Jennifer Valenzuela Selected as an ALX100 Honoree
Children’s Trust Executive Director Selected as ALX100 Honoree
The Children’s Trust Executive Director, Jennifer Valenzuela, has been selected as an ALX100 honoree for her dedication to leading Massachusetts’ efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect through systems change, policy advocacy, and community-based partnerships. The ALX100 recognizes 100 exceptional Latino American leaders who have demonstrated excellence and made significant contributions in their respective fields and communities. These individuals are celebrated as some of the brightest Latino American changemakers from across the commonwealth.
“I grew up in rural Oregon, far from our extended family in Los Angeles, but the Chicano values were clear,” Jennifer explained. “Family comes first. Work hard. Do what’s right. My parents, both high school graduates, modeled integrity and generosity daily. They taught me to speak plainly and honestly. That foundation shapes how I lead today through strong relationships and a shared goal of making the community better than it was the day before.”
Jennifer Valenzuela
Joining the Children’s Trust in September 2022, Jennifer has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of public health and social work with specialties in program development and implementation, community engagement, racial health equity with respect to clinical and organizational practice, building and supporting teams, and executive leadership. She has directed the Young Parents Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, a specialty primary care clinic dedicated to teen parents, and worked in the emergency departments of Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, providing psychiatric and social crisis intervention.
In her three years as Executive Director at the Children’s Trust, Jennifer has made many remarkable accomplishments that have continuously pushed the Children’s Trust towards their vision of a Massachusetts free from child abuse and neglect. She is known for transforming vision into action — whether testifying at the State House or building cross-sector strategies to improve outcomes for families.
“I want to improve the lives of children and families in Massachusetts,” Jennifer shared. “The barriers to resources that families faced when I started my career in 2000 are the same ones they face today. When those supports aren’t in place, families too often end up involved with child protection services. We need a collective movement for a fairer system that builds trust, strengthens families, and gives kids a real chance to thrive.”
Jennifer Valenzuela
The ALX100 Celebration to honor Jennifer and other exceptional honorees will be held on Friday, October 17 at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston at 8:30 pm.