwide, has helped over 500+ students and professionals secure new opportunities through her mentorship, coaching, and career events at ALPFA, leading the organization to record-breaking growth and helping them launch new initiatives including Latinos in Sports and the first ALPFA-PGA clinic. At Nationwide, Rivera-Klein works on the Talent Acquisition leadership team, where she consistently advocates for diverse representation and strives to shape and inspire today’s workforce.
Juan Hinojos Zapien, Senior Political Advisor for Governor Hobbs, is a first-generation college graduate who has turned his personal experience into purpose by championing for equity and representation for marginalized communities. As Political Advisor to Governor Katie Hobbs, he works diligently to drive civic engagement across the state to create a more inclusive Arizona. He additionally serves on the board of the Los Diablos Scholarship at ASU, supporting Hispanic students in higher education, and is a Director for Anytown Camp Arizona, where he mentors youth in leadership and social justice.