Diana R. Breen, Executive Director
Diana R. Breen has more than a decade of experience in New York’s nonprofit and government sectors advocating for underserved families and individuals. Diana was appointed to Executive Director in May 2011, after serving as Ariva’s Deputy Director for one year. In her tenure with the Ariva, she has led a team that designed and delivered the organization’s first comprehensive financial education program and increased the volume of clients served through their free tax preparation program by 13 percent.
Prior to working with Ariva, Diana educated lower-income parents and their advocates about tax credits and public benefits at the Children’s Defense Fund – New York. At the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, she directed the outreach division and coordinated the NYC Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition, helping it grow to become the largest of its kind in the nation. Diana also organized around issues such as homeless outreach, higher education and voter registration at the New York Public Interest Research Group and taught a civic engagement class at Brooklyn College.
Diana graduated magna cum laude from New York University with an undergraduate degree in music. She earned her Master of Public Administration degree specializing in nonprofit management at CUNY’s Baruch College, where she was ranked first in her graduating class and was a 2008 United Way Senior Fellow and recipient of the Hearst Nonprofit Management Fellowship. A vegan and avid reader hailing from the Jersey shore, Diana currently resides in Park Slope, Brooklyn with her fiance.
Luis Breton, Tax Site Manager
Luis Breton has built an impressive career in operations for several tax preparation organizations, spanning both the nonprofit and private sectors. Luis first joined Ariva in 2005 as a volunteer tax preparer. Since then, Luis has managed Ariva’s main tax site in the South Bronx, which has been named by the IRS as the 13th largest nonmilitary free tax preparation site in the nation. As Tax Site Manager, he oversees the site’s operations, ensures compliance and quality, and manages and trains tax staff and volunteers. Luis is also a bilingual instructor in Ariva’s financial education program, empowering low- and moderate-wealth individuals and families to make informed financial decisions.
Previous to joining the Ariva team, Luis served at the Food Bank For New York City as a Quality Review Specialist and was soon promoted to Assistant Manager of their flagship free tax preparation site in Harlem. He also prepared tax returns and managed the bookkeeping at a private small tax preparation business in the Bronx.
Luis earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting with frequent appearances on the dean’s list at Monroe College. Luis currently resides in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan.
Adelaida Morin, Project Manager
In December 2012, Adelaida Morin joined Ariva as the Financial Education Project Manager. Her team has delivered hundreds of one-on-one financial coaching sessions to Ariva’s tax clients. At the same time, the financial education workshop series are being incorporated with other non-profit organization’s programs and college curricula. Ariva’s financial education program is in high demand by low-wealth New Yorkers. Adelaida’s team is devoted to educate those who need it the most.
Adelaida possesses a diverse professional experience and a genuine engagement in community development. She has publicly advocated for populations at risk since the early stages in her career working for RVT Radio Stations and JUCONI; a non-profit that aid street-working children in her native Ecuador. Prior to working with Ariva, Adelaida was the Head Program Manager at one of the Supplemental Educational Services providers for the Department of Education, where she delivered effective programming that met the educational and social needs of inner-city youth attending low-performing public schools.
Adelaida is committed to create opportunities for future generations: in collaboration with the Cultural House of Quevedo-Ecuador, Adelaida delivers yearly art workshops for underprivileged children and she volunteers to help low-income Bronx students to achieve academic success.
Adelaida graduated with a master’s degree in public policy from Stony Brook University. She was selected from graduate students around the world to complete a full-time internship at the United Nations assisting the chief of the Development Finance and External Debt Unit. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics majoring in public management at ESPOL University-Ecuador. Adelaida is professionally affiliated with the Foreign Policy Association, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs and the Society for Nonprofit Organizations.
Currently, Adelaida lives in Manhattan and she is still a virtuous chess player though she retired from competitions in her teenage years.
We will hire up to 20 seasonal hires for our 2013 tax season.
Find out about job opportunities at Ariva.