Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona has named Luis Vega as its president and CEO after a national search. Vega succeeds Laura Capello, who served the organization in various roles for more than two decades.
Vega joins Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona with a distinguished background in both the military and nonprofit sectors. He brings a wealth of leadership experience and a profound commitment to youth empowerment. Most recently, as senior vice president of international operations at Allied Extract, Vega led critical humanitarian missions in Ukraine, evacuating critically injured children from war zones.
“Throughout the national search process, we were impressed with Luis’ successful track record of developing community-driven, bottom-up strategies and building alliances across multiple sectors,” said Jenny Holsman Tetreault, chair of the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Arizona. “His advocacy for youth empowerment and ability to raise significant funds to transform lives in each of the communities where he’s worked is remarkable. The board looks forward to working with him to best serve families in our community who want to participate in the life-changing mentoring programs our organization provides.”
This is a homecoming for Vega, who was born and raised in Arizona and earned his bachelor's degree in political science and government from the University of Arizona. After the tragic events of 9/11, Vega joined the U.S. Army, was commissioned as an Infantry Officer, and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He earned a Bronze Star Medal. Vega transitioned to the U.S. Army Reserves Special Operations Command South Korea before separating honorably in 2021.
As a first-generation immigrant whose parents moved from Mexico in search of a better life for their children, Vega was inspired by their dedication to serving others. After his military service, Vega applied his leadership skills to nonprofit management with a focus on veterans, families and youth empowerment.
Through the Young Patriots Mentorship Program, a youth and veteran mentorship program Vega founded, he not only found his passion for youth empowerment but was nationally recognized and awarded the Veteran Community Engagement Director of the Year award in 2020 by Concerned Veterans of America. Vega’s tenure as executive director at the Krohn Breakthrough Foundation highlighted his exceptional ability to drive organizational growth and impact. In his first year at the helm, his effective fundraising efforts resulted in a remarkable $3.9 million increase in revenue, greatly enhancing the organization’s impact on youth.
“It is an honor and privilege to lead this incredible organization and to serve Arizona’s youth and community, which has given me so much. I am unwavering in my devotion to ignite the spark within our youth, helping them reach their full potential and realize their unique purpose in life,” said Vega. “Every child has the potential to create a better world that wasn’t there before them. Positive mentorship and a guiding hand will help them along the way, and there is no better organization than Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona to provide this experience.
“I want to acknowledge the outstanding work of Laura Capello for her exemplary leadership and incredible strides made during her tenure,” he added. “Her accomplishments set a high standard and I am committed to honoring Laura’s legacy by building upon the foundation she laid. I look forward to working with her over the next several weeks to ensure a seamless transition.”
As president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has served Central Arizona for more than 60 years, Vega will work to expand the organization’s relationships with mentors, donors, companies and other partners, to increase its capacity to serve more youth.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona makes meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles"), ages 6 through 18, in Maricopa and Pinal counties. These positive relationships have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
