32
be bold
leading change, no matter the DISTANCE Claudia Bonilla Keller ’87 boldly advocates for brighter futures in L.A. and O.C.
Claudia Keller earned the 2020 Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Alumnus award in the School of Social Sciences.
W
hat about the distance?
Claudia Bonilla Keller instantly heard high-school students’ nervousness when they asked her this question. They knew she had grown up in the South Bay before heading off to UC Irvine for her undergraduate studies. She could understand their trepidation about leaving home. She also knew how swiftly a single road trip could alleviate their concerns. Working as chief program officer for LA Promise Fund from 2012 to 2019, Keller oversaw college-access services as part of a broad spectrum of programming for stu-
dents in Los Angeles. Planning UCI tours for LA Promise Fund’s students and parents became something of a specialty of hers. “I’ve brought busloads of students and parents from L.A. to UCI to show them the fantastic opportunities that are just a 45-minute drive down the freeway,” said Keller, a 1987 graduate of UCI’s School of Social Sciences. “Bringing first-generation students to tour the campus has meant a great deal to me. I’ve seen firsthand how UCI has lived up to its promise of serving all students, and really being an economic engine for immigrants and for all people.” Keller is a force for change in her own right. In honor of her exemplary career
and momentous contributions to UCI, she was named the 2020 Lauds & Laurels Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in the School of Social Sciences. Talking with Keller, it’s clear that she doesn’t view problems for their seeming impossibilities. She looks for opportunities to drive change through smart ideas and decisive action. In 2005, this resolve led her to begin working as a social justice advocate. She pivoted away from a thriving career of 18-plus years in retail and fashion, an industry where she worked in marketing and public relations for powerhouse brands such as Calvin Klein, Vans, and the Irvine-based St. John Knits.
