The CEO of Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), a non-profit community development corporation in the South End focused on the Latino population, has been designated #45 on Boston Magazine’s list of 150 most Influential Bostonians.

Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, who has served as IBA’s chief executive officer since 2003, was born in Puerto Rico. She first came to Boston in 1992 to pursue a doctorate in public policy from the University of Massachusetts.

“I had been a big fan of IBA before joining and participating in so many of their arts and cultural work that they have done for the past 57 years,” Calderón-Rosado said.

“Seeing the impact that they were having in the community, in not only creating and preserving affordable housing, but creating opportunities.”

Calderón-Rosado oversees 667 units of affordable housing and has invested $80 million in housing. IBA’s biggest development is Villa Victoria on West Dedham Street which includes housing, career, early education and cultural support for its tenants.

IBA states on its website that it has been recognized as a national model for community development organizations. Calderón-Rosado says this is because of its holistic approach.

“All of our programs are designed to really support the whole spectrum, from cradle to grave almost, in terms of supporting families,” she said. “Even our arts programs. Many community development corporations don’t do arts. We’ve been doing arts from the beginning, because we see the arts as not only a tool to celebrate our history and our roots and our culture, but also as a vehicle to build strong, safe, vibrant communities. I think that’s what makes us unique.”

Calderón-Rosado has also overseen the beginning of construction for La CASA (the Center for Arts, Self-determination and Activism), which will house arts and cultural events as well as the IBA’s new office space. Its old space will then be converted into affordable housing units.

“When you hear about development across the city, you hear a lot of pushback from people who live in that neighborhood, no matter what the building or the construction of the project is,” Calderón-Rosado said. “In our case, we had a really warm reception from everyone, because everyone has seen not only the importance of having such a space, but the vision of what La CASA will be.”

In its list, Boston Magazine describes her as a politics connoisseur.

“Mayor Michelle Wu was there to help cut the opening ribbon for IBA’s renovated South End housing development in December,” the magazine’s brief bio of Calderón- Rosado reads. “So were officials from the city council, state Senate, State House, and Boston Housing Authority. Local leaders can often be found posing with Calderón- Rosado, who’s also a confidant of Governor Healey. Her connections and influence have led to the start of construction on La CASA, which will soon be a major Hispanic cultural center for the city.”

Calderón-Rosado said she found that characterization surprising. But she has been involved with state and local politics, including on housing and education commissions.

“It’s really important for us to be at tables where these policy decisions are made, particularly because policies and budgets are what really dictate what will happen,” she said. “Housing is number one because it’s so critical. People cannot build generational wealth because they cannot buy a home. So, I’m really focused on that.”