Translating community pride into a thriving career

Community was a key element in Aarón's childhood.

Coming from Sonora, Mexico, Aarón and his mother quickly realized the importance of community as they settled into their new life in Tucson, Arizona. Navigating a new environment took some getting used to, especially in the early years, but friendly welcomes from neighbors, after-school programs and even the once-in-a-while ride home from other parents when his mom was at work helped make their transition that much easier.

The support surrounding Aarón growing up inspired him to pursue a career where he puts his passion for community development into action. After a decade of policy and nonprofit work, Aarón joined Capital One in 2016, where he is now a director of Project Management for Community Impact & Investment. In this role, he builds community partnerships and deploys philanthropic giving across a number of communities.

“I consider myself lucky because the values I hold closest—kindness, humility, fairness and creativity—have supported a career built around being in service to others,” he said. “My experience at Capital One is no different. It’s provided me with even more opportunities to maximize the reach and impact of my work at a greater scale.”

Creating community partnerships

Aarón considers himself a social impact engineer.

“Similar to the traditional approaches of engineering, true social impact work requires thoughtful design, an informed data-first approach, measurement and overall ingenuity to solve for and meet the most pressing needs of communities,” he said. “My intent is to always think about how we can be a part of something transformational.”

He brought this innovative mindset with him to his first job here, building our community impact strategy for Capital One Cafés. Aarón worked with colleagues in Retail Bank to develop and implement hyperlocal strategies designed to meet the needs of the communities surrounding 40-plus Cafés.

Aarón helped form a national signature partnership between Capital One and Dress for Success, a nonprofit whose mission is to empower women to achieve economic independence. The two organizations launched a multi-market program in which our Café ambassadors deliver critical financial education to the women served by the nonprofit.

In his next role, Aarón joined a specialized team focused on strategic community investments that drive meaningful societal impact. Through these partnerships, he provided funding and technical support to nonprofit executives, helping them accelerate their organizational advocacy and leadership efforts.

“Our role is to listen, inquire with curiosity, identify synergies and then find ways to bring resources that support those opportunities,” Aarón said. “That starts by having open and honest conversations with partners around both the needs of the communities they serve and the needs of the organization to properly deliver on their mission.”

Photo by Evgeniya Zhilyaeva

Showing up as yourself

Aarón has a mantra he routinely shares with his colleagues and mentees: Lead with your special.

“We all experience the world through different lenses shaped by our individual experiences,” Aarón said. “Once we learn how to bring those lenses into perfect focus, we can begin leading with our special more intentionally.”

He channels that passion into leadership roles within our Business Resource Groups (BRGs), where he helps drive engagement and support for all associates and allies. As a dedicated leader within the BRG community, Aarón participated in a rigorous six-month Leadership Development Program. This experience allowed him to engage in executive-level leadership training, expand his professional network and gain critical career insights through one-on-one mentoring.

Today, Aarón focuses on nurturing a culture of belonging for colleagues looking for connection. He serves as a mentor, helping others navigate their professional journeys and build careers that align with their personal passions and goals.

“The work I do at Capital One will be one of the greatest defining moments of my professional record,” Aarón said. “The practice I am currently building has helped me become even more intentional about how I intend to dedicate the remainder of my life’s work.”