Anna Villanueva currently serves as Associate Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator, and Athletics Eligibility & Compliance Officer at Indiana University Northwest. A cornerstone of the RedHawk athletics program, Villanueva has held multiple roles within the Student Activities and Athletics Office since 2002, making her one of the most tenured and versatile administrators in program history.
In her role as Athletics Eligibility & Compliance Officer, Villanueva oversees institutional compliance with NAIA rules and regulations, manages the eligibility certification process for all student-athletes, and ensures adherence to conference and institutional standards.
As of July 2026, Villanueva serves as a member of the NAIA R.I.S.E. Committee — an association-wide body that stands for Respect, Inclusion, Support and Equity. The R.I.S.E. Committee oversees the NAIA's efforts to create a welcoming and supportive environment for diverse and underrepresented student-athletes, coaches, administrators and staff. As a committee member, Villanueva works to foster a culture where all people — regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other characteristics — are valued and provided equal opportunity in all aspects of collegiate athletics. The committee also oversees the NAIA Governance and Leadership Academy, which prepares young minority and female administrators for committee service and exposes participants to the NAIA legislative process, and gathers and deploys R.I.S.E. resources for member institutions at the national convention and through online training platforms.
Villanueva also holds the designation of Certified Sports Administrator (CSA), a professional credential recognizing demonstrated competency in the areas of sports administration, risk management, organizational leadership and compliance. The certification reflects her commitment to ongoing professional development and best practices in collegiate athletic administration.
As Senior Woman Administrator, Villanueva serves as the institution's lead female administrator in athletics, a designation recognized by the NAIA to ensure female leadership is represented in the institutional decision-making process across all aspects of the athletic program.
Villanueva began her collegiate journey at IU Northwest in the fall of 2000. She was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball from 2001 to 2004 as a middle hitter and earned three varsity letters in basketball from 2001 to 2003 as a center. She started as a student worker in the athletics office while competing as a student-athlete, transitioned to a full-time role in May 2005, and has steadily advanced over the past two decades to her current leadership position.
From 2012 to 2018, Villanueva served as an assistant for the IU Northwest women's volleyball program, providing support in various capacities as needed by the head coach.
In recognition of her long-standing contributions to the program as an administrator, coach and student-athlete, Villanueva was inducted into the RedHawk Athletics Hall of Fame in April 2018.
Villanueva holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from IU Northwest (2005), a Master of Science in Sports Management from Southern New Hampshire University (2013), and a Graduate Certificate in Business Management from IU Northwest (2024). She is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising.
