Toplin & Associates was one of the first agencies to create a special Multicultural Advisory Board, comprised of African American, Latino and Asian representatives to help the firm test its marketing assumptions and creative work and ensure that its clients' strategies and tactics address the needs and interests of diverse communities. The current members of Toplin's Multicultural Advisory Board are:
Latino Market Representatives:
Aída Beaupied is an Associate Professor of Spanish at Chestnut Hill College. Her area of specialization is Spanish American Language, Literature and Culture. Other areas of interest are Cuban Studies and Literary Theory. In recent years she has taught at The University of Chicago, Miami University and Penn State University. She has written a book, "Narciso hermético. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz y José Lezama Lima" (Liverpool University Press, 1997). Most of her recent publications are dedicated to the topic of Cuban Studies. At the moment, she is working on a book-length manuscript, "Freedom and Fatalism in Cuban Culture".
Reverend Bonnie Camarda began working at the Salvation Army as the director of church partnerships and program development specialist for the Greater Philadelphia area in 1999. Prior to joining the Salvation Army, Rev. Camarda had many years of service in the area of program development and administration, including serving as executive director of Esperanza Health Services.
Rev. Camarda currently serves as the president of Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia. She is an active board member of the Nueva Esperanza Community Development Corporation, the Philadelphia Leadership Foundation, the National Adoption Center, Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center and the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia.
Flora Castillo was born and raised in El Salvador and immigrated to Long Island, NY in 1981. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Long Island University. She is a graduate of both the Christine Todd Whitman Excellence in Public Services Series and The Leadership, Inc. Program of Philadelphia. In 2005, Ms. Castillo graduated from the American Health Insurance Plans’ Executive Leadership Fellowship Program and earned the distinction of Certified Healthcare Insurance Executive.
Castillo is the recipient of numerous community service awards including Atlantic County’s Top 40 under 40 Award (2004), WTS Woman of the Year (2003), COMTO’s Emerging Leader of the Year Award (2003), El Diario La Prensa Latinas Destacada Award (2003), and the NJ Department of State, Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission Triumph Award (2001). During her tenure, Ms. Castillo has worked diligently to ensure quality service for NJ TRANSIT customers, including increased seating capacity, cleaner trains and buses, and new equipment, and she played a key role in enhancing customer amenities for new bi-level rail cars NJ TRANSIT recently purchased. She has overseen the startup of a number of key transportation projects, including the opening of the River Line, and has approved the advancement of The Tunnel project. Ms. Castillo’s accomplishments also include initiating the Transit Academy Workforce Awareness and Readiness Program, which aims to mentor and expose New Jersey high school students and young adults to professions in the transportation industry, and reactivating the New Jersey chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO). A champion for minority and women employees, Ms. Castillo helped develop programs honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Women’s History Month.
Castillo serves as associate vice president of public affairs and marketing for Keystone Mercy Health Plan, Pennsylvania's largest medical assistance (Medicaid) managed care health plan serving more than 300,000 medical assistance recipients in Southeastern Pennsylvania including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. In this position, she designs, executes and oversees marketing and outreach programs to increase membership and market share and promote the company, while fostering ties with local communities, healthcare providers and its members.
Castillo is also a member of the NJ TRANSIT Board. The first Latina and youngest member ever appointed to that board, she chairs the board’s customer service and administration committees, overseeing an annual budget of more than $2 billion and 10,500 employees.
Asian Community Representative:
Chiang Shiu Mang was born in Wuri, Taiwan, a small city outside of Taichung, Taiwan’s third largest city. Her mother is a native of Taiwan and her father is from mainland China. She speaks both Mandarin and Taiwanese fluently.
Shiu Mang attended college in Taichung at Providence University, where she majored in English. After graduation, she taught English as a second language for many years before serving as the director of the English Department for Success Language School.
In 1996, Shiu Mang married an American, Joseph O’Donnell, and moved to the United States in 2000. She initially worked as a kindergarten teacher in Chinatown and for the past three years as been a Parent Services Specialist for Childcare Information Services of Philadelphia. In this position, Shiu Mang works with low-income families in the Chinese community, providing them with support and helping them to access funding for quality childcare.
Shiu Mang lives in Glenside, Pa. with her husband, son and daughter.
African American Community Representatives:
Nathaniel Alridge, Jr., J.D. studied business and law at Temple University’s Fox Business School and graduated with a B.B.A. from Temple in 1991. Thereafter, he attended Widener University School of Law and graduated with a J.D. in 1995. Currently, he serves as assistant director of both the department of human resources and the office of protocol at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith at 22nd and Bainbridge Streets in downtown Philadelphia. In addition to being employed by the church, he is a proud life-long member of the congregation and was ordained a deacon in July 2006. He has received numerous administrative appointments to local, regional and national special projects, oversight committees and conference planning committees in the church organization.
Alridge is also a committed educator. He has served as an assistant adjunct professor for Mercer County College and is currently a senior adjunct professor at Cumberland County College. Alridge has taught college composition, public speaking, business writing and freshman seminar courses. Additionally, he serves as the current adjunct faculty coordinator and evening administrator for Cumberland County College.
During his career, Alridge has received numerous honors which include, but are not limited to, the following: President’s Award, Temple University; Who’s Who: American Law School Students; Legion of Honor Award, Chapel of the Four Chaplains; and the Division Award of Merit, Exploring Division, Cradle of Liberty Council, Boy Scouts of America.
Tracey Matisak is an award-winning journalist, a dynamic speaker and trainer and a member of WHYY’s News and Public Affairs team. With more than 20 years of major market radio and television experience, Tracey spearheads special projects for WHYY throughout the year. These include anchoring election coverage and hosting live events on WHYY, PBS and National Public Radio. She has been an occasional contributor to PBS’S Nightly Business Report. Before coming to WHYY, the leading public broadcasting station in the Philadelphia region, Tracey worked for 12 years at FOX Philadelphia. There, she hosted FOX’s Good Day Philadelphia and served as an anchor and reporter for the FOX Ten O’Clock News. She has also appeared on the Home and Garden Network and has served as an anchor and reporter for several Philadelphia radio stations, including KYW Newsradio.
Tracey, who has won several local Emmy awards, was among the first to be named a Distinguished Alumni of Temple University. She has also won the Sarah Award for Excellence in Broadcasting and was named Communicator of the Year by the National Black MBA Association. A graduate of Temple University, Tracey is a member of the adjunct faculty in Temple’s department of Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media.