Haydee Morales
Haydee Morales (she/ella) is the Chief Operating Officer at NIRH. Haydee plays a significant role in shaping the future direction of NIRH, advancing an inclusive organizational culture which centers race equity, overseeing operational and financial systems, and ensuring staff engagement, development and empowerment.
Prior to joining NIRH, Haydee served for seven years as Executive Director of Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education, the first and oldest Latino charity in NYC, where she successfully led the organization in creating a sound infrastructure, successful programming, an ambitious five year strategic plan, a multimillion dollar fundraising strategy and managed a leadership team of professionals who in turn, reach tens of thousands of youth, families and community members with high quality education and public arts programming.
Throughout her professional career, Haydee has been a dedicated leader of community-based programming and management having worked in organizations such as Planned Parenthood of NYC, as Vice President of Education and Training, where she led programming reaching over 25,000 New Yorkers annually and where she rose through the ranks to manage international offices in South Africa and the Dominican Republic. She also worked at the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families and the Hispanic AIDS Forum, deepening her understanding and delivery of culturally informed programming. She leveraged this experience as visionary, founder and Executive Director of Casa Atabex Aché, a community based, women of color, health action organization, based in the South Bronx. For her work, Ms. Morales was recognized by the Fund for the City of New York Union Square Award, in recognition of her notable contributions as a grassroots activist who developed and initiated a youth and family organization that strengthened New York.
Haydee previously served as Director of Latino Initiatives at the national office of the March of Dimes, where she managed educational and advocacy activities directed at Latina women nationwide, the US-Mexico border and Puerto Rico. She was awarded the Groundbreaking Latina Award by the National Association of Latina Leaders, Volvo Cars and Catalina Magazine. The Honorable Senator Gilbert A. Cedillo also recognized her for her outstanding contributions towards Latina advancement and empowerment. State Senator Luis Sepulveda recognized Ms. Morales as a Woman of Distinction. El Diario La Prensa recognized Ms. Morales as a Mujer Destacada for her accomplishments as a Latina.
Haydee led the development of policy briefs and has had her work published in peer review journals. She also co-produced a video documentary about Sistersong: Women of Color Reproductive Health Initiative, which describes a national grassroots women of color initiative that addressed sexual and reproductive health. Most recently her work at Casita Maria was published in Afterschool Matters.
Haydee holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from Hunter College and a Master of Science in Human Services Administration from Audrey Cohen College. She is a former Ford Foundation Fellow of the Latino Leadership Opportunity Program and is a former Research Fellow of the Robert Bowne Foundation. She completed the We Are The Bronx Fellowship and Mujeres de HACE, a women’s professional development and leadership program. She was awarded the HACE Redefining Leadership award for leveraging her cultural identity to succeed professionally and make a difference in the lives of many.