Veronica Vences serves as Vice President, Economic Justice and Opportunity at the Latino Community Foundation, where she leads a statewide and growing regional movement to build economic power for Latino families.
Veronica’s belief that economic justice is social justice has shaped her purpose from an early age. Born and raised in Sonoma County to parents from Michoacán and Toluca, México, she grew up surrounded by the resilience and brilliance of immigrant families. Their journey guides her commitment to ensuring Latino communities have the resources, respect, and opportunities they deserve.
As Vice President, Veronica shapes LCF’s Economic Justice strategy and oversees a portfolio focused on closing racial wealth gaps, expanding access to capital, and uplifting the leadership of Latino entrepreneurs, workers, and nonprofit partners. She also collaborates across the foundation to advance LCF’s advocacy efforts to strengthen the economic infrastructure and policies supporting Latino communities. Veronica joined LCF in 2022 as the Director of Entrepreneurship. In this role, she helped direct more than 3 million dollars in strategic investments to Latino-serving organizations.
Before joining LCF, Veronica spent seven years at La Luz Center, Sonoma Valley’s leading Latino advocacy organization, where she led critical efforts during the 2017 Northern California wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing more than 1.5 million dollars in direct relief and advancing initiatives that included small business micro-loans, workforce development, vaccine equity, and long-term policy work. In 2008, she worked at the Sonoma County Human Services Department, helping deploy essential safety-net programs. Her research background includes equity-centered evaluation at 826 National and field research in Cusco, Peru, examining social factors that influence youth academic success.
Veronica earned bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Urban Studies from San Diego State University and a Master’s in Applied Economics from San José State University. She enjoys exploring new places, discovering new coffee shops, and spending time with her husband and two sons. She dreams of one day having a home in México, a place where her family can continue to nourish the roots that shape her identity and purpose.