J. Walter Tejada

The Honorable J. Walter Tejada served on Virginia's Arlington County Board from 2003 to 2015. He was first elected to the Board in a special election on March 11, 2003. Reelected in 2007 and 2011, he served as Chairman of the Board in 2008 and 2013 and Vice-Chairman in 2007, 2012 and 2015.

A community advocate, Mr. Tejada has distinguished himself as a leader committed to enhancing the diversity of Arlington and the region’s community voice. During his tenure on the Board, he reached out to local communities and encouraged residents to be active participants throughout the County and the Washington Metropolitan region. He has been instrumental in convening community stakeholders to address a wide range of issues such as affordable housing, civic engagement and volunteerism, community and economic development, education and employment, parks and recreation, tenant outreach and empowerment efforts, youth development programming, health and fitness, and nonprofit assistance.

Relentless in his commitment to promote and support civic participation and representation, Mr. Tejada was instrumental in the establishment of various initiatives and programs. These included leading the way to the establishment of the Office of the Public Defender, the Arlington Non-Profit Assistance Center, and the Community Volunteer Network (first known as the Community Role Models) that provided leadership development and service opportunities for young adults. Mr. Tejada has joined many efforts shaping policies on multiple levels, and his work has earned the respect of local, state, regional and national leadership.

Mr. Tejada currently serves on the Board of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, appointed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2016. In 2019 he joined the Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas Board of Directors, and the Dream Project-Virginia Advisory Board. In September 2018, Mr. Tejada was tapped to join the National Latino Commission on 2020 Census, sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

In 2015, Mr. Tejada became the founding president of the Virginia Latino Leaders Council, focusing on civic engagement and advocacy, a position he still holds today.

From 2010 to 2016 Mr. Tejada served on the Board of Directors of the national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, UnidosUS, formerly known as National Council of La Raza. He is a former Virginia State Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the founding chairman of the state-wide Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations, and the founding president of the former American Salvadoran Association of Virginia and of the former Latino Democrats of Virginia.

Virginia Governor Mark R. Warner appointed Mr. Tejada to serve as the first Chairman of the Virginia Latino Advisory Commission. In 2006, Mr. Tejada was appointed by Governor Timothy Kaine to the Governor’s Urban Policy Task Force. At the regional level, he was elected to serve as chairman of the Human Services Policy Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) in 2004 and 2005, and continued to represent Arlington in COG’s Human Services and Public Safety Policy Committee, to which he was again elected chairman in 2015.

For the National Association of Counties, he served on the committees for Member Programs and Services, Justice and Public Safety, Transportation and Healthy Counties. He was appointed chairman of NACo’s 2009-2010 and 2012-2013 Immigration Task Force, and was vice chairman in 2015. In 2009, he was elected president of the National Association of Hispanic County Officials, a sub-division of NACo. He also served on the Virginia Association of Counties Board of Directors and the Administration of Government Steering Committee. In 2011, Mr. Tejada was elected to represent Region III (DC, MD, VA) in the National Association of Regional Councils, an organization that advocates for cooperation among regional leaders.

He has also served as a member of the Hispanics for a Fair Judiciary Advisory Committee, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Latino Advisory Council, DC United’s Hispanic Advisory Committee, the Immigrant Rights Coalition of Greater Washington, and the United Salvadoran Communities.

A resident of Arlington for over 25 years, Mr. Tejada was a community leader prior to his election to the County Board. He served on a number of citizen advisory groups including the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, the Affordable Housing Task Force, the Sports Commission, the Neighborhood Day Organizing Committee, the Bicentennial Celebration Task Force, the Arlington Sister City Association, the Arlington Community Foundation Scholarship Review Committee, the United Way Grants Review Committee, and the Arlington Multicultural Institute.

Mr. Tejada is honored and grateful to have received many awards for his years of activism, including the following:

2019

2017
  • El Tiempo Latino Powermeter 100 Award, in recognition of exemplary leadership in the advancement of the Hispanic community

2016

2015
  • Phyllis Campbell Newsome Award from the Center for Non-Profit Advancement, for outstanding public policy supporting non-profits (second time)
  • Legacy Award from the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, for tireless service to the Hispanic community
  • Ellen Bozman Award from the Alliance for Housing Solutions,for dedication and leadership in creating affordable housing options
  • Emily DeCicco Humanitarian Award, from the Shirlington Employment and Education Center
  • Leadership Award from Edu-Futuro, for giving voice to all members of our community
  • Recognition for Outstanding Public Service in Immigrant Rights Advocacy, from the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations
  • Recognition from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe for dedicated public service to the Commonwealth; Joint Resolution 366 from the Virginia General Assembly for commendable public service
  • Special recognitions from Buyers and Renters Arlington Voice (BRAVO), Arlington Sister City Committee, Latino Roundtable Committee, Greenbrier Learning Center, Tenants and Workers United, Dominion Hills Civic Association, Banco Agricola de El Salvador, and Bolivian and Guatemalan communities

2014
  • Livable Communities Leadership Award from the Coalition for Smarter Growth, for efforts to craft transit policies while preserving affordable housing

2011
  • Immigrant Advocate of the Year Award from the Capital Area Immigrant Rights Coalition, for continuous support of immigrant rights

2010
  • Community Public Service Award from the Boy Scouts of America

2008
  • Ohtli Award from the Mexican government, for distinguished service and support of the Mexican community in the United States

2007
  • Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership Award from the Center for Non-Profit Advancement, for creating the non-profit assistance network in Arlington and supporting non-profits across the metropolitan region
  • Distinguished Service Award from the Ethiopian Community Development Council, in recognition of leadership enhancing the diversity of Arlington County’s community voice and demonstrating the contributions immigrants make to the nation

1998
  • Spirit of Community Award from the Arlington Community Foundation

1996
  • Outstanding Young Arlingtonian of the Year from the Arlington Jaycees

Additional recognitions include:
  • “Appreciation Award” from the Greater Washington Ibero American Chamber of Commerce, for support of the Latino Business and Entrepreneurial Community
  • “Special Friend of the Community” from the United Consuls of Latin America, for tireless labor and support for the Latino community of the Metropolitan Area
  • “Community Hero Award” from DC United
  • “Community Leader Award” from the Youth Project
  • Recognitions by both the American Soccer League of Arlington and the Arlington Bolivian Soccer League for continued support

Born in El Salvador, Mr. Tejada moved to the United States at the age of 13. He studied Government and Communication at George Mason University and worked as an investigator, a business consultant and as an aide to Congressman Jim Moran prior to his election to the Arlington County Board. He currently consults on issues related to leadership development, civic engagement, and immigrant advocacy, and is a frequent speaker and panelist on these issues, as well as a political commentator in Spanish language media.

To contact Walter, click here

Recent non-partisan links to Walter Tejada in the news:

12/26/19 Tiempo Latino: Reconocen a Walter Tejada por su activismo

5/22/19 Telemundo Noticias: NALEO National Latino Commission on the Census 2020 Press Conference. Link to statement by Walter at end of article

9/28/18 Washington Hispanic: Walter appointed to National Latino Commission on Census 2020

12/29/16 Univision report: States propose different responses to undocumented immigrants. Interview with Walter starts at 1:11.

10/27/16 Telemundo Voter Engagement Public Service Announcement with Walter Tejada