INROADS News

INROADS Alumna, Miriam Velez, Promoted to Lead Alumni Affairs

Apr 28, 2011

INROADS, the nation’s largest non-profit source of salaried corporate internships for top diversity talent, has widely been recognized for developing and providing a world of opportunities for young talent to serve and lead in corporate America. Today, that same mission is affording a young executive the opportunity to bring new energy to the organization by tapping class of 2004 INROADS Alumna, Miriam Velez, as the organization’s new Director of Alumni Relations and External Affairs at INROADS.

 Within this role, Velez will be responsible for engaging the nearly 24,000 INROADS Alumni community, strengthening relationships with the organization’s constituents, and developing key strategic partnerships that align with the INROADS mission. She will also hold a key capacity role with the National INROADS Alumni Association (NIAA) to engage Alumni in the fulfillment of the INROADS mission and vision, facilitate the creation of mentoring relationships amongst Alumni, and implement programs that help Alumni move forward in their capacity as corporate and community leaders.

“We are confident that as one of INROADS own  talented Leaders and Alumni, Miriam will be an exceptional voice representing the interest of nearly 24,000 Alumni, and we are excited to have her serve within this new role at INROADS,” shares Forest T. Harper, Jr., President and CEO of INROADS.

Velez is the embodiment of the INROADS’ promise. Like many who grew up in underserved communities, Velez had to break through the barriers forged in the cultural pressures and traditional roles often cast for Latin women to achieve new academic and business heights for herself and her family. With the assistance of the INROADS leadership development program and corporate internship opportunities, Velez received the training and gained the confidence she needed to create a successful path into Corporate America.

“As alumni, we are the keepers of the keys to the INROADS legacy, and the future of INROADS is in our hands. I look forward to working with the Alumni community and draw my strength from their passion,” shares Miriam Velez.

“I believe that Miriam being promoted to this role is an example of INROADS’ commitment to giving Alumni an opportunity to be in key roles as a part of the organization’s success.  As the new Chair of the NIAA, I look forward to serving alongside Miriam for the benefit of the Alumni, who are the real measure of INROADS’ success,” stated Quenita Fagan, newly elected President and Chair of the National INROADS Alumni Association (NIAA).

In such a short time, Velez has accumulated years of corporate experience and Alumni leadership affiliation that she brings to this new role.  As a manager of the New York/New Jersey Region, she managed relationships with 13 sponsoring companies and over 30 Interns. She also led Alumni Engagement in the region and led local Alumni in creating and implementing the annual Jhan De La Cruz Memorial Scholarship.

Prior to joining INROADS, Miriam worked in Investment Bank Finance at J.P. Morgan Chase for nearly five years. She spent five summers interning at J.P. Morgan Chase before converting to her sponsoring company. During her full-time tenure at the firm, she was instrumental in several key projects and roles, including project management of expense reduction initiatives, working on a team to develop standardized financial reporting across the Investment Bank, and merger integration projects.  During her last role at the firm, she provided end to end financial control over a $70 million budget; served as recruiting chair for the firm’s National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) industry Steering Committee; member of the Women’s Committee, Philanthropy Committee and Networking Committee, and served as a mentor for INROADS Interns and new Alumni at the firm.  

Velez is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. degree in Finance.