The Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress (DHAP) board has announced that Yosara Gonzalez, known by many as "Yoshie," has been selected as the Executive Director of the downtown nonprofit organization. According to Board President Neal DeAngelo, III, "Yoshie has the experience and energy we have been looking for to continue our vision with the growth and development of our downtown."

 

Establishing a committee by DHAP board members was fundamental for reviewing prospective candidates. The committee embraced the advice of Mary Malone, President of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce; Joe Clifford, PE- retired; and Vicky Perez, AVP Truist Bank; along with Mayor Jeff Cusat and Joe Lettiere, CAN DO President & CEO, in providing advice on and participation in the interview process.

 

"We wanted someone with the education and experience in planning and development that is actively connected with our community in different ways and in touch with their needs. Above all, we needed someone passionate about working with people, creative, and with a new perspective and vision for growth in our multicultural downtown. Yoshie has all those qualities" added DeAngelo.

 

Yoshie is an architect, teacher, and realtor that has been an active member of the Greater Hazleton community since she moved here 10 years ago. She has worked as a teacher and bilingual liaison for the Hazleton Area School District schools. Yoshie was the first instructor to give art classes for the Hazleton Art League in their new location in the Hayden Family Center for the Arts.

 

As an Arts and Humanities professor at Penn State University and an active real estate agent for Luzerne County, it is evident that she enjoys working with the community. Yoshie stated, "I feel a responsibility to be a positive role model in society. I put my best effort into bringing value, listening, and learning from others when working in teams. Working with people has made me passionate about teaching and inspiring others to be the best version they can be of themselves. Teaching has also been a learning process, as I show students skills that can help them succeed. I also grow and have become more conscious of our community's needs like becoming more united and empathetic toward others."

 

Her past and present professional experience working in the Hazleton public sector in various areas gives her a broad and unique perspective and a fresh vision to revitalize and unite the community. Yoshie is a professional businesswoman and educator that believes in the power of communication through language and the arts. She has exemplary creative skills and charisma with the fluidity of English and Spanish. Yoshie believes in tradition and that art is essential to help cultures integrate and evolve and implements it wherever she goes.

 

She added, "In my personal life, I have been blessed with a very supportive family, mentors, and three children who taught me the importance of community and education. I love to travel and experience all cultures. I consider myself a world citizen and realize that we all embrace the same core values and are responsible for the footprint we leave for present and future generations. Sustainability is a word that we need to acknowledge. Though cultures and languages may vary, we all share the same struggles and love and flourish if conditions are well provided. Building a solid foundation and infrastructure for our city to thrive will set the stage for the arts to help unite all our cultures."

 

Yoshie's professional background includes experience in historic preservation and renovation as a staff architect and interior designer in Star Board Architects, New York, N.Y. She participated in several renovation projects, highlighted by the Historical Mars Education Center in Fort Ticonderoga, which is a national historical landmark with archeological significance and an essential role in the development of the American preservation movement. Her tasks entailed working on drawings, model preparation, watercolors, hand renders, site inspections, cost estimates, and proposal management. In 2013, Yoshie returned to her native country in the Dominican Republic for a few years to give her young family the experience of her culture and serve her community. There she had a chance to work on several architectural projects for residential buildings, ran her own art gallery/café/restaurant, promoted and sold artist works, taught art workshops, and was a professor in the Fine Arts Department of Continuing Education at Chavon School of Design, Sto. Dom.

 

Having an insatiable thirst for knowledge, Yoshie has explored different horizons, which gives her a broad perspective on new possibilities. She received her Architectural BFA from UNIBE, in Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. in 2004. Soon after, she expanded her art skills and enrolled in Chavon School of Design in La Roman, Dom. Rep. During her second year, she won a full scholarship to complete her Fine Arts BFA at Parson School of Design in New York City in 2008. In 2019, she was awarded the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Career Development Grant to complete her Master's in Education at Wilkes University.

 

Being the Executive Director of the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress will put all of Yoshie's skills to work. Yoshie is enthusiastic to say, "I am proud to be in a position where I have a chance to have a voice in our community and help on a bigger scale. With your support, I know we will keep developing Downtown Hazleton into a sustainable community that welcomes everyone, provides opportunities to work together, and fosters growth and innovation."

 

Yoshie has all the qualifications we need to keep our Downtown Hazleton on the Rise.

 

The Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress office is located at 8 W. Broad Street, Suite M-1490 Downtown Hazleton. To contact Ms. Gonzalez call the office at 570-455-1509 x 23 or email .