Laura Ponce Executive Director Project BRAVO

Laura Ponce is currently the Executive Director for Project BRAVO, a Community Action Agency serving the County of El Paso, Texas. Project BRAVO assists approximately 20,000 low-income and vulnerable El Pasoans on an annual basis. Laura graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, and she earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso. Laura has worked for non-profit organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, the Area Agency on Aging, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Laura currently serves as the President for the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies board of directors, Texas Representative and Executive Committee Secretary for the national UnidosUS Affiliate Council, a member of the University of Texas at El Paso Masters in Public Administration Advisory Board, and a Commissioner on the Community Action Partnership National Equity and Economic Mobility Commission. In 2020, under Ms. Ponce’s leadership, Project BRAVO was awarded the UnidosUS Capital Award for Public Service for the organization’s response to the 2018/2019 migrant crisis and their service to families affected by the 2019 mass shooting at a local Wal-Mart that killed 23 people. Laura strives, through her professional and volunteer endeavors, to co-create a healthy, empowered, and equitable community in our Borderland region.