Val Benavidez
she/her
Val Benavidez is the Chief Program Officer for the Texas Freedom Network, a statewide social justice organization. As a member of the leadership team, she oversees programmatic efforts focused on issue advocacy, grassroots organizing, legislative and electoral campaigns. Val has a passion and commitment to center programs around building power and leadership with young people of color to create a truly representational democracy in our state. At Texas Freedom Network, she proudly founded Texas Rising and was a co-founder of the Texas Youth Power Alliance.
Prior to joining Texas Freedom Network in 2007, Val worked for a host of non-profit advocacy organizations including United Ways of Texas, the Texas Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, League of Young Voters and Generational Alliance. She also served as Executive Director of ProTex: Network for a Progressive Texas.
As a sought-after speaker and presenter, Val has extensive experience training grassroots activists on a host of issues, including advocacy, leadership development and civic engagement. She is involved in local, statewide and national campaigns. Currently, Val serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Workers Defense Project and is a member of the board for the Workers Defense Action Fund.
She is the proud daughter and granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, farmworkers, railroad builders and all around rabble rousers.