Salvador Ontiveros – Top Latinos
Oklahoma City, OK/LWW/ Mr. Salvador Ontiveros, President and CEO of the Latino Community Development Agency, has been recognized by the Top Latinos in the 2026 edition.
Salvador Ontiveros – A Leader With Purpose
Salvador Ontiveros has built his career on a clear belief: leadership means service, and success means creating opportunity for others. As President and CEO of the Latino Community Development Agency in Oklahoma City, he leads with both professional skill and personal conviction. His work reflects financial stewardship, community impact, and a deep sense of responsibility to the people and families LCDA serves every day.
LCDA is the largest bilingual social services nonprofit in Oklahoma, serving more than 40,000 Oklahomans each year through over two dozen programs. Those programs address prevention, treatment, health and wellness, and child development. Under Salvador’s leadership, the organization continues to grow in strength and reach. He has focused on improving infrastructure, increasing visibility, building strong partnerships, supporting staff, and positioning the agency for long-term sustainability. That vision has helped LCDA expand its impact across the state while remaining grounded in the needs of the community.
What sets Salvador apart is that his work is not only professional. It is personal. He is a proud immigrant and Latino leader who understands the realities many families face when they encounter language barriers, limited resources, and systems that can feel hard to navigate. Born in Torreón, Mexico, and raised in Oklahoma City, he knows what it means to work hard, overcome obstacles, and believe in a better future for the next generation. That lived experience shapes the way he leads and gives his work a sense of purpose that goes far beyond a job title.
Before becoming CEO, Salvador built a career across finance, property management, sales, nonprofit leadership, and community development. Those experiences gave him a strong foundation in budgeting, operations, fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. Today, he uses that broad background to strengthen systems, manage resources with care, and guide LCDA with discipline and vision. His leadership shows that financial stewardship is not only about numbers. It is about protecting mission, building trust, and making sure community institutions can serve families well for years to come.
In 2024 and 2025, LCDA’s dedication to strong institutions was on full display, as the organization set record-breaking fundraising milestones at its annual luncheon for two consecutive years. Salvador Ontiveros predicts that 2026 is shaping up to continue the trend! Achievements like that do more than mark a successful event. They create momentum, expand services, and open doors for families who need support. Salvador understands that every dollar raised and every partnership built can help change the course of a child’s future, support a parent in crisis, or give a family access to the care and stability they deserve.
His commitment to service extends beyond his role at LCDA. Salvador serves on community boards and commissions, including the Oklahoma City Arts Commission and the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City, along with other local leadership spaces. In 2026, he was elected as the UnidosUS Midwest Male Affiliate Council Representative, a three-year role that allows him to represent Latino-serving organizations across the Midwest and contribute to national conversations around policy, advocacy, and community impact. These roles reflect his belief that leadership carries a duty to show up, speak up, and help shape systems that better serve all people.
Salvador’s journey is also a powerful story of education and opportunity. He earned both his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Oklahoma City University. As a first-generation college student and immigrant, those degrees meant far more than academic achievement. They represented sacrifice, hope, and a path forward. His education prepared him for leadership, but the opportunity to pursue it came through a life-changing investment in his future.
That investment was the Clara Luper Scholarship, a full-ride scholarship that covered tuition, room and board, books, and related college expenses. Named in honor of civil rights leader Clara Luper, the scholarship opened doors that might not otherwise have been available. For Salvador, receiving it was transformative. It showed him the power of someone believing in your potential and reminded him that when people invest in you, you carry a responsibility to invest in others. That lesson continues to guide his leadership today.
At LCDA, that belief comes to life through programs that help families access education, youth services, early childhood support, scholarships, and wraparound care. Salvador understands that opportunity can change everything. He also understands that opportunity does not happen by accident. It takes commitment, resources, and leaders who are willing to build systems that help people thrive. His career reflects that mission in every sense.
At the heart of Salvador Ontiveros’s work is a simple but powerful commitment: to use every role, relationship, and opportunity to improve the quality of life for Latino families and underserved communities. He believes that representation matters, but it must lead to action. He believes communities deserve strong leadership, strong organizations, and a seat at every table. Through his service, his discipline, and his vision, he is helping create that future, one family, one partnership, and one opportunity at a time.
Top Latinos is a prestigious New York publication dedicated to honoring the achievements of the Latino community. They meticulously identify and honor outstanding Latino professionals nationwide who have reached impressive levels of success in their respective fields. By showcasing their accomplishments, they aim to foster growth and appreciation of the Latino industry and culture. Since their establishment in 2010, Top Latinos has been wholeheartedly committed to fulfilling their mission of bringing awareness to the exceptional contributions made by the Latino professional and executive community.