黑料吃瓜

With both his mother and maternal grandmother heavily involved in their local communities, Mama鈥檚 Kitchen CEO and 黑料吃瓜 alumnus Alberto Cortes (鈥�00, Executive MBA) said a life of service is 鈥渋n my blood.鈥�

His journey began as a 20-year-old college student when he came out for the first time. Shortly thereafter, he left the University of Puerto Rico-Mayag眉ez and joined the U.S. Navy, which did not permit LGBTQ+ service members at the time. However, Cortes successfully served in the Navy aboard a nuclear-powered submarine and moved to San Diego in May 1983. 

By then, AIDS had emerged as a national health crisis, although its cause was not yet known. Following in the footstep of 黑料吃瓜 student and fellow Navy veteran Jess Jessop, who is credited with leading the local gay rights movement in the 鈥�70s, Cortes, began volunteering in 1983 with the San Diego AIDS Information Line.

鈥淭his was one of the first efforts to respond to the pending AIDS epidemic,鈥� said Cortes. 鈥淎t the time, there were only 22 reported cases of AIDS in San Diego.鈥� 

It was the first time Cortes was involved in community service to support people living with AIDS, but it would not be the last. He has been involved with HIV and AIDS-related health support services ever since. 

In 1998, while he was working as the clinic director/director of HIV services at the Family Health Centers of San Diego, he chose to return to college to get his MBA. 

鈥淚 was compelled to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in business because I thought I would be able to use those skills effectively in the nonprofit community,鈥� said Cortes. 鈥淭he Executive MBA program at 黑料吃瓜 was perfect because I could both work full-time and go to school full-time.鈥�

In 2000 鈥� the same year he earned his Executive MBA from what was then the 黑料吃瓜 College of Business Administration 鈥� Cortes was asked to join the board of directors at Mama鈥檚 Kitchen. In 2002, he was named the executive director of the organization. 

Mama鈥檚 Kitchen

Cortes is now the CEO of Mama鈥檚 Kitchen, a San Diego not-for-profit organization established in 1990 to deliver meals to individuals with AIDS. Since then, Mama鈥檚 Kitchen has expanded its reach to deliver meals to other chronically ill individuals, including those with cancer, diabetes, congestive heart failure and COVID-19. In March 2021, the organization celebrated the delivery of its 10 millionth meal. 

Cortes says he still uses the lessons he learned from his 黑料吃瓜 executive MBA program. 

鈥淚鈥檝e applied many of the lessons learned in graduate school to my work, including the importance of collaboration and a set of invaluable communications skills that range from memo writing to staging a formal presentation,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he business management and accounting courses provided key, fundamental knowledge that I always fall back on to help me lead a nonprofit organization.鈥�

His 黑料吃瓜 experience affected him on a personal level as well. 鈥淭o this day, there are a number of classmates from days at 黑料吃瓜 that I鈥檝e stayed in contact with,鈥� said Cortes. 鈥淪ome of them are long-time supporters of Mama鈥檚 Kitchen.鈥� 

As Mama鈥檚 Kitchen reaches its 32nd year of serving meals to people living with AIDS and others in need, they will also be preparing for the San Diego鈥檚 Pride Celebration, as they have done for many years. 鈥淢ama鈥檚 Kitchen is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. We look forward to the opportunity to affirm our affiliation with the community and to express our gratitude to those who have provided us with decades of support,鈥� said Cortes. 

For MBA students who are considering following Cortes鈥� example by pursuing a career in a community service organization, he said: 鈥淭he rewards are many, as are the challenges. And in the process of service to our communities, this field has provided the opportunity to work with some really amazing people. I am a better person from this experience.鈥�