Delia Arellano-Weddleton

As Director of Engagement and Partnerships at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Delia is a first generation American that identifies as a proud Chicana with roots in San Antonio, Texas. In her role, Delia supports the Foundation’s engagement with community members to ensure that their voices are well-represented in the Foundation’s work. She is also responsible for building Nellie Mae’s partnerships with organizations that have complementary interests in supporting communities facing racial inequities.

In 2019, Delia supported the design and development of the Foundation’s inaugural Community Advisory Group. The Advisory, made up largely of people of color representing communities throughout the New England region was instrumental in working with the Foundation to build its new strategy.

Until recently, Delia led the Foundation’s Public Understanding and Demand Initiative and designed and implemented its youth and parent organizing portfolios. Both efforts focused on lifting up the voice and power of historically marginalized community members.

Delia has a solid background in social services and community outreach in low-income, immigrant communities. Prior to joining Nellie Mae, she developed and managed an information and referral center that responded to the needs of a large immigrant community. Her previous work also includes designing and conducting parenting programs for families living in homeless shelters and working as a home visitor for an early literacy program. Early in her social work career, Delia worked with Navy families and launched a center dedicated to counseling submariners and their families

Delia holds a BA in Sociology and an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania and a certificate from the Institute of Nonprofit Management and Leadership (Boston University). Delia is a Board member of the Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing, Jumpstart’s National Board and on the Gaston Institute’s Community Advisory. Delia is also a former board member of MA Philanthropy and an alum of Latinos for Education Board Fellows.