Belén Gómez-Jordana,
Founder and CEO of United Tennis

With almost twenty years of experience as a tennis teacher, Belén Gómez-Jordana founded the non-profit United Tennis Organization in 2021. Since she started playing tennis at the age of four in her hometown, Madrid, Spain, Belén Gómez-Jordana has had a passion for a sport that, according to her, is still considered “elite”, due to unaffordable prices, sometimes for low-income families. In order to break stereotypes and bring this sport closer to everyone, Belén Gómez-Jordana created the “Tennis for All” program in 2021. It is based on group and individual classes at a very low cost so that any young person or adult who wants to practice this sport can do it.

Belén Gómez-Jordana has the title of the Spanish Tennis Federation both as a coach and as a national referee. She obtained, in the United States, the first level of the Coach qualification, on her way to obtaining the official PTR qualification. Belén Gómez-Jordana was recently appointed to the USTA North Carolina Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Marta Gómez-Jordana,
Director of United Tennis Mint Hill Program – Charlotte

Born and raised in Madrid, Spain. Marta played tennis in Spain since the age of 4. She was nationally ranked #70 in Spain before coming to the US to play for college. She got a full scholarship playing for a Division 1 school- University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

After graduating in 2009 she moved to Charlotte to continue her masters degree and started coaching tennis in 2010. Since then, she obtained her PTR level 1 coaching certificate and has been coaching at Russell Tennis Center. She works full time as a business account manager and is the Director of the Charlotte Program for United Tennis Organization.

Mirna Ordoñez Sandoval
Director of Love for Tennis and Education – UTO Arkansas Chapter

Mirna is originally from Guatemala City. After graduating from High School in Guatemala, she won a full scholarship to attend John Brown University, located in Northwest Arkansas, in the United States. It was at college where she first learned how to play tennis. Mirna loved to play for the JBU Women Soccer Club all her college years; and she also loved to play tennis to stay focus, stay fit, and meet new friends.

Among some of Mirna’s accomplishments are: two Bachelor Degrees (International Business and Business Administration), an MBA, a Master in Leadership and Ethics, and a Master in Spanish; all from U.S. universities. Mirna speaks Spanish, English, French, and Italian; which has allowed her to meet wonderful people from many countries and cultures. She is very proud of being a Latin American, and enjoys sharing her culture with others. Professionally, Mirna has worked in several areas of business such as retail, banking and finance, marketing, and logistics. She has also developed many community development projects in Latin America and the United States, which have impacted people by acquiring knowledge and learning new skills to improve their social and financial situations.

Mirna is also an entrepreneur and started her Business Consulting company in 2022. Her business acumen and her professional skills are contributing to expand UTO programs in Arkansas under the name of Love for Tennis and Education, the first USTA NJTL in Northwest Arkansas. Love for Tennis and Education provides tennis classes to the under-served youth in Springdale, AR. She also supports UTO by working in our strategic plan, grants and fundraising, and community outreach.

Dr. Cesiah Hernández (1959),
PhD in Psychology and Board Member of United Tennis

Dr. Hernandez has a PsyD in General Psychology (2012), Master of Science (2004), both in the United States. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Havana Cuba (1984). She is A Facilitator of Circle of Security Parenting (2016). She is a licensed Mental Health and Counselor in the State of North Carolina where she currently be located.

Dr. Hernandez has extensive experience working with children from different Spanish-speaking cultures who suffer from behavioral, emotional and developmental problems, as well as children who fall on the autism spectrum. She has extensive clinical experience leading therapy groups with clients at risk for hospitalization, and has conducted individual, couples, family, substance use and abuse therapy, aggression management, and parenting skills. In addition, Dr. Hernandez has published Coexistence Exercise, (2020) bilingual edition, Betania editorial. She is currently preparing an expanded version of the argument for this book.

Resides in the United States.

Jessica Moreno
Board Member of United Tennis

Jessica Moreno was born in Brooklyn, NY. She spent her early childhood years living in Camden, NJ. She moved to North Carolina with her mother and sister in 2003 where she was raised in East Charlotte. She graduated from Independence High School and has had a career focused on business development, community outreach and grassroots organizing. She now lives in Gastonia, N.C. with her husband, Angel Portillo.

Jessica has organized on advancing housing justice over the last six years at the city, state, and national level. She has worked on eviction defense for tenants living in hotels, apartment complexes, mobile home parks, and single family homes. She is currently working on a national tenant association for renters living in properties owned by the largest corporate landlords in the nation called Renters Rising. 

She has a passion for music and is a singer and songwriter. She is also passionate about the youth and the environment, she regularly hosts community meetings to advance housing and environmental justice. Jessica is a proud founding board member at United Tenis Organization and believes in the mission to bring tennis to under-served youth. 

Greg Fess
Board Member of United Tennis

Jessica Moreno was born in Brooklyn, NY. She spent her early childhood years living in Camden, NJ. She moved to North Carolina with her mother and sister in 2003 where she was raised in East Charlotte. She graduated from Independence High School and has had a career focused on business development, community outreach and grassroots organizing. She now lives in Gastonia, N.C. with her husband, Angel Portillo.

Jessica has organized on advancing housing justice over the last six years at the city, state, and national level. She has worked on eviction defense for tenants living in hotels, apartment complexes, mobile home parks, and single family homes. She is currently working on a national tenant association for renters living in properties owned by the largest corporate landlords in the nation called Renters Rising. 

She has a passion for music and is a singer and songwriter. She is also passionate about the youth and the environment, she regularly hosts community meetings to advance housing and environmental justice. Jessica is a proud founding board member at United Tenis Organization and believes in the mission to bring tennis to under-served youth.