Anthony Vasquez

Anthony Vasquez (he/him/his) is a writer, activist, and fundraising professional. A born and raised Chicagoan with Southside roots, he began his fundraising career in 2015 at a small development firm in the South Loop.  From 2015 to 2019, Anthony worked on the Individual Giving and Membership teams at Shedd Aquarium. Since 2019, Anthony has served as a member of the auxiliary board of the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Additionally, in 2019, Anthony was one of six participants selected for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Chicago Fellows program. There, he was connected with C-suite level mentors and underwent a series of training workshops designed to provide advanced knowledge on practices and strategies for non-profit development.

It was in late 2019 when Anthony took a life-changing trip to the border town of Matamoros. He was there to help migrants navigate the crisis exacerbated and in many ways, manufactured by so-called “Migrant Protection Protocols.” Anthony’s experience cemented the importance of centering the stories of immigrants and refugees and ensuring those stories were told accurately. In 2020, making the move from one Chicago cultural pillar to another, Anthony served as Director of Member and Audience Experience at WTTW and WFMT from 2020 through the first half of 2023.

During his downtime, Anthony explores the multitude of Chicago neighborhoods and finds as many opportunities as he can to appreciate the city.