Team

Yarilis Hidalgo Pláceres was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico. She was a member of the Second Baptist Church of Caguas, Puerto Rico. In this church she had the opportunity to work with various boards and ministries that supported her spiritual growth and developed her skills as a leader. She was a member of the Stewardship and Missions Board, president of the Christian Education Board, director of summer Bible schools, and youth ministry counselor for 5 years. At the denominational level, she was a counselor of the Central District of the Youth Baptist Baptists of Puerto Rico, member and secretary of the Board of Evangelism and New Works of the Baptist Churches of Puerto Rico. She worked as the administrative affairs coordinator for four years under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Roberto Dieppa Báez. She held the position for some years on an interim basis alongside the new executive minister of the IBPR, the Rev. Edgardo M. Caraballo.

She completed studies leading to a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and a master’s degree in Labor Relations, both degrees from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (Metro Campus). Her work experience has been as a director, consultant, and human resources coordinator. In addition, she worked in the Fraud division of the Department of the Family in PR and with FEMA, and in the Department of the Family coordinating emergency responses and financial aid in cases of natural disasters.

Yarilis currently lives in Columbus, Indiana, with her husband, Edwin Montañez Melecio, who is pastor of the Logos Baptist Church of the Indiana / Kentucky American Baptist Churches. They have a young daughter and teenage twins.