Modesto Tico Valle

Modesto Tico Valle is the chief executive officer of Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to building and strengthening the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. More than 1,000 people visit the center every day. Patrons participate in the diverse offerings at the center ranging from volleyball, cooking classes and theatre performances to rapid HIV testing, group therapy and comprehensive senior programming.

A native of Chicago, Valle is a longtime LGBT community activist. He founded the Chicago NAMES Project in 1989 and was instrumental in bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the National Mall in 1996. He has served as both a volunteer and staff member at a number of Chicago-area non-profits including Chicago House, Test Positive Awareness Network and Open Hand Chicago. In recognition of his HIV work, Valle was named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine, inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, honored by the national NAMES Project Foundation and received a Red Ribbon Leadership Award from the State of Illinois. He has served as CEO at Center on Halsted since 2007.