Juan Calixto, CFRE, joined CCLF in May 2013 as Vice President of External Relations and was promoted to EVP of External Relations in June 2024. As EVP Juan directs all the external communications to ensure cohesive alignment with organization’s strategic goals and serves as solutions—based thought leader on the executive team. He directs the day-to-day fundraising, marketing and communications activities to enhance and support the overall mission of the organization and to assure that ample unrestricted and program funds are generated. He has over 30 years of nonprofit experience working in various leadership positions.
Prior to joining CCLF, Juan served as the Development Director for Mujeres Latinas en Acción and served in the same position at National Latino Education Institute (formerly Spanish Coalition for Jobs) securing funding from foundations, corporations, special events and individuals.
He is a Certified Fundraising Executive and a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals where he received the President’s Award for service to the field of philanthropy. In addition, he earned a certificate in Community Development Finance from the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy and the Opportunity Finance Network. He is co-founder of Latinos in Development and Breakin’ It Down, a fundraising and nonprofit management conference targeting diverse professionals. Juan is also an Adjunct Faculty member of North Park University where he teaches proposal writing to foundations and corporations. He was a volunteer on the Cook County Board of Ethics and the Alford-Axelson Award Review Committee for North Park University.
Juan holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Roosevelt University, a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Illinois University, and completed Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Advanced Management Program on Executive Leadership.