Leonardo Gamboa is a queer, multiracial, fronterizo and recent transplant to Tucson, Arizona. He closely identifies with the US/MX border and the Chihuahuan Desert, where he comes from. He became a naturalized citizen in his teens and has sworn to honor the vibrancy, liminality, and rich complexity of border identities who dream, paint, and love with many colors.
With over six years of experience working in cultural projects and the public health sector, Leonardo is a seasoned qualitative methodologist specializing in social justice-focused community strategies. Stakeholders have recognized him for leading institutional investigations, integrating communal experiences, and adapting protocols informed by cultural elements of the communities he has sworn to serve with understanding, kindness, and honor.
Beyond traditional research approaches, Leonardo applies a mixed and rapid qualitative approach to grant investigation, innovation, and evaluation. As a cultural subject matter expert, he has contributed to national projects funded by the CDC and SAMHSA, employing these approaches to improve infrastructure for Community Health Workers (CHW) nationwide. Additionally, he has led projects to adequately tailor training, marketing materials, and campaigns to the Latinx/e sector in the for-profit sector as well as for the Melanoma Research Foundation, the University of Texas at San Antonio, The University of Texas at El Paso, and WayToServe®.
As a Program Manager at Amistades, Inc., Leonardo will lead projects centered on environmental justice and equitable access to citizenship. Through impactful program management, Leonardo will ensure the successful execution of programs that contribute to fostering a more inclusive and environmentally sustainable community.