Antonio Tijerino
Antonio Tijerino is president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, which focuses on education, workforce, leadership, and culture through service and innovation. Under Tijerino, HHF is recognized as a creative, agile, impact-focused organization boasting a network of 150,000 vetted 15-35 year old Latinos mobilized in the tech and STEM fields, entrepreneurship, finance, media, and other priority areas for America. Tijerino also serves as executive producer of the star-studded Hispanic Heritage Awards at the Kennedy Center, which are broadcast on PBS stations. HHF’s dynamic programs have been recognized by The White House, US Congress, Fortune 500 companies, other nonprofits, and the Government of Mexico.
Prior to HHF, Tijerino was an executive at Fannie Mae Foundation, Nike, and Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe under the Young & Rubicam umbrella.
Tijerino has been honored with the prestigious Ohtli Award, which is the highest recognition by the Government of Mexico outside of Mexico; Lifetime Achievement Award by National PTA; Vision Award by Silicon Valley Latino Leadership; Brillante Award by National Society of Hispanic MBAs; Leadership Award from Telemundo; Army Strong Civilian Award by the US Army; Community Service Award by the Governor of Maryland; Cesar Chavez Award by the National Hispanic Leadership Institute; Champion of Digital Equity Award by the Multi-Cultural Telecom & Internet Council (MMTC); Vision Award by the American Latino Museum; the Bravo Award for Public Service; Service Award Greater Washington Chamber of Commerce; New Futures Award; and the MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund) Award for Service, Ana G. Mendez Presidential Medal, among others.
Tijerino has served on various boards and committees inlcuding Harvard’s Latino Leadership Initiative at the Kennedy School; University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business; PBS Sci-Girls; Nielsen’s Latino Advisory Counsel; America’s Promise Alliance; Latino Jewish Leadership Council; KID Museum; National Girls Collaborative; Imagination Stage; Crittenton Services; Army’s SAY (Strengthen America’s Youth) Committee; Creative Thread Foundation; and Center for the History of the New America; among others.
Beyond his work with HHF, as a proud immigrant from Nicaragua, Tijerino founded The American Project with Notre Dame University to treat immigrants with dignity; the #WeDreamAmerica Campaign including a video co-produced of the national anthem performed by a Grammy-nominated band to promote the patriotism of immigrants; co-founded the DREAM LEAD Institute which is exclusively for DREAMers; helped create the Oyeme! Project with Imagination Stage, which included a play about the plight of unaccompanied minors; and founded the READ (Refugee Education And Development) effort in support of refugees; and he has worked extensively in support of refugee families on the border, for which he was recognized recently by FWD.US.
Tijerino’s blogs and media presence have made him a national voice on various issues including diversity, immigration, creativity, and youth empowerment. He has attended the Aspen Institute’s Ideas Festival and other convenings for thought leaders and is serving on a Community Advisory Board to Disney as well as the Latino Advisory Council for Nielsen, among others. Tijerino co-founded the Hispanic Leaders Alliance with the NFL, and Latino Magazine featured him on their cover a “Latino Who Make a Difference.”
He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland’s school of journalism and was honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters from The Chicago School. Tijerino lives in Washington, DC area with his family.