Ana Valdez, president and CEO of the Latino Donor Collective (LDC), is working to reshape how business leaders perceive the economic power of the Latino community. She often encounters disbelief when presenting data on the significant contributions of Latino consumers, with some questioning the scale of their economic impact.
Valdez, who grew up in Mexico City and studied at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, previously worked at Nielsen. There, she utilized market research to inform multinational corporations about untapped customer bases, leading them to invest heavily in those markets. This experience with market dynamics proved instrumental in her later career.
In 1996, Valdez immigrated to the U.S. and worked for the Clinton Administration before moving to Los Angeles in 1997 to support the reelection campaign of President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. Despite her professional background, she felt she was starting anew in the U.S., as her previous credentials were not as widely recognized. This personal journey informed her passion for her current role.
The LDC, founded in 2010 by a group of business leaders and former politicians, aims to counter negative stereotypes about Latinos within the business community. The organization employs market research, similar to Valdez's work at Nielsen, to demonstrate the economic significance of Latino consumers. The LDC's core mission is that by altering how businesses view their Latino customers, broader societal and cultural shifts can occur, influencing everything from media consumption to retail landscapes.
Valdez joined the LDC as a development consultant before assuming the role of president and CEO in 2015. Her strategy in corporate boardrooms is direct: embrace the economic potential of Latino consumers to achieve financial success, or risk failure by clinging to outdated stereotypes. She highlights the surging popularity of Latin music and Mexican food and beverage brands in the U.S., citing examples like Bad Bunny and Modelo beer. Valdez asserts that businesses that recognize and capitalize on these cultural and economic trends will be well-positioned for future growth, while those that do not will be left behind.