California Community Foundation Names Efrain Escobedo as Vice President of Civic Engagement and Public Policy

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Jan 28, 2015, 12:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The California Community Foundation (CCF) announces a significant addition to its management team with the hiring of Efrain Escobedo as Vice President of Civic Engagement and Public Policy.

Efrain Escobedo has been named vice president of civic engagement and public policy at the California Community Foundation.

Escobedo will lead a department that aims to empower all Angelenos to shape the major issues affecting their lives through collective engagement and shared problem-solving. Escobedo will oversee CCF's investments in civic engagement activities that foster social change across many of the foundation's priority program areas. He will continue the foundation's work in supporting successful implementation of President Obama's executive action for immigration reform and community outreach for AB60, the law that allows undocumented residents to apply for a California driver's license.

A Los Angeles native, Escobedo has dedicated his career to fostering civic engagement and effective policymaking. He is recognized nationally as a leader and expert in elections policy and has played a key role in increasing Latino political participation in the United States. He most recently served as the manager of governmental and legislative affairs for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, where he worked on legislation, media and community outreach to increase voter participation.

"Civic engagement is a critical piece of our work that touches all areas of life in Los Angeles. It ignites mutual understanding among diverse communities and instills a shared sense of responsibility for our future," said CCF President & CEO Antonia Hernández. "With his skills, passion for Los Angeles and many years of experience advancing civic participation and social change, Efrain is a wonderful fit for CCF."

Prior to joining the county in 2009, Escobedo served as the senior director of civic engagement for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, where he managed programs around elections, naturalization and the Census, among other responsibilities. Escobedo earned his bachelor's degree in American studies and ethnicity from the University of Southern California and is a recent graduate of the Los Angeles County Executive Leadership Program.

As CCF marks its 100^th year, the foundation is playing an increasingly active role in public policy dialogues in the region and activating members of the community to affect larger outcomes in their lives through collective engagement. The Civic Engagement and Public Policy Department at CCF contributes to social impact through a diverse spectrum of issues, including immigrant integration, early child care and education and the promotion of civic engagement in L.A. County's American Muslim community.

Leadership in these critical areas goes hand-in-hand with the foundation's range of efforts to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable Angelenos, including programs like Grameen America Los Angeles, a global microfinance model that provides women entrepreneurs with capital and support that contributes to job creation and lifting families out of poverty; the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund, aimed at reversing the college graduation rates among low-income students through supporting nonprofits with successful graduation rates; and Building a Lifetime of Options and Opportunities for Men, considered a national model for changing the trajectory for young black men in the probation system.

About the California Community Foundation
The California Community Foundation (CCF) unites the power of philanthropy with innovative strategies to create greater equity, opportunity and prosperity in Los Angeles County. We have served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in transforming Los Angeles. CCF stewards nearly $1.4 billion in total assets and manages more than 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. Learn more at www.calfund.org.

Contact: Taleen Ananian
[email protected]
(213) 452-6203

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SOURCE California Community Foundation