Lilibeth Marchena: Leadership, Inclusion & Hope

Leadership is measured not only by growth, but by the lives touched along the way, and Lilibeth Marchena’s leadership of the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center’s Rainbow Clubhouse is a powerful example of both.

That leadership has earned well-deserved recognition once again. For the second consecutive year, Lilibeth has been named a City & State New York Latino Trailblazer, recognizing her commitment to strengthening our communities and making a meaningful difference in New Yorkers’ lives.

Under Lilibeth’s leadership, Rainbow Clubhouse continues to grow and expand, welcoming more New Yorkers living with serious mental illness into a community built on belonging, opportunity, and hope. She has also worked to make Rainbow even more inclusive and accessible, particularly for Spanish-speaking members, by establishing a virtual Clubhouse and developing new initiatives that create more opportunities for members to connect, participate, and be part of the Rainbow community.

This past year brought both challenges and important accomplishments. Lilibeth led Rainbow through the Clubhouse’s relocation to its new home on West 135th Street, alongside Bowen’s other programs and services, while ensuring that members who depend on Rainbow continued to receive the services, support, and sense of community they count on. She also guided Rainbow through Clubhouse International accreditation, an important recognition of the program’s quality and its commitment to the international Clubhouse model.

But numbers and milestones tell only part of Lilibeth’s story. What matters most is the community she has helped build, a place where people are welcomed, valued, and supported as they pursue recovery, friendships, education, employment, and greater independence.

Congratulations, Lilibeth, on this well-deserved recognition. We are incredibly proud to have you leading Rainbow Clubhouse and grateful for the difference you make in our members’ lives every day!