HFF advocates for all Hispanic and immigrant families in Nashville and the surrounding areas and is committed to programs that improve their quality of life. We work with Hispanic and immigrant families to provide:
We have a collaborative mindset at the Hispanic Family Foundation. We partner with agencies that have a successful track record in addressing the needs of the community. These partnerships allow the Hispanic Family Foundation to leverage its many assets including our accessibility and location, our media partners, creative services, and social media – all while maintaining a lean management model.
By consistently delivering results, HFF has earned the trust of the community. That trust will allow us to continue to foster strong partnerships with organizations, groups, and companies that share a passion for Hispanic and immigrant issues.
Our Mission is to improve the quality of life for hispanic families in Middle Tennessee, working through the platforms of economic, education, social services, advocacy, and culture to provide programs that strengthen the nashville hispanic community.
– Hispanic Family Foundation
We are confident that the success of our Mission is based on the following values:
HFF advocates for all Latino families in Nashville and is committed to programs that improve their quality of life. We work with Latino families to provide:
We have a collaborative mindset at the Hispanic Family Foundation. We partner with agencies that have a successful track record in addressing the needs of the community. This partnership allows the Hispanic Family Foundation to leverage it many assets including our accessibility and location, our media partners, creative services, and social media – all while maintaining a lean management model.
By consistently delivering results, HFF has earned the trust of the community. That trust will allow us to continue to foster strong partnerships with organizations, groups, and companies that share a passion for Hispanic issues.
Entrepreneurs Mark and Diane Janbakhsh are founders of the Hispanic Family Foundation. They were both raised in the Nashville area and have a strong commitment to the community. Their business success, combined with their love of the community, led them to found the Hispanic Family Foundation in 2013 to enhance the lives of Hispanic families and children.
Diane Janbakhsh considers herself a Nashville native despite moving to Nashville when she was just 9 years old. In 1985, her family moved to middle Tennessee after living in both Arkansas and Mexico. Being a Mexican American family in Nashville at a time had its challenges, as Diane and her siblings worked to assimilate to the Nashville culture. Her mother, Dr. Alicia Griffin, became the first female Hispanic dentist and paved the road for many other Hispanic business owners who would eventually make their way to Nashville. Her family practice provided the perfect environment for Diane to begin to serve the Latino community and gain a love for community service and cultural awareness. Her years of working in the dental practice for her mother also trained her to identify the needs of the community members and look for opportunities to develop services that would positively impact individuals. In 2010 Diane and her husband Mark began the work of the Hispanic Family Foundation, directly working with families in need and underserved Hispanic communities. Mark and Diane started with coat and toy drives during the holidays, then began to host community Easter events and food giveaways. Little by little, the aid and support kept growing. By 2013, the Hispanic Family Foundation gained its nonprofit status and began to grow into the foundation it is today. Not long after, Diane and her husband Mark founded Plaza Mariachi to further support and empower the local Hispanic communities. Her passion for young people and families, and her desire to see people whole, healthy, and empowered is what is at the heart of the Hispanic Family Foundation. Since 2016 she has served in different capacities on HFF’s Board of Directors, the last of which she served as Board Chair. Of all of the occupations she has had and of all the hats she has worn, second only to being a wife and the mother to her four daughters, she says being the Founder and Executive Director of the Hispanic Family Foundation is the most fulfilling and joy-giving occupation.
Laura Da Fonte immigrated from Venezuela to the United States in 2017. At that time she began working at HFF as an Office Manager. Laura loves serving the immigrant community.
She has a master’s degree in information system management from the University of Minnesota. She obtained different managerial positions during her career in the telecommunication industry and systems planning.
Laura has two daughters and loves to travel and read.
Originally from Durango, Mexico, Angelica Conde has made Nashville her home since 2006. She holds degrees in Executive Secretarial Studies and Private Accounting, bringing strong organizational and administrative expertise to her professional role. Dedicated to helping others in every way she can, Angelica is known for her commitment, reliability, and warm personality. Her greatest motivation comes from her two children, Antonio and Paola, who inspire her both personally and professionally.
Coming soon
Monse is proudly Mexican and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Social Work at Belmont University. She is passionate about serving vulnerable communities, with a special focus on supporting children.
Monse’s journey with HFF began in 2016 as a ballet student, and over the years she has grown with the organization; first as the Cultivate Program Manager and now as Social Media Coordinator.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading books about child development and trauma, and spending quality time with her friends, family, and her two dogs (Crunchy and Yogi).
Ron is a small business owner in Middle Tennessee. He earned his BS in Integrated Social Science from Penn State University.
Ron Hall was an immigrant-refugee to the United States from Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. He was airlifted out of the An Lac orphanage located in the slums of Saigon during the end of the Vietnam War by the “Angel of Saigon”, Betty Tisdale. Ron’s story can be viewed on YouTube.
After being adopted in Pennsylvania, Ron headed to New York City where he worked at the Fortune 100 financial services company TIAA-CREF and travelled to Africa many times to serve orphans in Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa. In 2007 he moved to Nashville, TN where he served several 501c(3) organizations including the Doorpost Film Project, a film company, IT director of Strategic Global Initiative – a 501c(3) organization providing funding for work all around the world, as well as providing support for the 501c(3) organization Heroes International, a Ukraine aid organization and Stop Child Trafficking Now, a 501c(3) human rights organization.
Ron manages the budget, finance and compliance at the Hispanic Family Foundation. His duties include payroll, accounts payable / accounts receivable, expense tracking, budgeting, human resources, grant management, and compliance. Ron also handles minor IT support. Ron serves these duties on a full time volunteer basis.
