Her Story
About Anna
Anna Vallez brings over three decades of experience to her volunteer leadership in the nonprofit sector. After retiring from a career as a campaign consultant where she raised billions of dollars for churches across the country, she has served as president of the Mexican American Educational Guidance Association (MAEGA) for 14 years. A UCSD graduate with a bachelor's degree in history and a nonprofit management and leadership certificate that became a master's program, Vallez is bilingual in English and Spanish. She attributes her success as a fundraiser to her ability to form relationships easily and develop trust with donors. She remains active on the advisory board for Ford Salute to Education, with Rotary, and as a volunteer with Flying Samaritans, while emphasizing the importance of networking, authenticity, and persistence in her professional advice.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Anna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my board would probably say my personality, my ability to form relationships easily. They said my ability to connect with donors... my success as a fundraiser comes from my ability to develop relationships that result in trust. Trust is huge in the world of fundraising.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't give up. So many people fail to recognize that they were maybe one step from success. They stopped when they thought they were failing. They were so close to success but didn't realize it. If they would have stayed on just one more step, one more day, or made one more effort.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Networking is huge for any college student, high school students, and anybody looking for a job. The key point is networking. My job came up because of networking. It's the idea of networking, getting out there, volunteering, connecting with people that are leaders in the field.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The challenges for a lot of companies are finding people who have the experience and are bilingual. The opportunities in development, fundraising development, are huge. If you can fundraise, how many people want you. They are looking for seasoned professionals with experience, not just a college graduate. Being bilingual to raise money is key, especially in areas with Latino communities.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The idea of trust, instilling trust in others, being as genuine as you can. Knowing who they are is just as important as trying to be a next-door neighbor. Being as genuine as you can, as far true to your self as you can, and try to be the authentic version of yourself, the best version of you, and to not stop creating that best version of who you are. It's an ongoing process.
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