Staff Reports | Community Updates
Anna María Chávez, president and CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation, was recently appointed to the CFLeads Board of Directors.
CFLeads is a national network of community foundations working to elevate community leadership, support nonprofits, and drive lasting change as an organization, according to a press release.
“I am honored to join the CFLeads Board of Directors to collaborate with a network of visionary leaders dedicated to advancing community leadership,” Ms. María Chávez said. “CFLeads’ commitment to building strong communities through effective practices, shared knowledge, and galvanizing action on critical issues resonates deeply with me. I am excited to contribute to our collective efforts in driving meaningful change across our communities.”
Ms. Chávez leads the Arizona Community Foundation, which is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to lead, serve, and collaborate to mobilize enduring philanthropy for a better Arizona. Founded in 1978, ACF manages more than 2,000 funds with $1.5 billion in assets under management.
ACF, its donors and partners collectively distributed more than $136 million in grants, scholarships, and impact loans last fiscal year.
She is a dedicated advocate for helping others across every stage of life.
With over 30 years of public service and nonprofit leadership experience, Ms. Chávez is passionate about teaching the value of teamwork, strong leadership, and self-motivation. Chávez was named one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Greatest Leaders (2016) and honored as one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company (2014). In 2021, she was named one of the top 50 Over 50 women leaders by Forbes Magazine.
From 2011-16, Ms. Chávez led the Girl Scouts of the USA, where she helped bring the 104-year-old institution into the future with a historic girl-centric organizational redesign. She also previously led the National Council on Aging and the National School Boards Association.
“We are pleased to welcome Anna María Chávez to the CFLeads Board of Directors,” Mary L. Thomas, president & CEO of CFLeads, said in a prepared statement. “With her exceptional expertise and proven leadership across multiple sectors, Anna will be an invaluable asset to CFLeads as we continue to create and foster innovative ways to advance the community foundation field.”
