In a ceremony attended by educators, students and dignitaries from across the state, California State University, Northridge officially renamed its administration building as “Valera Hall” in honor of NNA Chairman Milt Valera, and Executive Vice President Deborah Valera.
The renaming ceremony, held on Sept. 28, was in recognition of the Valera’s “transformative” $11.1 million gift to the university to support programs across campus. Their gift created an endowment and scholarship for the university’s EOP Resilient Scholars Program, which supports students who came from the foster care system, as well as several other scholarships and endowments including those for the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya).
“Milt and Debbie Valera are two of the most committed and passionate supporters of education that I have ever met,” former CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison said, who announced the renaming last year. “I am delighted to celebrate this transformational gift that benefits so many areas of the university, particularly our Resilient Scholars. Milt and Debbie’s approach to CSUN is endless enthusiasm and endless commitment. This gift will make an indelible impact on generations of CSUN students.”
Milt Valera graduated from CSUN in 1968 and worked for two major Los Angeles newspapers before starting his own PR firm and becoming a pioneer of the Notary industry. He joined the National Notary Association in the ‘70s and became president and CEO in 1982, after which he vaulted the organization to national and international prominence through training, education and advocating for millions of American Notaries Public.
He has served on several CSUN boards and advisory councils and was honored in 2011 with the Dorothea “Granny” Heitz Award for outstanding volunteer leadership and in 2019 with the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Debbie Valera is the NNA’s Executive Vice President and also serves as the Executive Director of the National Notary Foundation. She is well known for her efforts to celebrate and inspire America’s Notaries and is recognized as an influential philanthropist and supporter of numerous causes including scholarship, breast cancer research and disaster relief, among many others.
In addition to the previously mentioned programs, the Valeras’ gift supports scholarships and endowments in CSUN’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics; Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication; the Oviatt Library; and the Michael D. Eisner College of Education, as well as an endowment for the university’s Jewish Studies Interdisciplinary Program in the College of Humanities.