GIULIANA C. VALENCIA-BANKS

Listen to this article

Baltimore County

Giuliana C. Valencia-Banks serves as the inaugural chief of immigrant affairs for Baltimore County, where she develops policies and partnerships advancing equity for immigrant and refugee communities. As a strategic advisor, she bridges immigrant communities and county government while ensuring their voices shape policymaking and service delivery.

In April 2024, she published Baltimore County’s first Welcoming & Belonging Strategic Plan. The following month, the county received a $27,000 grant through the G4G Challenge, supporting immigrant resource fairs and legal screening clinics. She secured the county’s participation in Welcoming America’s Gateways for Growth Challenge in 2023, establishing a cross-sector task force advising the County Executive on immigrant inclusion.

Valencia-Banks demonstrated exceptional mentoring early in her career as the only Latina staff member at a school, becoming a trusted contact for Latino families and students. She maintained relationships with former students through college preparation and career entry.

“It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to walk alongside these young women—many of whom are now teachers, attorneys, social workers and public servants,” Valencia-Banks said. One mentee became Baltimore County’s first Immigrant Affairs Fellow.

Recognizing gaps in linguistically and culturally appropriate services, she led efforts to develop outreach strategies, multilingual materials and tailored workshops on business development, licensing and capital access. She collaborated with the local government to streamline processes and advocate for policy improvements, reducing barriers for business owners with limited English proficiency.

“My approach combines professional creativity and a community-centered lens—elevating voices often left out of traditional economic development conversations,” Valencia-Banks said. She continues championing this work through inclusive policies, cross-sector collaboration and supporting immigrant entrepreneurs as vital contributors to Maryland’s economic growth and cultural vibrancy.

Honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations, applications and letters of recommendation. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.

This is an honoree profile from The Daily Record's Hispanic Leadership Awards for 2025. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree.