Posted on February 16, 2012

Irvine Foundation Announces 2012 Leadership Award Recipients

The James Irvine Foundation has announced five Californians as the recipients of its 2012 Leadership Awards.

Each honoree will receive $125,000, including $100,000 in organizational support and $25,000 for professional or organizational development activities. Now in its seventh year, the annual awards program recognizes extraordinary leaders who are applying innovative approaches to some of the state's most pressing issues while spotlighting breakthrough solutions that have the potential to better the lives of all residents of the state.

The recipients of this year's awards are Patricia Dennehy, director of Glide Health Services in San Francisco; Christa Gannon, founder and executive director of Fresh Lifelines for Youth in Milpitas; Carolyn Laub, director of the Gay-Straight Alliance Network in San Francisco; Craig McNamara, president and founder of the Center for Land-Based Learning in Winters; and Olis Simmons, president and CEO of Youth UpRising in Oakland.

"In difficult times, we must not lose sight of the creative solutions and transformative results that Californians are achieving on some of our most significant problems," said Irvine Foundation president and CEO Jim Canales. "We want to shine a spotlight on these inspiring leaders, and we want to encourage others to help grow and replicate their successful models for an even greater impact on our state."