California State University, Northridge
Milt Valera is one of California State University, Northridge's most active and supportive volunteer leaders, dedicated to expanding access to the transformative power of higher education and helping students achieve their greatest aspirations.
Mr. Valera earned his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from CSUN in 1968 that helped fuel his professional success and a lifetime of generosity, benefitting generations of Matadors.
Mr. Valera is chairman of the National Notary Association (NNA), the largest and most respected organization serving U.S. notaries, which he has led since his appointment as president and CEO in 1982. Among his greatest professional achievements are the creation of two influential landmark sets of national standards that unified the notary practices of all 50 states for the first time, reflected in 1.25 billion notarized documents each year. He was also the founding editor and publisher of the NNA's two flagship member publications—National Notary magazine and the Notary Bulletin newsletter.
In addition to his focus on long-term strategies and governance issues for the National Notary Association and all of its service entities, he also serves as president of the organization's philanthropic arm, the National Notary Foundation, which funds scholarship, education, research, personal achievement and humanitarian projects.
Mr. Valera's volunteer and philanthropic commitments to the university have extended across the CSUN campus for more than three decades, and as he has worked tirelessly to encourage friends and associates to support the mission of CSUN as well. In recognition of his consummate volunteerism, CSUN has awarded him numerous volunteer service awards including the Dorothea “Granny" Heitz Award for Outstanding Volunteer Leadership and the university's Distinguished Alumni Award.
In 2020, Mr. Valera and his wife committed significant financial support that will provide an indelible impact on generations of Matadors. This most recent gift, in a lifetime legacy of giving back, was primarily focused on students in our Resilient Scholars Program. The program supports students who come to CSUN from the foster care system and are navigating their way to achieving a college degree that will truly change their lives. The gift also supported many other programs' endowments across campus.
In recognition of his deep and enduring commitment to ensuring access to the transformative power of a CSUN education, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and the California State University, Northridge are proud to confer upon Milt Valera the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.