Local Hero: Valencia Foster

Nominee Name: Valencia Foster
Title: Southern California State Chapter Leader, Southern California Chapter of Free Mom Hugs

About Valencia Foster

Valencia Foster is a native of Los Angeles who has built a long and rewarding career in pharmaceutical and biotech sales and marketing. She currently serves as an Associate Director in field marketing as a Thought Leader Liaison with a pioneering biotech company, where she connects medical experts with innovations that change lives.

Alongside her professional career, Valencia has dedicated herself to advocacy and community service. For the past six years, she has led the Southern California Chapter of Free Mom Hugs, a national nonprofit whose mission is to celebrate the LGBTQIA community through visibility, conversation, education and hugs. What began as showing up at Pride events with open arms has grown under her leadership into a vibrant network of volunteers who attend dozens of events each year. For many who experience rejection from family, Valencia and her team offer the simple but powerful gift of unconditional love and affirmation.

She also serves on the board of the Yay Foundation, which uses the power of comedy to spark conversations around mental health. There, she helps guide programs that break stigma and foster resilience through laughter and connection.