President & CEO
Orange County United Way
As president and CEO of Orange County United Way, Susan B. Parks leads the nonprofit organization toward improving lives and strengthening the Orange County community so that every person receives a quality education, is financially stable, is healthy and thriving, and has a place to call home. She embraces the United Way mission to improve lives by delivering measurable, long-term solutions to complex issues in education, financial stability, health, and housing. She is a leading community advocate for change, igniting passion for philanthropy and inspiring social responsibility.
Parks has a long history with the organization as a former board member and one of the founding members of Orange County United Way Women’s Philanthropy Fund. She was also an active player in the development of the nonprofit’s 10-year strategic plan to achieve substantial and sustainable social change in our county. This community-wide action plan, titled FACE 2024, is a collaborative approach advancing the common good by funding innovative programs, advocating for the voiceless, collaborating with those who have the passion and expertise to get things done, and educating community leaders about critical issues facing Orange County. Today, Parks is an active leader of the campaign and spearheads the work to reach the FACE 2024 goals and create brighter futures for local children and families.
Under her leadership, the organization launched three key initiatives to tackle the Orange County community’s most critical issues: United to End Homelessness, aimed at ending homelessness in Orange County for good; United for Financial Security, which empowers Orange County families to achieve financial wellness to get on the path from surviving to thriving; and United for Student Success, which works to ensure all Orange County students graduate high school prepared for college, career, and beyond.
Parks also led the team in the administration of approximately $81 million for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), an enormous and time-sensitive undertaking that required precision and speed, while also interfacing and managing relationships with multiple government agencies, vendors, consultants, and technical providers. Every dollar was spent to prevent homelessness for more than 8,931 Orange County families.
Non-Profit: Social Advocacy Finalists
Ronnetta Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
Waymakers
Ronnetta Johnson is an esteemed nonprofit professional with over 35 years of experience in leadership. She currently serves as CEO of Waymakers, an Orange County nonprofit dedicated to providing interventions for vulnerable children, individuals, and families facing challenging circumstances. With a master's degree in organizational leadership and a bachelor's degree in sociology, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Johnson's visionary approach has led to remarkable progress, including a successful rebranding effort, expanded grants and contracts, and a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, she ensured the agency's services continued remotely while fostering the staff’s well-being and professional growth. Johnson’s commitment extends beyond Waymakers as she serves in various leadership roles for statewide organizations and contributes to community development and mentoring future leaders.
Claudia Bonilla Keller
Chief Executive Officer
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Claudia Bonilla Keller, an experienced nonprofit executive, serves as CEO of Second Harvest after joining as chief mission officer in February 2020. Over the last 24 months, she guided Second Harvest through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, doubling food assistance to over 489,000 individuals monthly. Notably, she shifted the organization's model, strategically purchasing nutritious food for recipients. Under Keller’s leadership, the innovative Harvest Solutions Farm was launched, providing fresh produce to over 300,000 locals in need through Second Harvest's network of 300+ partners. Previously, she held key roles at LA Promise Fund and the American Heart Association, earning recognition for her impactful work. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from UC Irvine and a master's in public administration from Cal State Fullerton. Involved in various advisory boards, including Common Threads and the Public Administration Advisory Board, Keller is passionate about community health and education.
Lee Ann Kline
President & Founder
STEM Advantage
Lee Ann Kline is the president and founder of STEM Advantage, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit focused on advancing gender and racial equity in STEM fields. With over 40 years of experience, she recognized the lack of diversity in the STEM workforce and created STEM Advantage to empower talented, low-income, first-generation college students attending California State University (CSU). The program offers internships, mentors, scholarships, professional development, and a supportive community to level the playing field and provide access to economic and social mobility. Under Kline's leadership, the organization has achieved significant recognition and secured multi-year gifts to expand its impact. STEM Advantage's holistic program benefits not only the students but also their families and communities, addressing gender and racial wealth gaps. Her vision is to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive-skilled workforce by inspiring and supporting women and underserved communities to pursue STEM careers.
Kelsey Rae Morgan-Babikov
Co-Founder & Chief Program Officer
EverFree
Orange County native Kelsey Morgan-Babikov has been combating human trafficking for over a decade. After learning about children living in slavery, she shifted her life plan to become a first-grade teacher and later founded Willow International to provide care and support for survivors and address the systemic issues fueling trafficking. Under her leadership, Willow's impact doubled yearly, and she set an ambitious goal to increase their scope through a rare international merger, which resulted in forming EverFree. With a comprehensive anti-trafficking model, EverFree operates globally in Uganda, the Philippines, and the United States, striving to ensure every survivor has access to quality care. Morgan-Babikov's commitment extends to her Ph.D. program at UC Irvine, developing a strengths-based tool called The Freedom Greenlight to empower survivors and influence policy. She collaborates with various organizations and works diligently to combat trafficking and support survivors.
Maricela Rios-Faust
Chief Executive Officer
Human Options
Maricela Rios-Faust, CEO of Human Options, is a leader in preventing and ending relationship violence. Under her strategic leadership, Human Options has seen significant growth, increasing its budget to $7 million and expanding its presence in high-need communities. Her expertise on relationship violence has led to partnerships with business, government, and nonprofit partners, addressing the issue on local and state levels. She co-chairs the Domestic Violence Death Review Team, which assesses data on domestic violence fatalities in Orange County. In collaboration with UCI, Rios-Faust released a groundbreaking study on domestic violence trends. Her leadership has resulted in essential training for HR professionals to recognize abuse among remote employees during the pandemic. Through strategic partnerships, she has expanded Human Options' services to eight locations and initiated housing programs for victims and survivors of relationship violence. Rios-Faust's efforts demonstrate her commitment to making a positive impact on vulnerable communities.
Autumn Strier
Co-Founder & CEO
Miracles for Kids
Autumn Strier, co-founder/CEO of Miracles for Kids, has led the nonprofit from a small initiative to a vital resource, aiding 2,000+ families battling life-threatening illnesses. Her leadership and fundraising have secured nearly $43 million. With degrees from UC Santa Barbara and NYU, she gained expertise at Morgan Stanley and the Giuliani Administration. Strier's dedication extends to various roles – she is the president of Epic Charter School's Board, an Alder Board member, and a Genesis Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship Business Leadership Circle member. Consistently recognized, she's featured in Orange County Business Journal’s “Women in Business” and OC Metro’s “Top 40 Business Leaders Under 40”. Strier's lifelong nonprofit work reflects her commitment to helping others, driving her impactful role at Miracles for Kids.
