Welcoming Victoria Enriquez as Director of Advancement
Dear LAJF and CRS Community,
I’m delighted to share exciting news about a key leadership appointment at the Louis August Jonas Foundation. After a thoughtful and collaborative internal process, Victoria Enriquez has accepted the role of Director of Advancement, effective immediately.
Many of you already know Victoria from her work since April 2025 as our Advancement Manager. In that time, she has brought remarkable professionalism, warmth, and dedication to our mission, whether strengthening alumni engagement, supporting our fundraising work, or helping us operate with renewed clarity and purpose. Her compassion for the CRS community shines in everything she does, and I’m thrilled that she will continue her journey with us in this expanded leadership role.
As Director of Advancement, Victoria will oversee all fundraising operations, lead advancement strategy, and partner closely with me and the rest of our staff to broaden LAJF’s reach and deepen our impact. As part of this new role, Victoria will work directly with our Ad Hoc Advancement Committee, co-chaired by board members Hooman Yaghoobzadeh and Jonathan Gross. This committee, which will be providing critical guidance on fundraising strategy, campaign planning, and long-term advancement priorities, will be an important partner as Victoria helps us strengthen our development efforts and prepare for our goals ahead. Their partnership will be essential to ensuring that our advancement work is both strategic and sustainable as we enter this next phase.
Before joining LAJF, Victoria built a diverse professional portfolio. At the National Museum of Mathematics, she streamlined gift processing systems, managed large-scale gala registrations, and strengthened donor and member engagement through data-driven improvements and strong cross-departmental collaboration. Her earlier work at the Galveston Island Humane Society included managing donor databases, supporting membership and capital campaigns, and coordinating major internal projects. She has also held roles in theater management, office administration, and program coordination, experiences that shaped her as a thoughtful communicator, a skilled organizer, and a builder of positive, high-functioning teams.
I also want to express my gratitude to the interview teams who supported this process. Members of our Leadership Team, as well as members of our Board of Directors contributed their insight and discernment with great care. Their partnership helped us reach a strong, confident decision, and I’m thankful for their service.
Victoria has already become an invaluable part of our community, and I’m incredibly excited for the leadership, heart, and creativity she will continue to bring to LAJF in this new role.
Below, you’ll find a message from Victoria to all of you. I hope you’ll join me in congratulating her on this well-deserved promotion and in welcoming her into this next chapter of service to our global Rising Sun family.
Warmly,
Barrington A. Fulton Jr.
Welcome Letter from Victoria
Hello CRS and TELE alumni, families, and friends,
I am beyond pleased to accept the role of Director of Advancement and am truly grateful for the opportunity to continue my work with the Louis August Jonas Foundation.
Before joining LAJF, I was seeking a role where I could contribute to a mission that truly resonated with me. In a world that can feel challenging and unpredictable, helping young people from diverse backgrounds grow, connect, learn from one another across cultures, and practice leadership feels like a tangible way to create positive impact—for individuals and for the global community. As Director of Advancement, I am committed to stewarding and strengthening this work through thoughtful engagement, sustainable fundraising, and deep partnership with our alumni and supporters so that it continues to thrive for generations to come.
In the short time I’ve been part of the LAJF community, I’ve been energized by the many opportunities to see our mission in action. A few moments over the past several months have especially shaped my understanding of this community and the impact of our work:
Meeting campers at Camp Rising Sun over the summer and showing them around New York brought the impact of the program to life in a personal way.
Hosting a camper from Zambia allowed my family and me to learn, connect, and truly appreciate the global reach of this work.
Taking in the annual Global Alumni Assembly and hearing directly from recent campers and TELE (our virtual program) participants about how their lives have already been changed was deeply inspiring and underscored the immediacy and power of this mission.
Working with the Recent Camper Network on their own fundraising project—their creativity, leadership, and commitment offered a hopeful glimpse into the future of this program.
Connecting with alumni and friends of LAJF—celebrating our 95th anniversary, gathering in Central Park for the New York alumni picnic, and visiting longtime community members like Rick Richter, our Camp Historian—has shown me the strength of the lifelong relationships and shared values that define this community.
Each of these experiences has reinforced the lasting impact of the LAJF, and the powerful connections that link generations across our global network.
I’m excited to continue my work with LAJF as Director of Advancement, bringing the extensive experience I’ve gained across nonprofit development, events and productions, and administration and management to support and grow this remarkable organization. I’m particularly excited to continue strengthening our alumni engagement efforts, building sustainable fundraising systems, and creating meaningful ways for our global community to stay connected to—and invested in—this work. I am deeply grateful to Barry for his leadership and guidance, and to the entire LAJF staff and Board whose dedication, creativity, and passion inspire me every day. It is an honor to work alongside such a talented team as we continue to nurture ethical leadership, global citizenship, and lifelong connections through the transformative CRS and TELE experiences.
With warm regards,
Victoria
venriquez@lajf.org
P.S. I would be delighted to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to connect, share your ideas, or chat about anything related to advancement at LAJF. I always welcome the chance to learn from and engage with our incredible community.