Community Leaders - Best Buddies California

Welcome

Best Buddies Leadership Conference The Best Buddies Leadership Conference (BBLC) is an annual event held each summer to inspire thousands of leaders to be Best Buddies advocates and to bring about social change in their communities. BBLC is a once in a lifetime experience that unites Best Buddies leaders, volunteers, and community advocates from around the globe.

Traditionally held as an inperson convening, the 2020 Best Buddies Leadership Conference is transitioning into an online experience. This new format opens the opportunity for global access to leadership trainings, best practice sharing, and community networking as we work to build new experiences for our global community throughout the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

BB LC

Welcome to Leadership Conference! We are grateful for you and your

katelyn quintero STATE DIRECTOR, BEST BUDDIES CALIFORNIA

dedication to inclusion!

jazzmine santos-kendrix DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS, BEST BUDDIES CALIFORNIA

chanel brisbane

sarah won

DIRECTOR OF JOBS, BEST

DIRECTOR OF STATE OPS,

BUDDIES CALIFORNIA

BEST BUDDIES CALIFORNIA

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Our Programs BB

Friendship

Jobs

Builds friendships between people with and w/o IDD, offering social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion.

Secures jobs for people with IDD, allowing them to earn an income, pay taxes, and support themselves.

Leadership

Living

Educates and empowers people with and without IDD to be leaders, public speakers and advocates.

Fosters an integrated experience for people with and without IDD to live independently in a dynamic environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

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Meet Our Community Leaders BB LC

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"I’m thrilled for the opportunity to be in community with leaders from across the country and around the world, which wouldn’t be possible if the Conference wasn’t virtual. I am eager to learn how we

Alia Al-Sharif CIVIC EDGE CONSULTING corporate partner

can hold each other accountable to ensure race equity is a focus for Best Buddies’ programs."

"I am interested in how we can better support and be inclusive in the workplace especially now with COVID. I am hoping to learn about

Haley Bridges BON APPETIT corporate partner

best practices and network!"

BB LC

"Doing the Right Thing, is one of our Maxim at Nike. This is one of the things I personally respect most from working at this Brand, we are relentless in tapping in to unlock potential and helping people in our organization become better human beings. Without question, having a partnership with Best Buddies to source your clients in our retail stores does exactly that,

Najjiya Coussey NIKE corporate partner

it’s the right thing to do. Everyone should belong they belong here, and it’s my mission to ensure they do. "

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"I am very interested in this organization and hope to learn more in the event we can partner up in the future."

Jana Fain-Rossen ZWIFT corporate partner

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"I'm hoping to gain new insight and ideas on how I can use my contacts and connections to make a bigger impact within my local chapter specifically with respect to the Best Buddies Jobs program. I have also been actively involved in the Champion of the Year Gala for the past two years and would also like to learn how I can contribute to the event in a meaningful and impactful way without being a candidate this year, specifically, as it relates to fundraising

Shari Kaufman GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS advisory board

and sponsorships during a potential virtual event landscape."

BB LC

"I've been involved with Best Buddies for more than a dozen years and am really passionate about our mission. I've always benefited so much from attending LC, so I'm looking forward to learning and connecting with people through our

Connor Regan GOOGLE adivosry board

new digital conference this year!"

BB LC

"This will be my first LC and I am looking forward to learning from and connecting

Allie Kerr ALPHA CROSSLINKCAPITAL friendship walk committee

with other community leaders."

"FIJI Water proudly supports Best Buddies and has been an employer partner for nearly 10 years!"

Monique Moffitt FIJI WATER corporate partner

BB LC

"I am attending the Leadership Conference as I believe inclusion should be the cornerstone of all organizations/businesses.

During this conference, I hope to learn ways in how I can be an agent of change professionally and

Amy Pollock PANTHEON corporate partner

personally as well as find out how Pantheon can get more involved as a Best Buddies Partner."

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"I have been affiliated with Best Buddies for the last seven years. I grew volunteering with Special Olympics. I believe that all of us should have to live our lives to the fullest and that means opportunity for friendship and meaningful work. I hope to learn and

Ben Scott PARADIGM advisory board

become a better ally through the leadership conference."

"I am currently a board member of the NorCal Best Buddies chapter. As a side to my day job I also act at the relationship manager between Accenture and Best Buddies out of San Francisco and last year was able to participate in the Champion

Carly Reiner ACCENTURE advisory board

of the Year fundraising. Looking forward to getting involved in more ways in the future!"

"We want to diversify our recruitment strategy by learning more about working with adults with disabilities and also to expand our efforts in living the value of inclusion

Charlette Wilburn ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES corporate partner

in our work culture."

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"This week at LC I hope to learn how to better service the community of people with developmental disabilities."

Amy Schnepp SPMB corporate partner

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"I've been extremely fortunate. I have a great family, an amazing wife, lots of wonderful friends, and security. Simply appreciating what I have is not enough—I feel our purpose in life is to seek opportunities to extend kindness and friendship and to bring joy to others' lives. I can't think of a better opportunity than committing to Best Buddies. To be

Ken Seto friendship walk committee

totally honest, I feel I receive much more joy from Best Buddies than I bring to Best Buddies."

"I have volunteered at a summer camp for people with IDD since I was 16 and have always had a passion for this community, so I wanted to find a way to get my company

Kendra Stumbos SPMB corporate partner

involved and give back."

"I am hoping to hear more from Best Buddies Ambassadors, learn fundraising and messaging tips from the sessions and hear from our BB Leadership on how

Deborah Torres CITY OF FRESNO advisory board

we are currently serving our Buddies community."

"I’m excited to hear more about the Global efforts of BB and what more I can do to increase

Rob Shilling OUTFRONT MEDIA advisory board

awareness of this great organization."

"Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness, value, and respect, and given opportunities to live a fulfilled life."

Shail Versfelt VERSFELT DESIGNS advisory board

"I began my involvement with this incredible organization through the new Champion of the Year program. The program allowed me to get a taste for what it means to be an advocate for those with IDD as well as learn how to effectively approach fundraising. I continued my engagement by participating and leading the Ambassador Training program (live and virtually) in which I helped to educate Best Buddies participants about the components of speech writing and delivering and what it means to be an Best Buddies ambassador. I also help with conducting Mock Interviews for job participants who seek to create a stronger foundation for their conversational skills to

Lexi Ben-Meir

maximize success in future interviews. I cherish the friendships and partnerships I have formed over the past couple of years at Best Buddies and am so excited to continue working with this amazing

advisory board

organization for many years to come!"

More Community Leaders: Julie Rushing Christina Cassen Kelly McKenna Sarah Coyne Marco Dondero Shail Versfelt Max Froseth Dakota Ortiz Eduardo Sanchez Luisa Del Cid Brittany Alexis

Advisory Board Friendship Walk Committee Advisory Board Advisory Board Advisory Board Advisory Board Corporate Partner

Silicon Valley Bank

Corporate Partner

Endeavor

Corporate Partner

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Corporate Partner

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Corporate Partner

EIF

More Community Leaders: Madelyn Grassi Kwan Park Colin Eighmy Katie Corrigan Shannon Del Rio Bicki Maron Ally Ranier Stephanie Mosley April Span Lauren Libero Julia Velasquez Anthony Avery

Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner Corporate Partner

NFL Media SPMB SPMB Chubb Insurance ICM Partners Blushington Viz.ai Crescent Capital Group Crescent Capital Group State of CA Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Therabody

2019 BBLC by the Numbers

9 136 11 20 4 Chapter Advisors

Chapter Leaders

State

Ambassadors

Staff Members

Jobs

8 188 Community

Participants Leaders

Lives changed at BBLC

2020 BBLC by the Numbers

BB LC

30 301 32 20 21 39 443 Chapter Advisors

Chapter Leaders

State

Ambassadors

Staff Members

Jobs

Community

Participants Leaders

Lives changed at BBLC

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Upcoming Events BB FW

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Join us for the Champion of the Year Galas

Bay Area NOVEMBER 13,

2020

Southern California DECEMBER 4,2020

www.bestbuddieschampion.org

Will you be crowned the next California Grand Champion?

Best Buddies Friendship Walk

Thanks for a great 2020 Friendship Walk Season!

Join us in Spring, 2021 IN SAN FRANCISCO AND LONG BEACH

www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org

Thank You

FRIENDSHIP, JOBS, LEADERSHIP, & LIVING