Get to Know Your MCAN Board Members!

Student Board Representatives

Debra Ponce de Leon '81

Debra Ponce de Leon ’81

MCAN Board Chair

Debra is a member of the Class of 1981 and majored in Economics.  Debra also has an MBA from DePaul University in International Finance. She continued her Carleton affiliation through the Chicago Alumni network including several years as chair and as a member/chair on the Class of ’81 Reunion committees. Today, Debra is the Small Business Credit Risk Executive at Bank of America.  She is a member of Bank of America’s Hispanic Latino Executive Council, is co-executive sponsor of Chicago’s HOLA employee network, leads Global Risk Management’s ALIGN network of Black/African American and Hispanic Latino executives, and in 2021, will co-sponsor a Multicultural Women’s Sponsor program in Chicago. Debra has two children who would not apply to Carleton and through them served on the Adlai E. Stevenson High School Choir Guild Board; Lincolnshire-Prairieview School District 103 Finance Committee; District 103 Learning Fund Board, and volunteer in the Lincolnshire Sports Association and Lincolnshire Lightning organizations.

Faith Agboola ’24

Faith Agboola ’24

Morgan Bettin-Coleman '21

Morgan Bettin-Coleman ’21

Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Morgan comes from a Black-white mixed-race background. She is a member of the class of 2021 and graduated from Carleton with a history major and a Spanish minor. Morgan is currently getting her Ph.D. in history at Rice University in Houston, TX, with a focus on identity construction and intercultural relations in the 18th- and 19th-century U.S. South. She hopes to become a professor to teach future generations about the importance of the past and its impacts on the present. Morgan joined MCAN to connect with other multicultural alumni and students and help Carleton continue to foster supportive environments for these diverse groups. In her free time, Morgan enjoys traveling, spending time with her loved ones, and listening to podcasts.

Carleton alum Bethany Bobo ’20

Bethany Bobo ’20

I came to Carleton from Olive Branch, Mississippi and am a member of the historic class of 2020!  At Carleton, I majored in English, minored in Music Performance, and worked for 3 years in the OIIL office as a house manager in Freedom House (a.k.a. Black Haus) and as an Office Assistant. I loved being a member of the Carleton Voice Program and Exit69.

I have been on MCAN since I was a student representative my senior year, having been the young alum representative after graduation and now being just alum! After 2 years in nonprofit communications in Minneapolis, I moved to Texas and started a graphic design and digital marketing consulting business. I’m passionate about providing Black, queer, and women-owned businesses and nonprofits with holistic design and communications in a way that centers autonomy, community and collaboration and I’m grateful to get to do that everyday. In my free time, I enjoy finding new recipes, restaurants, parks and podcasts to indulge in. 

headshot of Kirstin Cook

Kirstin Cook ’15

Carleton alum Denicia Dwarica ’08

Denicia Dwarica ’08

Carleton alum Ricky Garcia ’21

Ricardo (Ricky) Garcia ’21

I graduated from Carleton in 2021, majoring in Sociology and Anthropology and double minoring in Educational Studies and Spanish. I am now an American University student pursuing an M.Ed. in Education Policy and Leadership.

Outside of school, I work as a Community Schools Coordinator at a DCPS elementary. I hope to do more educational policy research in the near future. At Carleton I was heavily involved, serving as a Residential Assistant (RA) for three years and a Program Director (PD) for Swipe Out Hunger and Food Recovery Network. I was also an MCAN Representative for the class of 2021 and have been in MCAN since!

Nicolina Hernandez '08

Nicolina Hernandez ’08

Nicolina Hernandez graduated from Carleton College in 2008 with a B.A. in Latin American Studies. During her time at Carleton, she was a dedicated student leader, serving on the Multicultural Alumni Network Board of Directors as a student representative, advising TRiO students, mentoring through Project Friendship, and actively participating in cultural initiatives like the International Fest. As part of her campus engagement, she introduced a prominent Chicano leader at a 2006 Convocation, which lead to an invitation as a keynote speaker at the California State Superintendent’s Achievement Gap Summit in 2007 in Sacramento. Nicolina also gained international perspectives by studying abroad in Guatemala and Mexico, further broadening her academic and cultural insights.

Her commitment to Carleton has remained strong post-graduation. She has consistently contributed as a donor for needs-based financial aid, served as an Alumni Admissions Representative, and returned to campus in 2015 to speak at a TRiO alumni panel. Nicolina’s dedication to supporting access to education aligns with her ongoing passion for fostering equity and diversity within the Carleton community.

Professionally, Nicolina brings 16 years of legislative and advocacy experience to the table, having worked in various roles, from a California State Senate Fellow to a contract lobbyist and in-house government affairs expert for public agencies and Fortune 100 corporations. Currently part of Toyota’s state government affairs team, she covers seven Western states and manages a wide array of policy topics, including transportation infrastructure and energy issues. Nicolina continues to contribute to important community causes as Chair emeritus and current appointee to the City of Sacramento Planning and Design Commission, and board member for organizations like Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and the Institute of Governmental Advocates.

As the first in her family to graduate from college, Nicolina is deeply committed to helping others navigate similar paths. Her diverse professional background, combined with her enduring connection to Carleton, positions her well to contribute to MCAN’s mission of enhancing the alumni network and supporting current students.

Amanda Khouw '24

Amanda Khouw ’24

Hello! My name is Amanda (she/her/hers) and I am a member of the Class of 2024. I am majoring in chemistry and minoring in biochemistry with the intention of joining the healthcare field or any R&D opportunity in the future! I am the President of COSEA (Coalition of Southeast Asians), an OIL Peer Leader, an organic chemistry grader, and a student representative for the advisory committee of student life. I have also worked in Residential Life as a Resident Assistant for two years and served in 6th/7th Watson and 1st Goodhue! Some of my hobbies include crafting, learning new coffee making skills, and baking desserts! I am excited to be a part of MCAN and hope that my skills and knowledge can help underrepresented students of color through their journey in Carleton!

Lettu Konshie ’24

My name is Lettu Konshie, and I am an economics major in the class of ’24. During my time at Carleton, I was part of the African Caribbean Association, Black Student Association, Women in Economics, Swipe out Hunger, and Trio, and I occasionally attended club volleyball. Currently, I am based In NYC as a Wealth Management analyst at Bank of America, where my role involves analyzing portfolio investments and researching public equities.  I hope through MCAN I can reach underrepresented students and be a resource to those wondering about constructing their path at or after Carleton.

Carleton alum David Wallace Jackson '87 P19 P24

David Wallace-Jackson ’87

“The goal is not to just make a living, but to make a life that you are proud of.” —Paul D. Wellstone

David grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where his parents settled in 1967. They were both a long way from home. David’s mother was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico; his father was born in Spanish Harlem and raised in the Bronx. Ypsilanti was a very different world than they knew and an unusual spot for two Puerto Ricans to settle, but they never left. David left home in 1983 to attend Carleton—a place that was new to him, and he has essentially been in Minnesota ever since. David writes “I could not have imagined then how this small college surrounded by cornfields would expand my world. I met amazing professors who became beloved members of my Minnesota family. I forged deep friendships with classmates. Most important, I have been able to hold hands every day for more than 30 years with my wife Emily because I met her there. Put simply, I owe a lot to Carleton. And I am happy to once again volunteer my time to the college and the MCAN board where I have previously served.”

Bladimir Contreras '26

Bladimir Contreras ’26

Hello there! My name is Bladimir Contreras (He/Him/El), and I’m a Posse scholar from Houston. I’m currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in American Studies and Educational Studies. As I progress through my academic journey, my interests have expanded to include legal and ethnic studies, American government and politics, advocating for social justice and equity, and empowering First-Generation Low-Income (FGLI) Students of Color.

I’m actively involved in TRIO, Office of Intercultural Life, Latin American Student Organization, and Men of Color, and serve as a residential assistant for Residential Life. This year, I’m honored to represent the Class of 2026 as a student representative for MCAN. I’m excited to be a voice for my communities, including first-generation, low-income, and LGBTQ+ students of color.

Dani Reynoso ’25

Dani Reynoso ’25

Hello, my name is Dani Reynoso and I am a part of the class of 2025. My major is in American Studies and my interests are in Law and Education, specifically college access. My intended career paths are somewhere along these lines, but I’m not entirely sure yet. During my time here at Carleton, I have served as a board member of two different student organizations including 1Gen and Women of Color+. I also work as an Educational Equity fellow at the CCCE. A recently developed hobby of mine is crocheting. I just taught myself how to over winter break, and hopefully, I’ll find time to crochet during the term. Finally, I am new to the MCAN board and have served as one of the Junior Student Representatives since the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year.