The city’s oldest Latino nonprofit organization will have a new executive director starting next month.

The Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of Philadelphia (Concilio) has announced that Adonis Banegas will be its new executive director. Banegas, a native of North Philadelphia, was most recently the program director at the Family Resources Center and Health Education Unit at the Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey.

Banegas will be filling the position previously filled by Joanna Ortero-Cruz who lead Concilio from 2010 until she was picked by Mayor Jim Kenney to be the City’s new Deputy Managing Director of Community Services.

“As a North Philadelphia native, Adonis grew up immersed in Philadelphia’s Latino culture, and has dedicated his career to helping those in need,” said Antonio Valdes, Concilio Board of Directors chair. “We look forward to working with him to expand our organization’s impact on the Philadelphia community.”

Banegas comes from a background in public health during which he worked to improve access to healthcare and social programs for underserved communities. In his previous role at the Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey, Banegas supervised health education programs such as an HIV prevention campaign, an asthma and parenting education program, and more.

After graduating from Samuel S. Fels High School, Banegas earned a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in Health Education from Arcadia University.

“Growing up in Philadelphia, I attended the Hispanic Fiesta and Puerto Rican Festival events each year with my family. Understanding and appreciating the deep history of this organization and the tremendous impact it has made on the Latino community in Philadelphia, I am honored and humbled to join Concilio,” Banegas said.  “I look forward to expanding on the services that we provide to the community, and to enhance our cultural offerings to the City."