2025 Honored Citizen, Ernesto Fonseca

Celebrating Ernesto Fonseca

Ernesto Fonseca has empowered communities and built meaningful public and private partnerships across the state of Oregon through his role as CEO of Hacienda CDC.  

Ernesto joined Hacienda as CEO in April 2017, bringing his passion for community development and a belief in the power of connecting families to opportunity. Ernesto’s own story reflects the potential that can be unleashed by investing in all our community members. Raised in a low income but loving family in central Mexico, Ernesto watched his parents take advantage of educational opportunities and their own initiative to build careers in construction and nursing. They passed on their values of hard work and education to their children, and Ernesto embraced those values to gain a foothold in this country by initially working in kitchens and restaurants as he pursued his educational goals, culminating with a Ph.D. from Arizona State University in Environmental Design and Planning.  

During his time in Phoenix, he spearheaded initiatives to assess the health impacts of community development including gentrification, access to public transportation, and affordable housing, and helped to create the Stardust Center for Affordable Homes & the Family. 

Ernesto believes it is Hacienda’s job to help all families access the critical ingredients they need to achieve their goals: a stable, affordable home, a healthy family life that allows youth to learn and grow, opportunities for economic success, and access to affordable health care and healthy neighborhoods. He believes in the power of social enterprise to bring increased investment into breaking the cycle of poverty. He joined Hacienda because he shares the same values and experiences with this community and is eager to empower families to flourish like his own has.  

Ernesto is infused in impactful community work through his current board service with the Oregon Community Foundation and the iSector, as well as past board service with the Prosperity Agenda, the Energy Trust of Oregon, Housing Oregon, and more. He is also one of the Gubernatorial Appointees for Governor Tina Kotek’s Housing Production Advisory Council, a council of experts charged with developing an action plan to meet ambitious housing construction goals. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work in Oregon, Arizona, Mexico, and beyond. 

Ernesto’s own story reflects the potential that can be unleashed by investing in our communities.  Ernesto has two kids, Emma, 19, and Emiliano, 17. Ernesto enjoys hiking, camping with his wife Susan and kids, photography, carpentry, and politics. 

2025 Honored Citizen

Event Sponsorship by Oregon Community Foundation

Thursday, October 16
5pm Reception  |  6:30pm Dinner
The Nines Hotel Ballroom
Downtown Portland

We are currently sold out but are assessing our capacity. Please contact Susan Myers (susan@af-oregon.org) about our waitlist.

Thank you to our Sponsors