Mendoza-Carruth joins La Luz board
Claudia Mendoza-Carruth was recently appointed to the board of directors at the La Luz Center. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Mendoza-Carruth considers herself as Colombian as she is American, with a touch of Brazilian. She is a seasoned multicultural communications professional with more than 20 years of experience encompassing TV anchoring, cultural and communications liaison to foreign executives and dignitaries at Intercontinental Hotels, Dow Chemical, Bechtel and UNICEF. Her work evolved into a career as bridge between the Latino and Anglo cultures.
In Rio de Janeiro, as partner in a travel agency, Mendoza-Carruth added Portuguese to her fluency in Spanish, English, and French – and another country in addition to the 27 and counting she has explored.
Mendoza-Carruth came to California in 1991 where she continued her media and communications career at Sacramento’s “Small Business Exchange” newspaper, as an on-air Spanish language radio personality in San Jose, and at PG&E where she created the diversity media relations program, receiving awards from San Jose State University and New America Media.
In 2006 Mendoza-Carruth and her husband Kevin Carruth moved to Sonoma, where she established MC(2), a business providing translation, interpretation and community outreach services to clients in the wine industry, public policy, medical and government fields.
A film enthusiast, Mendoza-Carruth is working with the Sonoma International Film Festival to develop a Spanish language cinema program. She has served on the boards of the Hispanic Charity Ball in San José, the San Francisco Latino Film Festival, and New America Media.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to join the Board of an organization I have long admired. As a Latina who has been afforded so many professional and personal opportunities in this country, it feels only natural to contribute in my own community. I look forward to the journey.”
The Carruth’s are now a “Sonoma Board Household” with Kevin Carruth on the Sonoma Valley Health Care District board of Sonoma Valley Hospital and Claudia Mendoza-Carruth at La Luz.
La Luz is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting Sonoma Valley neighbors, who contribute to the economic, cultural and social well being of our community. La Luz provides English language training, teaches computer skills, distributes food, hosts medical services, offers crisis counseling, and supports events that celebrate the richness of the Valley’s multicultural community.
