UnidosNow selects Manatee County resident as executive director

Manatee County resident Evelyn Almodóvar has been selected to lead the not-for-profit UnidosNow in Sarasota/Manatee.

UnidosNow works to integrate the region’s rapidly growing immigrant and Latino population into the civic, economic and cultural fabric of Southwest Florida.

Almodóvar’s selection comes after a national search. She brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and a commitment to youth development and community impact.

“We are thrilled to welcome Evelyn to the team as the new executive director of UnidosNow,” Kelly Kirschner, board chair of the organization and former mayor of Sarasota, said in a news release.

“As a bilingual, first-generation immigrant, Evelyn embodies the path and success UnidosNow aims for our students to experience. Her exceptional track record in nonprofit and business leadership, and her passion for community development make her the ideal choice to lead our organization into its next chapter” Kirschner said.

“Her experience in fostering growth, building partnerships, and her commitment to innovation align perfectly with our organization’s values and goals. Evelyn’s leadership comes at a crucial time, and we are confident in her ability to guide UnidosNow to new heights,” he said.

Luz Corcuera, a highly respected community leader who took the helm at UnidosNow in 2016, retired in 2022.

In her previous role at Lucet Health — formerly New Directions Behavioral Health — Almodóvar led significant growth and helped expand access to behavioral health services nationwide.

Almodóvar has worked closely with Healthy Teens Coalition. She is also the founder of TEDxBradenton, which is in its third year of highlighting local diverse talent in the Manatee-Sarasota area.

“I am immensely excited to join UnidosNow and contribute to its mission of empowering and inspiring our next generation of leaders and their families,” Almodóvar said in a statement.

The opportunity to lead such a dynamic organization, especially in these challenging times, is both an honor and a responsibility that I embrace wholeheartedly,” she said. “My focus will be on innovation, adaptability, and collaborative engagement to ensure that we remain at the forefront of positive change for our communities.”

UnidosNow offers educational and professional outreach initiatives to the Hispanic and Latino communities in Sarasota and Manatee counties to create cycles of opportunities for future generations.

The organization focuses on education initiatives, leadership training, community services and civic engagement.

Almodóvar has worked and lived in Manatee County for almost a decade as a nonprofit leader and consultant. She was born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in the Caribbean. She graduated from Post University in Connecticut with a master’s in public administration, specializing in social innovation. She is a doctoral candidate in public administration from Northcentral University.

Almodóvar sits on the board of Junior Leadership Manatee, Emerge SRQ, Manasota Re-Entry Project, and is the founder of The Zen Barn Bradenton. She graduated from Leadership Manatee, Realize Bradenton’s Start-up Circle and is a member of the Friendly City Forward action group.

Visit unidosnow.org for more information.