AR ENTERTAINMENT - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Vice - Chairperson of Media and Public

Angela Rodríguez is the Vice-Chairperson of Media and Public Relations for the LATIN SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME COMPANY EMAIL: angela@ar-entertainment.com

Trumpet virtuoso Arturo Sandoval is fluent in at least four musical languages. He can burn through an Afro-Cuban groove, tear up a bebop tune, soar over a Mozart concerto and soothe you with a luscious ballad; with equal power and grace. Granted political asylum in July 1990 and U.S. citizenship in 1999, Sandoval and his family now call Miami, Florida home. A protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval was born in Artemisa, a small town in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on November 6, 1949, just two years after Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American jazz. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn't take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world. He has since evolved into one of the world's most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugel horn, as well as a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer. Sandoval was a founding member of the GRAMMY Award-winning group Irakere, whose explosive mixture of jazz, classical, rock and traditional Cuban music caused a sensation throughout the entertainment world. In 1981, he left Irakere to form his own band, which garnered enthusiastic praise from critics and audiences all over the world. Sandoval was voted Cuba's Best Instrumentalist from 1982 to 1990. Sandoval has been awarded four GRAMMY Awards, six Billboard Awards and an Emmy Award. The latter for his composing work on the entire underscore of the HBO movie based on his life, For Love or Country. He is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and was recently been seen by millions on the GRAMMY Awards performing with pop-phenomenon Justin Timberlake as well as on the Latin Billboard Awards with the gifted Alicia Keys, where he was awarded his sixth BillboardAward for Best Latin Jazz Album. Not only is Sandoval a tenured professor at Florida International University, but he works nationally and abroad with innumerable institutions and their music departments offering several scholarships, exercise books, clinics and seminars, and has rendered a considerable amount of time working with the NARAS educational program. Furthermore, Hal Leonard Publishing has not only released additional educations books with recorded CD's that include original exercises by Sandoval, but has published various big band, combo and marching band charts from his award winning albums. Sandoval maintains one of the most extensive educational programs in the industry. Sandoval is also a renowned classical musician, performing regularly with the leading symphony orchestras from around the world. He has composed his own "Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra," which can be heard on Arturo Sandoval: The Classical Album. He has been chosen to perform with the foremost orchestras on primetime television and was asked by John Williams to record on Williams' original trumpet concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra. His classical artistry has earned him the respect and admiration from the most prestigious conductors, composers and symphony orchestras worldwide. Sandoval's versatility can be heard on recordings with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Woody Shaw, Michel Legrand, Bill Conti, and Stan Getz to Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Rod Stewart and Alicia Keys, among many others. He has performed with Céline Dion at the Oscars, John Williams with the Boston Pops, and in the Super Bowl with Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle. His playing can also be heard on Dave Grusin's soundtrack for Havana, in the Mambo Kings' soundtrack with his GRAMMY-nominated composition "Mambo Caliente" and in the soundtrack of The Perez Family. He was commissioned by the Kennedy Center to compose the music for the ballet Pepito's Story, choreographed by Debbie Allen, and, as mentioned above, he was awarded an Emmy for his composing work on the entire underscore of the HBO movie based on his life, For Love or Country, starring Andy Garcia. Sandoval reaches beyond the scope of mere effort. His struggles while in Cuba and since his defection have given him more energy and strength, urging him to accomplish and surpass his childhood dreams. Filled with a virtuoso capability, he desires nothing more than to share his gift with others who feel the same intense adoration for music as he does. One frequently speaks of Sandoval's technical ability or his specialty in high notes, but he who has seen him on the piano, lyrically improvising a ballad, or has had the opportunity to enjoy the diversity of his music, through his compositions from the most straight ahead jazz, Latin jazz or classical, knows that Sandoval is a prominent musician, and one recognizes that he is one of the most brilliant and proliferous musicians of our time. Sandoval joins the Telarc label with the release Rumba Palace in May 2007.

Dr. Juan J. Rivera is a board certified Cardiologist who specializes in the prevention, early detection and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. Dr. Rivera then pursued an Internal Medicine internship and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. During his last residency year, he was accepted at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, to do a combined cardiovascular disease fellowship and a master's in cardiovascular epidemiology. During his years in Baltimore, he became a prolific researcher and won the Johns Hopkins Stanley Blumenthal Clinical Research Award given to the best research project at an institutional level. Dr. Rivera has published many peer reviewed articles in most of the scientific Cardiology journals and is a reviewer for The American Journal of Cardiology, Atherosclerosis and Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. He serves on the editorial board of the American Heart Hospital Journal. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology National Hispanic Cardiology Leadership Network and is the chairman of the prevention council of the Society of Atherosclerosis Imaging and Prevention. Dr. Rivera is also very active in community education in matters that relate to health and wellness. He is the medical and health expert for Telemundo Network with weekly appearances on Telemundo's national shows "Al Rojo Vivo" and/or "Noticiero Telemundo". He created and operates a wellness blog, Corazon Hispano, in which he educates the Hispanic community on disease prevention and lifestyle issues. In 2008, he was the recipient of Vista Magazine's Health Specialization Award for his commitment with the Hispanic community in the area of health education and wellness promotion. Dr. Rivera has written for many newspapers, including The Washington Hispanic and Cardiology Today, among others, and has been a frequent radio guest. He has been a guest speaker and has moderated several health panels during the annual Congressional Hispanic Caucus Public Policy Meeting. He is also the health expert on the syndicated radio show "Casos y Cosas de Collins", hosted by the journalist and media personality Maria Antonieta Collins. In 2009, he joined the clinical practice of Dr. Arthur Agatston, creator and author of the South Beach Diet. Dr. Rivera holds voluntary academic appointments in the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Miami.

Job Titles:

• Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Wellness

Hitting the scene with the force of a hurricane, Ingrid Macher has one goal: to change lives. Well, you can consider that goal accomplished, because this Miami mother of two has become the new face of the growing Hispanic diet and exercise movement. By combining infectious positivity with practical advice, Ingrid has developed quite a following while spreading her message of healthy living. She has almost 90,000 loyal fans on Facebook, with 43,000 more anxiously awaiting her next Tweet. Her qualifications are unquestionable. Ingrid is a certified holistic health coach, personal trainer, wellness author, and fitness motivator. But what makes her really stand out is her down-to-earth personality. Ingrid is real. She doesn't just preach the virtues of active exercise, healthy eating habits, and an optimistic attitude. She lives it. Her genuine enthusiasm has made her a star in a market starving for a hero they can relate to. Ingrid's path to becoming a symbol of health and fitness wasn't exactly a smooth ride. She was born in Bogota, Colombia, a country known for its rich customs and love of food. It's a love Ingrid is all too familiar with. She says, "I come from a family where all the women struggle with their weight. Being overweight and even obese is in our genetics. We have to fight hard to keep off the extra pounds. So far, I've been the only one to overcome that challenge." In 1992, a determined 19-year-old Ingrid left for Puerto Rico, to study at the University of the Sacred Heart. "Bogota is beautiful, but cold. I always wanted to live near the beach. I love the sun, so at the time, Puerto Rico seemed like the ideal place for me." While living with her sister, Ingrid studied Communications. But the move wasn't the only change in her life. She also got married and gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby girl she named Paula. Just as she was finding comfort in her new surroundings, her life changed again. Her plans of taking her studies further were disrupted by a divorce. Ingrid wanted the best for her young daughter and knew that another change had to be made. She needed to provide for her, so moved to Miami, in search of better opportunities. But those opportunities never came to fruition. In her own words, Ingrid recalls, "When you come to America as a professional, sometimes you think things will be easier. But once here you realize that it is not and you must find a way to survive somehow. I spent seven years working as a single mother in various activities, while working two jobs, seven days a week." Yet despite the rough start, Ingrid's move worked out for the best. On one of her buildings' elevators, she met young entrepreneur Jeff Macher, a man she proudly calls the love of her life. One month later, they were dating. Three months later, they were engaged. Before then, Ingrid's job required her to stay fit, tanned and slim. But after the honeymoon, that responsibility was removed. Ingrid recalls, "We moved to Las Vegas to start our family. There we bought a house and I spent several years living the life that I never could before. I stopped working. We traveled the world, indulging in all types of food. " The young couple's financial success didn't come without consequences. Their eating habits caught up to them. Ingrid found herself over fifty pounds overweight. That extra weight didn't come alone. She was also starting to develop health problems like asthma. But with the birth of her second daughter, Mia, her body wasn't her priority. Then came the nationwide financial crisis. The economy dried up and just like that, the couple's fortune was gone. They moved to Miami for a fresh start. After the move, Ingrid got a wake-up call. Her friends and people who knew her were shocked at her new appearance. They were used to looking slim and fit, so the extra weight was surprising. Once again surrounded by all these beach bodies, Ingrid was determined to lose weight. She tried dozens of ways, with no success. But she never gave up. She knew that to succeed, she needed to find what really worked, not just rely on other people's advice. She had to come up with a plan she could stick to. During her search, she had a revelation. She came across a study conducted at Harvard University that found a strong correlation between weight loss and a positive mindset. Ingrid knew this was breakthrough information. Nobody else was talking about it. It formed the basis of her entire weight loss plan. Ingrid came up with nine secrets to losing weight, developing a positive mindset that allowed her to build momentum. She changed her eating habits. She began to exercise. Three months later, she had lost all fifty pounds she had put on (and the accompanying health problems). She looked and felt better than ever before. Ingrid shared her secrets with her husband Jeff, transforming his life as well. She recalls, "Jeff was drinking too much coffee and energy drinks. He depended on them for energy and concentration. He applied my weight loss methods with stunning results. He lost 28 pounds, and his concentration, energy and sexual vitality sky rocketed!." While she was excited by her own results, helping others is her true passion. Once she saw Jeff's changes, she knew she had found her life's calling. She decided to become certified as a personal trainer and holistic health coach. Fueled by genuine enthusiasm, she now had the expertise to help her friends take control of their bodies and lives. It started as a hobby, but news of their success had spread and suddenly there was incredible demand for her help. Her passion led to Ingrid becoming an entrepreneur, just like her husband. She never looked back. Today, Ingrid Macher is one of the most influential experts in the diet and fitness world. Her message is spread across dozens of websites and magazines, in both English and Spanish. Her advice reaches thousands and thousands of people, motivating them to finally make their dreams become reality. Between her website, written work, social media accounts and private consultations at her Florida office, Ingrid is impacting lives each and every day. Ingrid knows the challenges people feel when trying to lose weight. She knows how confusing it can be to not know what to do. She was determined to end that confusion and provide people with answers they can count on. She recently created the most innovative fat loss solution ever available to the public. It's a revolutionary program where she shares all her secrets on nutrition, motivation, and exercise. It's an electronic book (or e-book) available for instant download on PCs, tablets and mobile phones. It has been designed to get people in the best shape of their lives, in only 21 days. It's a comprehensive health-focused program, packed with delicious meal ideas and detailed videos that finally make becoming slim and sexy… simple, quick and easy.

Job Titles:

• Latin Artist
• Vice President of Global Medical Relief Fund

Maria Conchita Alonso is without a doubt a Latin artist that has contributed enormously to the entertainment industry in the United States, as well as all Spanish speaking nations. It could be said that she opened doors for the new generation of Hispanic artists that are now finding success in North America. Born in Cuba and raised in Venezuela, Maria Conchita is 100% Latina. Her talent, beauty and charisma make her magical. At an early age she knew that she wanted to be a performer. Her career started when she was crowned "Miss Teenager of Venezuela", then "Miss Teenager of the World", soon after she was "Miss Venezuela" in the "Miss World" beauty pageant. Maria Conchita became one of the top models of her time. She then conquered the hearts of millions of viewers in the Hispanic world, participating and starring in more than 11 soap operas and movies. It was obvious, that her next step was Hollywood. Shortly after her arrival to the United States, Maria Conchita co- starred in "Moscow on the Hudson" with Robin Williams, from that moment on her career as an actress gained her starring roles next to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Penn, Nicolas Cage and Jeremy Irons among others. She has acted in more then 50 films. For all her accomplishments and efforts in a challenging American market, she was honored with the "Hispanic Woman of the Year Award", Golden Globe Awards and the ALMA Award for "Best Actress". Among many nominations that Maria Conchita has received, she was given an "Independent Spirit Award", as "Best Actress" for her role in the movie "Caught", which also featured Edward James Olmos. Recently, Maria Conchita shot the feature film "English as a Second Language" with Kuno Becker, it will soon be released. She also just filmed "El Muerto" with Wilmer Valderrama (from "That 70's Show") an English speaking love story/thriller. She's now shooting the comedy "Material Girls" with Hilary and Hayley Duff, also starring Anjelica Huston. Two young spoiled girls loose it all, only to learn what's important in life. The small screen also enjoys her talents as she participates in numerous series, mini- series and films, for networks such as NBC, HBO, ABC, SHOWTIME, CBS and many others. Maria Conchita's music was recognized worldwide by the music industry when 5 of her albums went Gold (one was a Double Gold) and one went Platinum. With her warm personality and electric performances, her records are still selling in Mexico and Latin America. Her success as a singer/ songwriter has manifested and placed her on top of international hit parades. Multiple number 1 albums, platinum and gold records sales, contributed to her nominations for the GRAMMY awards in: "Best Latin Artist" for her album "Maria Conchita", "Best Latin Performance" for her single "Otra Mentira Mas" and "Best Latin Pop Album" for "Imaginame", in which she is co- author of 7 songs. Maria Conchita also performed and co- wrote "Vamos a Bailar" for the movie "Scarface" with Al Pacino. The newest released CD of Maria Conchita's is "Soy" a Special Edition, which has just been launched on her new label she created called, Ambar Entertainment. "Soy" contains 7 different versions of that single, and the new ones of "Acariciame", "Noche De Copas" and "La Loca". "Soy" is a pop/dance tune. Due to her triple threat and dynamic career, she was the first Latina not born in the United States to star on Broadway in "The Kiss of the Spider Woman". In Los Angeles' she appeared in Neil Simon's adaptation of "The Odd Couple" and she toured with "The Vagina Monologues", through various North American cities. Maria Conchita was just honored with the "Key to the City of Las Vegas", the first Latina to ever receive the Key to Las Vegas. As a humanitarian citizen of the world Maria Conchita is the Vice President of Global Medical Relief Fund (glomed.com).

Yul Vázquez became an aficionado of drama and music when he was just a child. The Tony Nominated actor was born in Havana, Cuba to an actress who introduced him to the world of drama at an early age. He moved to the United States at the tender age of two, where he developed his love and affinity with the arts beginning with good old fashion Rock and Roll. He played with a band called "Urgent" signed under EMI and he later played with a band called "Diving for Pearls" under Epic Records. Ever the Renaissance man, Yul found that his true calling awaited him in the world of acting. Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg and Steven Soderbergh are just a few of the cinematic masters Vázquez has worked with during his acting tenure. Other film credits include "The A-Team" opposite Bradley Cooper and Liam Neeson; John Sayles' "Amigo," opposite Chris Cooper; "Little Fockers," with Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," opposite Tom Cruise; "Bad Boys II" opposite Martin Lawrence and Will Smith; "Runaway Bride" opposite Julia Roberts and "Nick of Time" opposite Johnny Depp. He also acted in Ridley Scott's "American Gangster" alongside Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, where he received a SAG nomination for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2008. He previously won a SAG Award for the same category in the film "Traffic." He later reunited with director Steven Soderbergh to star opposite Benicio Del Toro in "Che." The big screen hasn't been the only medium to experience Yul's delights; audiences have also enjoyed his performances on numerous television shows. From his reoccurring, hilarious character "Bob," the "angry gay Puerto Rican," on "Seinfeld," to one of Samantha's hot love interests on HBO's "Sex and the City," to "Rueben the Cuban" on HBO's "The Sopranos," the Cuban artist proves his impressive acting abilities can manifest both the subtle movements needed In film and the powerful movements required by the theater. Other television credits include "Louie," "Law & Order: SVU" and "Fringe." Acting isn't Yul's only talent; he is also co-artistic director and a founding member of the LAByrinth Theatre Company. In addition, Yul co-founded a production company called Mechanized Mules alongside Ed Vassallo and Rick Rodgers. The production company produced a film called "Fall," starring Academy Award Nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and they just wrapped their second feature film. Very few actors can carry themselves with poise on both the big screen and the stage the way Vazquez can. He recently starred in Broadway on the Tony Nominated play "The Motherf**cker with the Hat," opposite Chris Rock, Bobby Cannavale, Annabella Sciorra and Elizabeth Rodriguez. He received nominations for a Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for "Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play" for his portrayal of the eccentric Cousin Julio." Additional theater credits include "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" (The Public Theater) opposite Sam Rockwell, directed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, "The Stendhal Syndrome" (Primary Stages) with Isabella Rossellini and Richard Thomas, and "The Floating Island Plays" (Mark Taper Forum), just to name a few. He was last seen in two feature films released this past summer. The first was "Salvation Boulevard" opposite Jennifer Connolly, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Tomei and Greg Kinnear, which is based on the book by Larry Beinhart ("Wag the Dog"). The comedic thriller is set in the world of mega-churches in which a former Deadhead turned born-again-Christian finds himself on the run from fundamentalist members of his church, who will do anything to protect their larger-than-life pastor. Vázquez is currently shooting HBO's critically acclaimed series "Treme," and he will next be seen starring in the Starz drama MAGIC CITY opposite Jeffrey Dean Morgan, created by Mitch Glazer. Set in 1960's Miami, the show centers on the upscale Miramar Playa Hotel amidst the political and organized crime drama of the time. Yul portrays "Victor Lazaro," general manager of the hotel.