Our Georgia Commitment: Getting to Know Lucy Pinto (BBA ’12)
Community means everything to Lucy Pinto. As a senior marketing manager at Google, Pinto BBA ’12, who is based in New York City, spends her time coaching and leading small businesses. At her alma mater, she’s stayed involved by supporting programs and scholarships for students. Pinto’s philanthropy is intrinsically connected to her family in Athens and the friends she made while on campus.
With financial support for programs like the Terry Women’s Initiative, Sea Island Scholars, and student scholarships, she is committed to making an impact on future generations. Last spring, Pinto received the 2025 Young Alumni Award honoring her postgraduate involvement with UGA.
Lucy Pinto is committed to setting students up for success. The senior marketing manager at Google joined the UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors in July.
We caught up with Lucy to learn more about this passionate Bulldog.
Where does your UGA story begin?
My UGA story begins when I was 8 years old and my family moved to Athens from Lima, Peru. I received what we Athens locals call a “Baxter Street education,” meaning I attended elementary, middle, and high school all along Baxter Street. As you can imagine, UGA flags and Bulldogs were everywhere, so I fell in love with the vibrant community and liveliness that the university brings to the area.
What’s one of your most treasured UGA memories?
I planned a fundraiser with my sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha, to create a one-time scholarship for students in the Athens area to attend the university. That was so important to me because, as a local, I understand the importance of these resources and using them to give back to the community that surrounds UGA. It also started my journey into philanthropy.
What keeps you connected to UGA?
My family lives in Athens, so when I come home to visit, I always try to speak to students and get involved on campus. I feel like I grow just as much from speaking to them as I hope they do from listening to my experience.
Why is giving back important to you?
For me, philanthropy is all about community. Everything that happens to the people around me affects me, so I want to help give people opportunities that may be otherwise unavailable to them. I’m a firm believer in “lift as you climb,” so if I can use whatever platform or influence I have to remove roadblocks or level the playing field for others. That’s what philanthropy is all about for me.
What have you learned about UGA that surprised you?
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, but for the past 10 years, we Bulldogs have really stood our ground and made a name for ourselves in all sorts of industries; it’s been amazing to see us position ourselves so strongly in a relatively short amount of time.
UGA President Jere Morehead and Jill Walton, vice president for UGA Development and Alumni Relations, present Lucy Pinto with the UGA 2025 Young Alumni Award.
You were honored with UGA’s 2025 Young Alumni Award. What did it mean for you to be honored this way?
I think whenever you get involved with philanthropy or community service, there’s always this thought of, “Am I doing enough? Is there more I should be doing?” Receiving that award was so humbling because it made me feel like the university really sees value in the work I do. It was also a special day because my friends and family got to celebrate with me, and I got to bring them to campus and show them around this place that meant so much to me.
