Gustavo Morales

As the executive director of EUVALCREE in Ontario, Oregon, I have the privilege and honor of working with committed and passionate grassroots community members. EUVALCREE is a community-led nonprofit organization that works to develop the social capital and leadership capacity of Latino community members. The community members strive to build a community and home where our children and families can have a safe and positive environment to grow and be successful contributing members of society.

My skills include finance and fiscal management; non-profit and grants management; communications management planning; engagement strategies and practices; administrative management and practices; business development and management; and program development and management.

If elected to the Ford Scholar Alumni Association Board, my primary goal would be to increase the engagement of alumni and develop strategies to leverage the network (asset) to stimulate and catalyze positive impact on our communities.

In my work, I am humbled to be with the people who are as committed and passionate, if not more, to see positive changes in our community.

Prior to my current position as executive director, I was a third-year medical student. My entire life, I worked to be a doctor and was two years from receiving my title. During my time in medical school, I had never been so disappointed. I went in wanting to help my family, friends and community. The system and structure of the healthcare industry and the “cut-throat” nature of being a physician discouraged me and challenged what I thought it meant to be a doctor.

It was in that time that I realized that the title does not matter. It is what you as an individual mean to other people. People do not remember the title of doctor, they remember you.

If elected to the FSAA Board of Directors, I will strive to work with our team to provide the opportunities, access, and stability to be stronger leaders in your community with the goal to continue to pay it forward.