629
A First Generation Tale in America
The silence that almost broke him.
The story he finally had to tell.
Storyteller First. Leader by Practice.
Raised the seventh of eight children in Boston’s Cathedral Projects, Gerardo learned early how to read a room, and how much it costs to hide the parts of yourself that don’t fit. That same honesty now shapes everything he writes, teaches, and speaks about: from his debut memoir, 629, to two decades of leadership work with mission-driven organizations.
Leadership Work,
Off the Page
Alongside his writing, Gerardo is the Founder and President of Avant Consulting and Training, LLC, a leadership coaching and business strategy firm helping mission-driven organizations build equity-centered leadership that lasts. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, healthcare, and higher education, he partners with executives, boards, and emerging leaders on leadership coaching, business strategy, and professional development.
Quick
Highlights
Areas of Expertise
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01
Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching grounded in a strengths-based approach.
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02
Business Strategy
Business strategy and equity-and-inclusion analysis for mission-driven organizations.
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03
Professional Development
Professional development and training design for leadership teams.
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04
Keynote & Conference Speaking
A keynote speaker or facilitator, most recently in May 2026 at the Twenty-sixth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nation with Common Ground Research Networks.
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