Leading by Example
Alanna Houck: UnidosUS alumna, volunteer and donor
As a manager with Deloitte Consulting for close to 12 years, Alanna Houck credits her early career experience at UnidosUS, then NCLR, with equipping her with key skills that she now applies in her current role, where she advises clients on organizational transformation.
Just out of college, Alanna joined the “Affiliate Member Services” team as a coordinator in 2007, moving on to serve as Senior Manager. Over her four years with UnidosUS, she shepherded the development of a regional strategy under the guidance of Sonia Pérez, chief operating officer. “It took going to business school to understand that other classmates didn’t have the same experience; in the nonprofit world, you learn to do everything – strategizing, event-planning, budgeting – there are no separate vendors,” Alanna said, laughingly.
Alanna has been a committed donor since 2016. Her husband is originally from Nicaragua and their son attends a bilingual school. “I’m acutely aware of the need for UnidosUS’s work, especially now; it is critical,” she said, noting that the organization tackles multi-faceted issues, from policy and programs — such as workforce development and health — to overall visibility through social media presence and economic impact studies.
She also emphasized that UnidosUS is a model nonprofit. “It’s an extremely well-run organization with some of my strongest mentors at the helm continuing their excellence and developing the next generation of leaders,” she added, like Sonia, with whom Alanna maintains a connection. “UnidosUS’s internal stability and leadership familia enable it to make such an incredible difference in the Latino community,” she said.
It was Sonia who recruited Alanna in 2020 to return as a volunteer. “I took a five-month sabbatical to volunteer, combining my love for UnidosUS with my consulting background to prioritize programs to scale during that pivotal summer when the racial justice movement was taking off,” Alanna explained.
Together, UnidosUS and its Affiliate Network ensure that the meaningful contributions of Latinos are elevated, and that the community’s perspective is part of shaping programming and policies, according to Alanna. “This is more important now than ever. UnidosUS has the necessary partnerships and reputation to be successful in the current environment,” she said.
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