Luisa Collopy, Director of Media for Guidelines International Ministries, recently completed a certificate program in Marketing Strategy from the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management. Luisa is responsible for development and marketing of the ministry’s audio messages and cultivation of over 20 international partnerships with broadcasters.

Luisa participated in the 2020 Executive Learning Group and the 2021 Executive Coaching Program. 

Next month, Working Wardrobes will bring career readiness services on-base to provide nearly 100 female Marines and Sailors with workshops, resources, and professional wardrobing, helping to ease their transition into civilian life. To prepare, they are gratefully accepting new to lightly used, good quality women’s tops, skirts, pants, suits, shoes, handbags, and jewelry. In interested in helping, you can bring any of these items to their Donation Center, so they can ultimately help these brave servicewomen get one step closer to experiencing The Power of a Paycheck!

We welcome Bonni Pumash, Working Wardrobes CEO, to our Network as she will participate in the 2023 Executive Learning Group.

Be Well OC and Bloom Foundation hosted “Back to You”- a day at the park celebrating life and promoting wellness in the community. There was coffee, food, a wellness resource fair, yoga, and a self-defense class. Partners in the day were Uplift Teen Yoga and Green Family Training Center for their coaching, Connect OC/Partners 4 Wellness and Find Your Anchor for the education, and Moongoat Coffee.

Lauren Brand, Executive Director of Operations of Be Well OC participated in the 2016 Executive Learning Group; is a trained Creative Encounters by Fieldstone facilitator; is a Coach in our Executive Coaching Program, and participated in the 2019 and 2020 Leadership Reading Groups. Anita Lewicke, Campus Operations Manager, participated in the 2022 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

Thomas House Family Shelter announced the launch of their blog "The Empowerment Movement!" created to share inspiring and empowering stories of their families, Thomas House work, contributing to the narrative related to unhoused families. 

Together with the community, they recently supported an unhoused family through cancer, loss, and bereavement in their first blog empowering surviving brother and sister, Javier (27) and Alondra (12), to heal, remain together, and find success in school, work and life.

To view From Homeless to Hopeful, click here.

Shakoya Green, Executive Director, participated in this year's Executive Learning Group.

After more than two decades of advocacy, the Anaheim City Council voted in favor of a formal designation of Little Arabia. The Council designated a portion of the Brookhurst Corridor, from Broadway to Ball, as Little Arabia. The campaign to designate Little Arabia was a community effort led by the Arab American Civic Council. 

Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Founder and Executive Director, was coached in the 2021 Executive Coaching Program, and participated in the 2022 Executive Learning Group.

Emilie Dang, Community Impact and Programs Director of Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO)  represented IHO at Bisnow's Los Angeles Affordable Housing Development & Finance session. She and her colleagues shared their expertise on Community Development Beyond the Unit.

Emilie participated in the 2020  Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

Jennifer Ponce is the new Senior Director of Prevention for the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, the state recognized domestic violence coalition. In addition to her new role, she is also a part-time lecturer at California State University Fullerton, teaching the Intimate Partner Violence course.

Jennifer participated in the 2019 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

Erika Alonso has a new role as Campus Advocate at California State University Fullerton. She will support the campus community impacted by sexual assault, stalking, dating and domestic violence by creating a safe and empowering environment through education and advocacy.

Erika participated in the 2021 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

After 14 years of service at The Wooden Floor, Derek Bruner accepted the role of Director, Board Relations and Strategic Initiatives at CHOC Children's.

Derek shared, "It has been an honor to work alongside so many compassionate and generous board members, supporters, staff, and consultants during my tenure. We have poured our hearts and souls into the work we do to support the organization’s impactful mission, which has enabled those we serve to lead fulfilling and purposeful lives."

Derek participated in the 2014 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

Holly Hagler, CEO of Meals on Wheels Orange County has been nominated and asked to take part in the Orange County Business Journal's celebration of the 28th annual Women in Business Awards. 

Holly participated in the 2014 Executive Learning Group, was coached in the 2015 Executive Coaching Program, and trained as a Coach in 2021.

A big THANK YOU to to Jessica Hubbard and Lupita Gutierrez, Chief Programs Officer and Programs Manager with Girls Inc. of Orange County! They shared their expertise and success regarding staff retention through Covid at our recent Fieldstone@4. The insight and recommendations they shared were appreciated by all who attended!

Jessica was coached in the 2018 Executive Coaching Program and participated in the 2019 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group. Lupita participated in the 2022 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group.

The 2022 Girl Scouts of Orange County Challenge Cup was held in August. Each fundraising team was led by a Girl Scout through stations testing their creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

Network Members Kevin Furhmann, sponsor of the Entrepreneurship Station, and who recently joined Sunwest Bank, is pictured with  Wendy Weeks, Corporate & Institutional Giving Director of Girls Scouts. Wendy and Kevin are trained Creative Encounters by Fieldstone facilitators.

Wendy participated in the 2016 Executive Learning Group and Kevin participated in the 2021 Nonprofit Leaders Learning Group and was coached in the 2021 Executive Coaching Program.

We want to share with all of our Network members the following information regarding subsidized childcare programs.

The Children’s Home Society of California (CHS) and the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) will now offer subsidized childcare programs to help pay for most, if not all, childcare expenses. Families can begin the application process by their CHS website or can apply by calling the office at (714)543-2273.

To view the enrollment flyer, click here.