National Disability Institute (NDI) today announced that Sindy Marisol Benavides, Chief 
Executive Officer of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), has joined the organization’s Board of Directors. As the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the country, LULAC’s mission is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of the Hispanic population in the United States.
Benavides joins a distinguished Board that consists of some of the top leaders in the financial, nonprofit and disability communities. NDI Board members provide guidance and support for the organization’s commitment to building a better financial future for people with disabilities and their families.
“I am thrilled to welcome Sindy as a member of NDI’s Board of Directors. Disability cuts across all ages, ethnicities, genders and races and having a diverse Board that understands these intersectionalities is vital to NDI’s mission of economic inclusion,” said Thomas Foley, NDI Executive Director. “I look forward to learning more of Sindy’s insights and perspective and how, together, we can create strategies that include all members of the disability community.”
“It is an honor to join the Board of Directors of NDI and continue collaborating with this vital organization to improve the policies and services that impact people with disabilities, a quarter of which live in poverty,” said Sindy Benavides, LULAC CEO. “NDI recognizes that the disability population is as diverse as the country itself, with one in four adults in the United States having some type of disability. Latinos already face barriers to employment, education, skill development and financial services, so NDI’s advocacy on behalf of our community’s disabled population is crucial for their success.”
Benavides is the founder, co-founder and founding board member of LULAC Council 4611, VA Latino Higher Education Network (VALHEN), VA Coalition of Immigrant Rights (VACIR) and the Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Action (HOLA). She is an alumna of the Sorenson Political Leadership Program through the University of Virginia and the Virginia Executive Institute and Minority Political Leadership Institute through Virginia Commonwealth University. Benavides serves on multiple boards, including serving as Vice-Chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and the National Diversity Advisory Council for the American Red Cross. She is also a member of the External Diversity & Inclusion Council for Charter Communications, the External Diversity & Inclusion Council for T-Mobile and the AT&T Consumer Advisory Panel.
The League of United Latin American Citizens is the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with 1,000 councils across the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit lulac.org.
