HGSC Board Member Profile
Héc Maldonado-Reis (they/them/elle)
What’s your background, in a couple quick sentences?
My name is Héc and my pronouns are they, them and/or elle. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico where I graduated from C.R.O.E.M. high school at 16. I was the first in my family to graduate high school and enroll in university, which is a main reason as to why I am passionate about increasing educational and workforce opportunities for underrepresented and non-traditional learners. I am an avid cook and love to learn about other cultures and customs through food! When not working on personal projects that advance social good, you’ll find me on a sporadic road trip with my husband.
What brought you to Harvard and what did you study?
I came to Harvard primarily because of the opportunities I’d be exposed to as a student and as an alumni. Not only did I receive a world class education while on campus, but I also built meaningful and long-lasting relationships across Harvard with colleagues from all sorts of backgrounds. While at Harvard I studied population health, which provided me with a solid foundation to innovate and advanced my current professional and personal work.
Where are you now in your career?
I am the Managing Director of Impact Strategy at Tech Impact, a technology nonprofit organization that supports nonprofits and foundations across the U.S. equipping our partners with technology solutions that help advance their social impact. In my role I oversee our technology consulting, measurement & evaluation and implementation teams that engage with social good organizations to strategically advise on and equip with capacity and other resources. My training is transdisciplinary, but I truly believe that while at Harvard I discovered my strength as a systems-oriented innovator and my ability to facilitate consensus building. Currently, I am also an advanced standing graduate student in Nonprofit Leadership at University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice.
Why did you join the HGSC Board?
We can all evolve over time into our genuine selves, and as a Queer person I felt that during my time at Harvard I was able to begin exploring aspects of my identity that influenced whether and how I engaged with the world. Looking back at my time at Harvard what I wish I had more of was opportunities to network with Latine Queer Harvard alum and hear more about their journeys through and after Harvard. Although we all have our own paths to enroll at Harvard, I joined the board to increase my connections to Harvard affiliates and help further advance the ways in which Harvard celebrates its LGBTQI+ alumni, faculty, staff and students.
What are you excited for in 2025?
This year, I’ve had the privilege of serving as chair of our Programs and Partnerships committee. I am excited at all the new development and partnership opportunities we have in front of us in 2025. As we connect with even more LGBTIQ+ Harvard affiliates, I look forward to us building the capacity of our collective influence on campus and across the globe. This upcoming year is for growing our relationships and ties to campus.
What’s one experience you miss most from your Harvard days?
I miss my morning walks across the Yard the most. As we all know, the views on campus are captivating but they were also a daily reminder for me of a goal I sought out for myself when I was young: to be a student at Harvard and experience it for all that its worth.
Any final message for the alums?
If you’re looking for ways to grow your Harvard connections and/or learn more about how to get involved with our programs and events year round, feel free to reach out to president@hgsc.org and we’ll be in touch soon thereafter.
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