Members

A native of California, is the founder of Relámpago del Cielo Grupo Folklorico. She began dancing at the age of 5 with Lilly Aguilar, an original cast member of the Padua Hills Players. Classes were later offered through the Department of Parks and Recreation near her home in East Los Angeles. Her primary training was in Spanish dance, Flamenco and Mexican folk dance. At the age of 17, Ms. Peña gave back to the community by teaching with the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation as well as the Lilly Aguilar Dance Studio. It was during this time that she also began dancing professionally where she performed at all of the popular concert venues of the time such as the Philharmonic Auditorium, The Hollywood Bowl, San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, The Million Dollar Theater and all the major hotels such as The Ambassador, Beverly Hills and Biltmore. She toured throughout California, Canada and Hawaii and she had the opportunity to work with major Spanish, Mexican and American stars of the era such as Andres Segovia, Pepe Guizar, Juan Mendoza El Tariacuri and Mauricio Jara to name a few. During her late teens, Ms. Peña partnered with Augustine del Razo and later with the recently arrived Florencio Yescas and Mario Cervantes, those individuals who first introduced Danzas Aztecas to the Southern California region. Together they comprised part of the resident company of the newly formed California Heritage and Pageantry Association. She traveled extensively throughout Mexico where she studied not only with the better known teachers and institutes but in the smaller towns where she focused her research on the gente del pueblo. She has taught and/or provided lecture-dance seminars for the Fullerton, Newport-Mesa and Santa Ana Unified School Districts. She has also taught at Ohlone, San Jose City, Chapman and Santa Ana Colleges. She retired as Artistic Director for Relámpago well over fifteen years ago; however, she continues to act as a consultant today.

Marlene was exposed to dance at a very early age as the daughter of a professional dancer. She gave her first professional performance at the age of nine for the International Folkdance Festival held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Her talent has been recognized throughout the dance community and she has performed in such events as the Mariachi USA Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, the L.A. Fiesta Broadway for Univision and “El Grito” for the City of Los Angeles.

Ms. Peña-Marin has studied Mexican Folkdance under various renowned instructors including Rosie Peña, Emilio Rivas and a variety of maestros from the United States and México. She has also participated in dance conferences sponsored by the Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos (ANGF) and Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA) in Mexico City.

Since 1987 she has been an instructor for Relámpago del Cielo Grupo Folklórico. In 2002 she was named Director of the newly formed Ballet Folkórico Conservatory of the Orange County High School of the Arts, and most recently was announced as Director of Relámpago del Cielo, Inc.

Norma was born in 1953 in Orange and raised in Anaheim. She graduated from Anaheim High School in 1971, where she was a founding member of Los Amigos, their first “Chicano” club. While attending Cypress College, she was president of MECHA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanos de Aztlan), a member of OC Mecha Central and participated in La Raza Unida Party and Farmworker events. She graduated from Loyola Maramount University in 1975. While there, she continued her participation in MECHA, served on the student council and was introduced to the wonderful world of “Folklórico”. She studied under the direction of Emilio Pulido and Pam Harding and became a member of the LMU Ballet Folklórico Group. She graduated law school from UCLA and married in 1978. Norma is currently a Team Leader in the Workers’ Compensation Department at Disneyland. Her daughter Adrianna has been dancing with Relámpago since kindergarten. Norma joined the Board of Directors of Relámpago in 1995 and looks forward to many more years working with Relámpago.

Luz has been in education for over 30 years starting as a classroom teacher at Wilson Elementary School in Santa Ana Unified School District.  She worked in the Jurupa Unified School District for over 20 years as an elementary school teacher, high school art teacher, District Resource Teacher, Coordinator of Bilingual Education and ten years as Principal of Ina Arbuckle Elementary School. One of her most memorable accomplishments was being named Jurupa Unified School District Principal of the Year in 2004.

Luz attended Orange Coast College where she received her Associate of Arts Degree in Fine Arts.  Luz is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Arts and in Spanish. In addition, she studied abroad for a year at the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico City.  She returned to do her graduate work at University of California, Irvine and earned her Multiple and Single subject Teaching Credentials and her Master Degree in Education. She attended Azusa Pacific University and earned her Administrative Credential.

As an artist, Luz had the opportunity to work with other artists and has painted several murals.  One of her artistic accomplishments was painting the mural, ”Birth of La Raza” that she designed and painted with fellow artists from Santa Ana. The mural is still displayed at “Chicano Park” in San Diego, California.

Luz, a founding member, started dancing with Relámpago del Cielo in 1975.  During her ten years dancing with RDC, Luz also used her artistic talent to illustrate and design concert programs and flyers. She traveled extensively throughout Mexico to study dance.  She researched and purchased authentic regional dresses for RDC.  She studied at the Mizoc Dance Institute in Mexico City, participated in the ANGF dance conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico and had the opportunity to perform throughout the United States. Due to her love and commitment to the organization, Luz joined RDC’s Board of Directors in 2006.

Lucy is the Executive Director for Girls Incorporated of Orange County. Ms. Santana is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the Orange County Chapter overseeing a staff of 20 and various consultants, as well as works with a 19-member Board of Directors along with a variety of board committees. In this capacity she also serves on various community committees, partnerships and collaborations. In September 2005, Ms. Santana was elected to serve on the Girls Incorporated National Board of Directors representing California.

Ms. Santana graduated from Santa Ana High School, attended Santa Ana College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Juvenile Delinquency Prevention from California State University in Fullerton.

She has a strong history with youth development programs and extensive awareness of Orange County community issues and needs and is passionate about creating opportunities for underserved youth and families. Since 1993, Ms. Santana has been involved in numerous community leadership trainings, programs and boards.

Ms. Santana works in establishing both personal and professional relationships and seeks opportunities to “share a vision” by being a participant and or member of organizations such as: Rotary Club of Santa Ana, National Hispanic Business Women’s Association, Women In Leadership, Cal State Fullerton Non-Profit Professionals Association, past board member for Leadership Tomorrow, immediate past president of MANA de Orange County and co-founder of the Santa Ana High School Latino Alumni Association. In 2005 she was selected to participate in the HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Political Equality) Leadership Institute, which is a statewide coalition of Latina women which focuses on advancing the status of Latinas through leadership and community.

Ms. Santana has been honored with various Awards and Recognitions throughout the years, some of the most significant ones have been: Giraffe Award by the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education for her willingness to “stick out one’s neck” for the benefit of students and families; nominated by MANA de Orange County for the American Red Cross’ 10th Annual Clara Barton Spectrum Award for Outstanding Women in Orange County; the Santa Ana LULAC Council’s “Hispanic Woman of the Year”; “Woman of Vision Award” by We Give Thanks, Inc.; and as the “Hispanic Business Woman of the Year” by the National Hispanic Business Women’s Association of Orange County.

In October 2005 she was named one of OC METRO Magazine’s Hottest 25 People of Orange County which profiles individuals that shape and influence Orange County’s Growth and most recently in February 2006 she was honored by Soroptimist International of Capistrano Bay with the “Making a Difference for Women” Award.

Delia has been an employee of the County of Orange since 1994. She has worked for the Social Services Department, for the District Attorney’s Office and the Department of Child Support Services. She is married with two daughters that share her love of music and dance. Delia started her dance training at the age of 15 and joined Relampágo del Cielo as a performer in 1985. She performed through 1999 at which time the demands of motherhood took center stage. Currently both of Delia’s daughters take lessons with Relámpago del Cielo. In 2004 Delia returned to Relámpago in the role of an instructor. In 2005/2006 she was actively involved in the planning of Relámpago’s 30th Year Celebration and performed once again in their 30th Anniversary Reunion Concert. She hopes to continue to teach and share her love of the “música y cultura Mexicana”.

Aidee has been an agent with State Farm Insurance and Financial Services since 2001.  She is one of the original agents in the City of Santa Ana, where her office is still located today. She is married to Salvador and has three children, Cesar, Yesenia and Dahlia.

Both Yesenia and Dahlia are performing members and teachers of Relámpago.  Aidee’s commitment to her community includes memberships with: Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County, National Hispanic Business Women Association, St. Barbara’s Parish Hispanic Council, and St. Barbara’s Spanish Choir. Aidee is very involved in her community and with the West Santa Ana Police Department. She is a volunteer for Neighborhood Housing First Time Home Buyer’s Program.  Aidee has also been the recipient of the following awards: 2007 Latino OC 100 for Business Leader, Neighborhood Housing award for Community Service 2006, State Farm Circle of Excellence for Public and Community Service 2003 & 2007, and the Women Making a Difference Award 2009. Aidee has a passion for helping her community and supporting Relámpago with its mission.

Guisella and her family joined Relámpago in 1997, witnessing the growth of the organization since then. She joined the board of directors in 2011. As a parent, Guisella is extremely thankful for the educational opportunities and valuable life lessons her children have learned from RDC which have integrated structured discipline in their lives.

Guisella volunteers at several organizations within the community, including Kaiser Permanente Home Health and Hospice, as well as Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana. Currently, she is the Parent Committee President of Relámpago del Cielo and a member of Sigma Phi Omega Gerontology Society and the California Council of Geriatrics and Gerontology.

Guisella received her Bachelors degree in Human Service from California State University, Fullerton in 2010 and is completing a Masters in Gerontology, with an emphasis on communicable diseases, long-term care, and hospice. She has been placed on the CSUF Humanities and Social Sciences Dean’s List and is a recipient of the Mary Lois Ayres Gerontology Scholarship. She has worked in partnership with the AIDS Services Foundation, Orange County, in creating a needs assessment for HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention educational curriculum for older Hispanic adults in Orange County.

As a mother of four current RDC students, a full time employee, and graduate student, Guisella continues to dedicate her best efforts towards her family, education, and community. Guisella’s education, community involvement, and life experiences have made her who she is today. She continues to use these experiences to explore and facilitate her future ambitions and provide a positive environment for her children and community.

Isabel was born and raised in Orange County and has a true passion for Mexican folklore and her culture. She has been involved with Relámpago since 1994, when her niece, Isabel Martinez, began to dance at age 5. Isabel’s daughter, Valeria Miranda, began dancing at age 4. Valeria not only loves to dance folklórico, but she also loves everything else that the group gives her: discipline, leadership and the opportunity to do something that most children do at home: Be a Star! These are just a few reasons why the children love RDC and why Isabel is such a strong supporter of this group. She has her own Real Estate and Mortgage business, Banc One, which she co-owns with her husband Armando Miranda. Their business is located in Santa Ana and for the past 8 years they have focused on assisting low-income Hispanic families with home ownership.

Alice has a MS in Public Administration from CSUF, a BS in Math from Drury College in Springfield, MO and a Missouri Lifetime Secondary Teaching Credential. She has lived in the City of Orange for 43 years. She is active in several non-profit groups. She has been on the Board of Relámpago del Cielo since 1985 and is excited about the group’s continuing growth. Alice taught high school in Missouri, moved to California, was a stay-at-home mom and became the Assistant Administrative Officer for one of USC’s research centers. She simultaneously completed her Masters in Public Administration and worked part-time for Orange County public agencies for two years. Then, in 1974, she became the Executive Director for Coast Regional Training Center. The City of Santa Ana then hired her as their Community Development Coordinator to write grants and oversee implementation of their grant funded projects. During the ten years she worked for them, she netted the City more than $52 million from the grants she wrote. Alice became an independent consultant in 1985 and has worked with many cities, school districts and non-profit organizations. Alice has given management skills seminars and facilitated and trained grant writing teams in cities and school districts. Alice now works only part time so she can spend more time with her “three wonderful grandchildren” and assist community groups.

Teresa is the Assistant Dean of Student Services at Santa Ana College (SAC).  Her responsibilities include developing strategies and implementing programs and partnerships designed to educate the general community and underserved populations of student services and instructional programs.  She also collaborates with college personnel and community members to create effective outreach and marketing avenues that reach out to multicultural and multilingual communities.  One of her primary responsibilities is to administer the Outreach Department which provides comprehensive recruitment programs for high school students and community members.  In addition, she collaborates with organizations and special programs that enhance favorable relations among the college and business, civic, educational, community based organizations and residents.

Mercado-Cota began working with the Rancho Santiago College District (RSCCD) in 1989.  She has worked in both the Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College service areas.  She has served as a Student Service Specialist, High School and Community Outreach Specialist, Coordinator of Community Relations, Director of the PEW Civic Leadership Program, Director of Community Relations, and Director of Community Relations and External Affairs for RSCCD.

“I believe we need to work together to provide educational access and opportunities for all community members,” Mercado-Cota says.  “For some students, traditional programs are effective; however, for others we need to continue to develop creative, non-traditional methods to recruit, retain and transfer.  Both the community and the college will benefit from our informed and united efforts.”

Mercado-Cota has served on several boards, including Chapman University Advisory Council, KinderCaminata Board of Directors, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County, Santa Ana Community Leadership Institute and is the immediate past president for the National Hispanic Business Women Association (NHBWA).  She is a member of numerous organizations, including MANA of Orange County, Los Amigos of Orange County, PUENTE, Rueben Martinez LEAP Board, City of Santa Ana Fiestas Advisory Committee, Relámpago del Cielo, and Orange County Sheriff’s Latino Advisory Council.  Also, Mercado-Cota has received numerous leadership recognitions such as Leadership Santa Ana, KinderCaminata Corazón Award, Orange County Forum—Women in Leadership, LULAC, PEW Leadership Program, California Assembly Legislature Resolution, NHBWA President’s Leadership Award, Los Amigos Gracias Award, and RSCCD Board of Trustees President’s Award.

Mercado-Cota graduated from Dana Hills High School at seventeen and went to work to help support her family.  She was recruited to higher education by the first EOPS Director at Saddleback College.  As a student, she assisted with the development of the EOPS program.  She graduated in 1978 with an A.A. in Liberal Arts. She was selected to participate in the first EOPS Legislative Internship Program in Sacramento.  She worked with the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) while a student at CSU, Sacramento.  She later became the Director of the Legislative Internship Program and worked with all community colleges in California to provide hundreds of students with the opportunity to intern in legislative and governmental offices.  She also worked with the Chancellor’s Office to introduce and pass legislation that allowed the expansion of the internship model to other sites in California.  She went on to earn dual B.A degrees in Communications and Sociology.  She relocated to Southern California in 1989.  She graduated with her M.S. in Education/Counseling at CSU, Long Beach in 1998.  Mercado-Cota enjoys working for Santa Ana College and welcomes opportunities to expand educational efforts in the community – (714) 564-6105.  She is married to her best friend, Dr. Victor Cota; together they have three sons.