DEL SUR Strategies
Through Del Sur Strategies, I partner with not-for-profit organizations, foundations, and mission-driven companies to navigate complex challenges, designing innovative and culturally responsive solutions, and fostering growth that is equitable, inclusive, and accessible, strengthening both people and systems.
ABOUT
I am the founder and former Executive Director of an innovative, high-impact organization that redefined what’s possible in its field. For more than a decade, I learned hands-on how to scale it responsibly to nearly $3 million in revenue while creating an equitable, high-trust culture spanning 50 team members from 22 countries and speaking 19 languages.My poise has earned the trust of boards, government officials, academic institutions, and community leaders, as I have led teams to stability amid chaos, delivering strategic outcomes, and changing or reinforcing systems under intense, high-stakes conditions.With a global perspective shaped by lived experience and executive leadership, I work alongside leaders to strengthen organizational systems, both internally and in relationship to the people at the center of their work.
Why Del Sur?
Del Sur translates to “from the south" and it honors the knowledge, grit, and collective strength of the Global South, people and places too often framed only as recipients of help rather than as sources of insight, strategy, and innovation.
Why Dandelions?
Dandelions are amazing. Even in the harshest conditions, they remind us that survival can lead to growth, and that our impact can extend far beyond ourselves and where we are rooted.
The Path to a more Equitable, Responsive Organization
Guiding Leadership and Strategy: I step in during critical moments, leadership transitions, complex decisions, and periods of accelerated change, to provide clear judgment and steady guidance that drives sustainable, lasting impact.Strengthening People and Culture: I help leaders build inclusive, high-performing teams and shape systems that are culturally responsive, equity-driven, and aligned with organizational purpose and values.My work is grounded in ethical leadership and deep respect for the people and mission that hold an organization together, principles I have lived, tested, and led through in practice.
Strategic engagements
Leadership and Organizational transitions
-Stepping in as interim leadership to guide organizations through periods of transition, growth, or uncertainty.
-Advising boards and executive teams, providing strategic guidance during times of change and organizational evolution.
-I provide hands-on support in drafting accurate CEO and Executive Director job descriptions, identifying and vetting top candidates, and guiding thoughtful succession planning.
-I serve as a trusted, retainer-based partner for new Executive Directors, helping them grow into confident leaders, build aligned teams, and navigate executive responsibilities and board relationships with clarity and purpose.
Systems, innovation, and problem solving
-Going beyond surface-level challenges to address the systems underneath and enable clear, informed decision-making.
-Providing support in the design and launch of innovative initiatives, pilots, or transformation efforts that drive meaningful change.
-Breaking down silos and support scale, replication, and sustainable organizational growth.
CUlture, collaboration, & learning
-Strengthening organizational culture, aligning values, and developing high-performing teams.
-Coaching leaders, designing cross-sector partnerships.
-Delivering keynotes, workshops, and learning experiences that build both people and systems.
Practical Leadership for OST Programs
-Partner with OST (out-of-school time) and youth-focused organizations during periods of growth, transition, or organizational change
-Strengthen leadership, team culture, and operational clarity using lessons from 11 years as a founder and executive director
-Support programs in building equitable, sustainable models that remain responsive to families and communities.
individual and group trainings & workshops
Asset-based community engagement & Ethical Storytelling
Shifting from deficit narratives to strengths-based, community-led approaches that build trust, honors dignity, and achieves long-term impact.
Community-Centered Fundraising & Development
Aligning fundraising practices with equity, transparency, and authentic relationships—moving beyond extractive or performative models.
Equity-Centered, Inclusive Workplaces
Building teams and organizational cultures rooted in belonging, accountability, and shared leadership—without sacrificing clarity or performance.
Cultural Humility in Practice
Developing the skills to navigate culture, power, and difference with curiosity, respect, and responsibility in day-to-day work.
Cultural Practices & Inclusion overview
This supportive, learning-focused assessment helps organizations and agencies understand how their practices, programs, and partnerships are experienced by immigrant teams and communities. Guided by Del Sur’s 9 Core Principles for Dignity-Centered Systems for Community Impact™, the assessment highlights strengths, identifies opportunities, and centers equity and trust, for real-world impact.Includes:
-Review of policies and day-to-day practices through a cultural and equity lens
-Listening conversations with staff, leadership, and community stakeholders
-Clear findings and actionable recommendationsOutcome:
Clear, actionable strategies to strengthen inclusive, culturally responsive systems—both within the organization and in the services it delivers.Format:
A time-bound engagement with clear deliverables with a written summary and facilitated debrief.
del sur 9 core principles
for Dignity-Centered Systems
| I. Dignity and Belonging | II. Equity by Design | III. Collective Impact & Accountability |
|---|---|---|
| Belonging Comes Before Achievement | Access Must Be Designed, Not Assumed | Trust Is Built Through Consistency and Presence |
| Inclusion Requires Listening and Action | Cultural Responsiveness Is a Practice, Not a Training | Collaboration Beats Duplication |
| Families Are the Unit of Change | People Are Not Broken. Systems Are. | Outcomes Must Reflect More Than Data |
CONTACT
Stay in touch
awards & media coverage
Over more than 15 years of executive and community leadership, I have been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for driving organizational and systems-level change. The articles and features linked here reflect a reputation built on ethical leadership, transparency, and measurable results in complex, high-stakes environments.
SIl's Bio
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sil moved to Charlotte in 2003 and experienced firsthand what life is like for a young adult alone in a new country. She began her community work in 2010 as an Administrative Assistant for a for-profit afterschool program, where she witnessed the unfair treatment of newly arrived children and the gaps in equitable access and services for their families, this is why, four years later, she founded ourBRIDGE for KIDS, a Charlotte-based organization supporting immigrant and refugee children and families. She led as Executive Director for 11 years, launching initiatives that supported thousands of families while fostering education, acculturation, and cultural pride. She pioneered nonprofit leadership practices that centered dignity, ethical storytelling, and equity, transforming how communities are recognized and valued for who they are, not just what they contribute. Her leadership also emphasized community-centered fundraising and developing diverse, high-performing teams of 50 staff from 22 countries.Sil also envisioned and led the creation of the Charlotte Is Home Center, North and South Carolina’s first one-stop hub for newcomers. The Center integrates legal, health, and social services under one roof to provide coordinated, wraparound support in families' first language.Through Del Sur Strategies, Sil now applies her expertise to help organizations strengthen infrastructure during growth, guide executive leadership through change, and embed equity and sustainable impact across programs.Sil is widely recognized as an advocate and thought leader in diversity, justice, and immigrant rights. She was Congresswoman Alma Adams’ guest to President Trump's first State of the Union Address in 2017, in representation of the immigrant community in North Carolina, one of the biggest honors of her life. She was named Charlottean of the Year in 2018, received the Global Leader Award from the City of Charlotte, and in 2020 became the first Latina -and only the second woman ever- to receive the prestigious Dr. Nish Jamgotch Jr. Humanitarian Award, among many other distinctions.
