Adriana is an authentic, loving, and powerful leader, committed to empowering youth and immigrants for a more equitable and just society.
As Director of Community Organizing, supports local leaders in efforts to build power, increase civic engagement, and strengthen grassroots organizations in the Valley. She is passionate about immigrant and refugee rights, community-driven grantmaking, and cross-movement building.
Adriana has over ten years of experience in philanthropy, community organizing, and education. Prior to joining LCF, she spent five years at Open Society Foundations where she served as a Senior Program Specialist for the Immigrant and Refugee Rights portfolio, coordinating a $10 million grant-making initiative. In 2015, she was the program coordinator for the Emma Lazarus II fund, a $20 million rapid response initiative aimed at maximizing the impact of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Before that, she worked with undocumented and migrant students in the Central Valley helping them navigate higher education regardless of their immigration status. Concurrently she was an activist and community organizer focused on lifting up the voices of undocumented youth and farmworkers.
Adriana holds a BA in Political Science, Latin American Studies, and Spanish Literature and a MA in International Relations from Fresno State University. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, dancing, organizing food/art tours, and hosting friends.