# Valencia College Foundation

Valencia College Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Orlando, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Orlando, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Orlando, FL, United States
- **Founded:** 1974
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** valencia.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://valencia.org

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Valencia College Foundation was chartered in 1974 as a separate 501(c)(3) supporting Valencia College. Its sole mission is to fund educational needs that state appropriations and student tuition cannot cover. The foundation is governed by a board stocked with senior leaders from Central Florida's anchor institutions — Walt Disney World's Sheri Torres chairs the board, while Jeff Mock of Clancy & Theys Construction serves as vice chair. The foundation's deployment strategy is straightforward: raise, pool, and distribute. Its asset base includes a commingled investment pool, direct land holdings in Orlando, and a commercial property at 1800 S. Kirkman Road that serves as its headquarters. The organization also stewards Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarships. Fundraising is deeply tied to Orlando's hospitality and healthcare economy through named corporate partnerships and an annual gala. The PepsiCo Foundation co-invests via the Uplift Scholars program, while Addition Financial serves as the title sponsor for the foundation's Red, Black and Boundless Gala. The board of directors functions as the investment and fundraising engine, with representation crossing hospitality, energy, healthcare, professional sports, and construction. Disney, Universal Destinations & Experiences, Orlando Health, Duke Energy, the Orlando Magic, and Rosen Hotels & Resorts each have senior executives seated on the board. ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, through Alexander Poreda, sponsors the foundation's Taste for Learning event. The foundation is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, where it received a Circle of Excellence National Award in 2011. The foundation's structural differentiator is its governance model — it is a dedicated philanthropic vehicle for a single community college but operates its board as a convening table for the region's largest private-sector employers. That concentration of corporate fiduciary attention gives Valencia College a fundraising apparatus that mirrors a private university's development office, but focused entirely on the two-year degree pipeline and workforce readiness in Central Florida.

## Sectors

- Education
- Real Estate

## People

- Sheri Torres — Board Chair
- Jeff Mock — Vice Chair
- Steve Burriss — Board Member
- Sharon Arroyo — Board Member
- Erica Ettori — Board Member
- Maritza Martinez-Guerrero — Board Member
- Janice Abrew-Coriano — Board Member
- Nora Rodriguez-Patterson — Board Member
- Alexander Poreda — Board Member
- Diane O'Dell — Board Member

## Questions

### How does the Valencia College Foundation generate its funding?

Funding comes primarily from corporate partnerships and events anchored by Central Florida's largest employers. Disney, Universal, Orlando Health, Duke Energy, the Orlando Magic, Rosen Hotels, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, and Addition Financial all provide board-level leadership and direct financial support. The foundation also holds real estate assets and administers Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarships.

### How is the foundation's board selected and structured?

The board draws its members from senior leadership at major Central Florida corporations. Sheri Torres of Walt Disney World serves as chair, while Jeff Mock of Clancy & Theys Construction is vice chair. Other board members hold officer or executive roles at Universal Destinations & Experiences, Orlando Health, Duke Energy, the Orlando Magic, Rosen Hotels, and Addition Financial — reflecting a deliberate strategy to embed the region's largest employers in the foundation's governance.

### Does the foundation hold assets beyond liquid investments?

Yes. The foundation's asset base includes land holdings in Orlando and a commercial property located at 1800 S. Kirkman Road that serves as its headquarters. It also stewards a pool of Florida Prepaid Tuition Scholarships alongside its commingled investment portfolio.

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- [New England Baptist Hospital](https://altss.com/profile/new-england-baptist-hospital)
- [Girls Preparatory School Endowment](https://altss.com/profile/girls-preparatory-school-endowment)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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