María José Orellana: Leading with the heart to transform lives

There are forms of leadership that are not imposed — they are built. They are not born in an office, but through direct connection with people, attentive listening, and quiet, steady commitment. The leadership of María José Orellana, Executive Director of Hearts of Gold Foundation, is one of these: leadership that grows from vocation and is sustained by service.

A journey that began with volunteering

María José’s journey within the Hearts of Gold Foundation began, like many authentic paths, through volunteering. She started by supporting volunteer coordination and event organization, driven by a genuine desire to contribute and serve. What began as a charitable collaboration soon evolved into a deep commitment.

Over the months, teamwork, the trust she built, and her sensitivity to social realities led the board at the time to invite her to take on the role of Community Development Coordinator. Later, her natural growth within the organization led her to the position of Director of Community Development, until she ultimately assumed the Executive Director role of the foundation.

Today, more than ten years later, her story stands as a testament to perseverance, learning, and dedication.

From supporting processes to leading

For María José, leading a foundation with a social and human-centered focus is an honor, but also a great responsibility. Her leadership is not based solely on management, but on the ability to listen, support, and build collectively.

"Leading from a human perspective means listening, supporting, and building together. We firmly believe that it is possible to improve families’ quality of life and change the future of thousands of people." — Ma. José

At the helm of Hearts of Gold, she leads a compassionate, committed, and sensitive team, convinced that purposeful work transforms realities. For her, leading means being present, walking alongside the community, and making decisions with empathy and vision.

Lessons that transform

Throughout her journey, one of her deepest lessons has been understanding that true change is not generated solely by organizations, but by the beneficiary families themselves. Their life stories, strength, and resilience have been a constant source of inspiration and personal transformation.

María José has witnessed not only the challenges families face but also the immense generosity of the community: donors, volunteers, and allies who, with genuine interest, come together to make a real difference in the lives of others.

Human impact and real transformation

The work of the Hearts of Gold Foundation goes beyond mere charity. Under María José’s leadership, the foundation focuses on comprehensive processes that promote economic independence, dignity, and autonomy for families.

"It is not us who change lives. It is the beneficiary families who transform us, with their strength, resilience, and determination to move forward." — Ma. José

The approach emphasizes empowering women, but also strengthening their partners and children, addressing topics such as self-esteem, violence prevention and detection, financial education, development of professional skills, and mental health care. The goal is clear: to create sustainable transformations that allow families to envision a better future.

The value of the human team

One thing María José highlights with deep gratitude is the team that makes up the foundation. A team that works from the heart, sharing the same sensitivity and purpose, and genuinely supporting each beneficiary family.

This collective commitment is, without a doubt, one of the greatest strengths of Hearts of Gold.

Dreaming big to keep making an impact

When she thinks about the future, María José dreams of a foundation that continues to grow. She dreams of creating multiple projects that generate hundreds of employment opportunities for women, a daycare to care for their children while they work with peace of mind, and expanding the foundation’s impact to reach new families who need a chance.

An open invitation to join

Hearts of Gold is a solid, valuable, and transformative project. It teaches how to work, to start businesses, and to achieve economic independence, supporting families at every stage of their journey.

María José invites the community to get involved: to learn about the programs, volunteer, and contribute through donations of clothing, household or office items, and toys, all of which strengthen the foundation’s social projects.

Because when a family completes its journey with Hearts of Gold, it does so empowered, equipped with knowledge, emotional stability, and practical tools to build a better future.

Together, we continue changing lives.