Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Omar Torres-Kortright relocated to Chicago on July 15, 2000. He became involved with the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center as a young student of Afro-Caribbean music and later served as a volunteer and Board Member. He was appointed Executive Director on April 30, 2015, becoming the longest-serving ED in SRBCC’s 54-year history. Under his leadership, the organization has significantly enhanced its multidisciplinary facility in Hermosa, while expanding its impact through a monthly arts and culture series, regular artistic residencies, and programs for young musicians. Established in 2018, La Cantera provides emerging Chicago-based Afro-Latin jazz musicians with career-defining exposure and mentorship from renowned teaching artists. Omar’s commitment to community-centered work has made SRBCC a vital hub for cultural preservation and artistic innovation. His collaborative spirit has fostered partnerships with internationally recognized creatives and major cultural institutions, securing essential opportunities for local and touring artists.
Omar’s contributions extend beyond SRBCC; he is a member of the Mayor’s Cultural Advisory Council and a 2022 Chicago Peace Fellows cohort member.
A native Venezuelan, Norma Nuñez-Ruch brings over two decades of dedicated involvement with programs and organizations that secure equal access to creative youth development, embodying a profound understanding of their philosophy, mission, and vision.
Fluent in both Spanish and English, Norma holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a Master’s in Cultural Management.
She stands out as a trailblazer, being the first Venezuelan recipient of the Ford Motor Company International Fellow of the 92nd Street Y in 2011, and a graduate of the 2018 Cohort of the Global Leaders Program, an innovative nine-month professional certificate in Civic Leadership, Teaching Artistry, Cultural Agency, and Social Entrepreneurship.
The impact of her work has been extensive, as she has held pivotal roles in renowned organizations including Fundamusical Simón Bolivar (Venezuela), Grupo Concertante Talía (Spain), Allentown Symphony Association, and Ravinia Festival Association (USA). Emphasizing her commitment to transforming lives through music and civic leadership, Norma has served in several Boards of Directors as both member and consultant, such as the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts in Pennsylvania, and the Ismael Cala Foundation, in Florida.
Currently, Norma serves as Manager of Operations at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, the longest-standing Latino cultural center in Chicago, Illinois, as her focus and commitment remains on creating vibrant and nurturing environments for youth development through community engagement, artistic performances, and cultural exchanges.
Born and raised in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, Wendy Navarro has been working in the customer service field in Chicago for over two decades. Wendy is energetic and passionate about the work of local non-profits, and has extensive experience in coordinating and supporting operations for grassroots organizations. She joined the SRBCC team in January 2023.
While in high school Tino studied piano as well as trumpet, participating in programs such as All-City Concert and Jazz bands, Merit and Sherwood Music Conservatories, the Chicago Youth Jazz Ensemble lead by Orbert Davis, as well as the Protege Philharmonic, and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Tino is also an alum of the Gallery 37 Latin Jazz Ensemble program when it was at the Block 37 site.
Currently Tino performs mostly with his bands that he manages through his small business, Ayem Pro Entertainment LLC as well as freelances with some of the top latin groups that tour through Chicago. He is also a long time member of the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, a community orchestra led by Jay Friedman of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
