Welcoming New Board Member Fredy Salguero

Fredy Salguero didn’t always know the path he would take but he always knew where he came from. Growing up in Huntington Park, California, Salguero was surrounded by a hardworking Latino community. He spent his early years in southeast Los Angeles, raised by parents who, like many in the area, worked hard to provide opportunities for their children.   

 Now, as the newest member of the Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation board of directors, he can give back to the community that shaped him.  

 “My parents raised me in southeast Los Angeles,” Salguero said. “Our community sometimes doesn’t have all the resources it needs but we always do our best to facilitate essential resources for the community. 

“The first thing was our classrooms — it wasn’t predominantly Hispanic-Latino students,” Salguero said. “You had all kinds of races, minorities, ethnicities and different people. That was a different experience for me, but a good one. If you stay within what’s comfortable, you’ll never grow.”  

That willingness to step into the unfamiliar led him to sign up for the Hire Los Angeles Youth program, led by the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, while he was still in high school. Representatives visited his classroom and discussed internships that would provide real-world experience and a paycheck.  

Salguero’s first corporate internship was at AT&T in its External Affairs Department, and he had no idea what the job entailed. But it didn’t take long for him to recognize the impact.  

“When you’re young, you see all these ads, sponsorships and promotions, but you never know how they come about or who makes them happen,” Salguero said. “I had the opportunity to learn how certain sponsorships serve communities, [and] how nonprofits and grants benefit people.”  

His supervisor at AT&T, Donovan Green, became a mentor, showing him how corporations play a role in community development. That experience ignited Salguero’s passion for working at the intersection of business and service. Now, as External Affairs Manager for Comerica Bank, he is focused on financial education, workforce development, small business support and other key priorities.  

That same passion brought him to Adventist Health White Memorial. After meeting board members and touring the hospital, he saw the direct impact of their work.   

“I toured the radiology and cancer treatment area,” Salguero said. “Seeing the commitment of the doctors and how they help the community really stood out to me. It’s very hard for some in our community to have access to good healthcare.” 

For Salguero, the mission of Adventist Health White Memorial is deeply personal. “At the end of the day, the goal is to help the people around you and those who helped you. It feels good to be around a group of people that care about the work they’re doing for our community.”  

We welcome Fredy Salguero to the Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation board of directors. Fredy Salguero’s story shows what’s possible when people invest in their community.   

 Adventist Health White Memorial depends on volunteers and donors like Fredy and you to continue this work. Expanding access to life-saving care, training future healthcare professionals and supporting programs that change lives wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of those who step up to help.   

 Join us in building a healthier, stronger future for East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and Montebello. Learn more, give a gift or get involved today.