JUPITER’S EL SOL CENTER NAMES NEW DIRECTOR
Suzanne Cordero of Jupiter replaces Jocelyn Skolnik.
Suzanne Cordero has been named executive director of El Sol, Jupiter’s neighborhood resource center. She is transitioning into the position and will take over full time on June 4.
Cordero, a Jupiter resident, replaces Jocelyn Skolnik, who has been executive director at El Sol for 10 years. Skolnik has accepted a position as executive director of Funsepa, a nonprofit educational organization in her home country of Guatemala.
Cordero has served as the executive director of the Guatemalan Tomorrow Fund for six years, and is a former member of El Sol’s board of directors. She has been part of El Sol’s strategic planning group.
“I love what El Sol does. I hate to see Jocelyn leaving. I wish we were not having to do this. We all love her, but I am excited about the opportunity,” said Cordero, who grew up in Guatemala and moved to the U.S. 29 years ago.
“Right now, my goal is not to make changes. I was part of setting the path for a couple of years.”
El Sol has nine full-time employees and about 100 volunteers. It primarily provides services to day laborers, their
children and families, but is open to everyone, Cordero said.
“The idea is to create a better neighborhood for everyone in the area of Jupiter by providing services,” Cordero said.
Ed Ricci, president of El Sol’s board, said Cordero was selected after a national search.
“We didn’t find anybody with credentials even close to hers,” Ricci said. “The board was obviously very concerned about who we had. We have run a very good operation for 12 years.”
El Sol, which has an oper- ating budget of $1.2 million, receives no money from state or federal governments, Ricci said. It is funded by private donations and individuals.
Established in 2006, El Sol began as a meeting place for employers seeking workers and those looking for jobs — many who were migrants without American citizenship.
Twelve years later, El Sol provides jobs, holds classes, grows food in its community garden, distributes free meals, operates a food bank with CROS Ministries, hosts medical clinics, teaches job- safety programs and sells artwork.