UTICA, NY.- C. Sonia Martinez has been named to the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Board of Trustees.

Martinez was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the United States in 1972. She was employed for 27 years with Excellus BCBS, and served as a Spanish Academic Coach for the Utica City Schools District. She was recently appointed the first Executive Director for the Mohawk Valley Latino Association.

To address the issues of the lack of educational and cultural support services for area Latino residents, she co-founded the Mohawk Valley Latino Association (MVLA) along with three other Latino colleagues. MVLA unites the Latino community and provides coordinated assistance in navigating education, housing, immigration, healthcare, social services, translation/interpretation, judicial and/or employment issues.

Martinez is a member of many community boards including: Boys Scouts of America Revolutionary Trails Council Advisor Board, MVCC CSTEP Advisory Board, Mohawk Valley Non-Profit Leaders, NAACP Oneida County Utica Branch, Upstate Family Health Center, SCORE Utica, Utica Public Library, YWCA MV, Herkimer College Foundation Board, On Point for College Advisory Board, and the Upstate Latino Alliance.

Martinez was a member of the Mayoral Transition Team of the City of Utica. She is an Oneida County History Center Living Legend award recipient, received a proclamation from NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and NYS Assemblyman Marco Crespo, Chair, Puerto Rican Hispanic Task Force. She has been recognized by the Maranatha Church in Rome as a Latina leader for the 2018 Hispanic Heritage Month, been honored with The Genesis Group Joseph R. Carucci Legacy award for her dedication to her community, and recently received a NYS Senate Commendation award by Senator Joseph A. Griffo.

Martinez will join the board of 12 trustees that governs MWPAI and its divisions, including Museum of Art, Performing Arts, and School of Art with PrattMWP College of Art and Design. Trustees are appointed to an initial term of three years. Under the board's guidance, MWPAI in 2018 served more than 146,480 people through 12 major Museum of Art exhibitions, 14 live performances and 147 community arts classes. The PrattMWP College of Art and Design welcomed 91 freshmen and 107 returning sophomores from around the world.

The MWPAI Board of Trustees includes: Chair Vige Barrie, Vice Chair Mark D. Levitt, Secretary William C. Craine, Steven J. Brown, Michael D. Cominsky, Emma Golden, Donna Harkavy, Robert Knight, Steven R. Kowalsky, F.X. Matt, III, Carmen Sonia Martinez, and Peggy O’Shea. Michael D. Damsky and John B. Stetson serve as Trustee Emeriti.