Azucena Maldonado is a trailblazer on a mission to transform the lives of girls and women through the game of golf. In 2008, she founded the Latina Golfers Association (LGA) to empower Latinas by teaching them how to leverage golf as a strategic business tool so they can enhance their careers and businesses and shatter the glass ceiling with a golf ball. What began as a personal passion for the sport has grown into a powerful movement with more than 3,000 members in Los Angeles County and many more across Southern California and Texas.
Azucena’s initiatives to provide girls with opportunities to build confidence, pursue higher education, and experience personal growth through the values and discipline the game teaches go far beyond the sport itself—it’s about helping young women realize that they belong on the course, in business, and in every space where leadership and empowerment thrive. Her work and dedication have also earned her a respected place in the golf industry. Through her vision and leadership, she has built meaningful partnerships with the PGA of America, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), and Callaway Golf, creating opportunities for women and Latinas to engage with the sport at every level.
She also serves on the Board of Directors of the California Alliance for Golf, the PGA of America Southern California Section Advisory Board and Inclusion Committee, the National Golf Course Superintendents Association’s Inclusion Committee, and the Golf Advisory Committees for both the City and County of Los Angeles.
The Latina Golfers Association also created the LGA Foundation, which is dedicated to empowering girls by introducing them to the game of golf and teaching them how to leverage it as a powerful tool for success.