Berta Isabel Arias

Berta Arias, Ed.D., is passionate about everyone and everything to whom and to which she lends her time and attention. An accomplished Cuban-America woman with many talents, during her 40-year career as a professor in world languages and international education, she made helping others, saving communities and bringing beauty and learning through the arts a cornerstone of her being. She served as the first Board President of the Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education, (ILACHE) where she has funded a scholarship for Excellence in Writing.

Not satisfied with giving only financial support, she offers the winning students her personal time that helps them achieve their goals. Throughout her career, Arias has channeled her creativity by writing poetry and short stories. Now on her next stage of life, she has moved from Chicago to Amelia Island, Florida, and when she is not championing the cause of trees, the environment, libraries and education, she is reveling in writing her novels. Her first novel, Mango Rain, in its second edition, is a luscious story of intrigue, beauty and love that spans Chicago and Havana. She is already at work on the prequel story due out in early summer of 2016.