SUMMARY:
Hook: an activist who has dedicated his life to public health and racial justice
Accomplishments: chief executive officer of TruEvolution, a health and justice organization. Serves on Board of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. Appointed as inaugural commissioner to Racial Equity Commission (2023). Former member of Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDs under President Barack Obama. Co-chair of National Disparities Prevention Conference (2019).
As an activist and organizer, Gabriel Maldonado ‘11 has made an extraordinary impact in local communities. His work focuses on public health and racial justice, providing a voice to marginalized populations.
SOUND BITES/HEADLINES
Giving marginalized communities a seat at the table
By tackling public health policies and building communities, Gabriel Maldonado ‘11 is committed to empowering others.
An advocate for public health and justice
As an activist and community organizer, Gabriel Maldonado ‘11 is tirelessly investing in underrepresented groups for a healthier and more equitable world.
NARRATIVE:
Gabriel Maldonado ‘11 is an activist, long-time community organizer, founder, and chief executive officer of TruEvolution. Founded in 2007, TruEvolution is a health and justice organization serving LGBTQ+, youth, seniors, and people living with HIV in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
Formerly a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS under President Barack Obama, Gabriel has worked in public, private, and industry spaces, having served on the national advisory board for ViiV Healthcare, and advisory groups for Merck & Co and Gilead Sciences. Gabriel was co-chair of the National Health Disparities Prevention Conference in 2019 and has served previously on the board of directors for regional and global organizations. Currently, Gabriel serves on the Board of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, the second largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the U.S, and in 2023 was appointed as an inaugural Commissioner by California governor Gavin Newsom to the Racial Equity Commission.
Gabriel earned his bachelor's degree in political science and global affairs from the University of California Riverside and his MBA in global business from the University of Redlands. Inspired by the civil rights and community movements in his hometown in Compton, Gabriel has spent more than 15 years working with his community through public health prevention, mental health, housing services and most recently as housing developers building transitional housing facilities in Riverside County.
QUOTES
"We have a once-in-a-generation moment to make the necessary investments for communities that have often been ignored.”
“UCR, for me, was an opportunity of not only liberation, but an opportunity for me to thrive and feel like I was empowered to be myself.”
“I’ve dedicated the last near 20 years of my life to making the Inland Empire Riverside and San Bernardino County a place where great innovation and organizing can happen.”
AVAILABLE ASSETS
Images in Photoshelter
YouTube: 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Award
Featured in UCR News: UCR Honors Gala