Philanthropic leaders to kick off series

(SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Sept. 4, 2015) The presidents of three of the area’s largest philanthropic foundations will discuss their priorities, the challenges they encounter, and trends in the field at the first event in the California Lutheran University 2015-2016 Corporate Leaders Breakfast Series.

The event will run from 7:30 to 9:15 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley.

The panel discussion will feature Vanessa Bechtel of the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF), Eduardo Cetlin of the Amgen Foundation and Steve Hilton of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Dena Jenson, former director of the VCCF’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership, will moderate.

Bechtel, who took charge of the VCCF in February, oversees $137 million in charitable assets. She manages a scholarship program that awarded $1.2 million to local students in 2014 and about 600 funds that grant about $4 million a year to local nonprofit organizations. She also oversaw the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, which trained volunteers and others from nearly 830 nonprofit groups in 2014.

Cetlin joined the Amgen Foundation in 2005 and has served as president for the last year. He oversees programs designed to improve science education and to strengthen communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Thousand Oaks foundation has contributed more than $100 million to support science, technology, engineering and math programs throughout the world.

Hilton oversees the worldwide humanitarian work of the Agoura Hills-based organization established by his grandfather in 1944. Today, the foundation has assets of more than $2.5 billion and annual giving is about $100 million. Hilton, who was named president in 1998, has been instrumental in implementing strategies addressing water, homelessness and blindness.

The Corporate Leaders Breakfast Series brings members of the business and civic communities together to share ideas and hear from prominent leaders in the region. The series will continue with a panel discussion on the legalization of marijuana in California on Nov. 13 at the Sheraton Agoura Hills Hotel, a panel discussion on global real estate technology on Jan. 21 at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara, a presentation by Gold Coast Veterans Foundation President Ronald Greenwood on March 4 at the Ventura Beach Marriott, and a panel discussion on cybersecurity on May 3 at Cal Lutheran’s Lundring Events Center in Thousand Oaks.

The Reagan Library is located at 40 Presidential Drive. Reservations are requested by Thursday, Sept. 21. To RSVP, contact Sharon Nelson at smnelso@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3150. For more information, go to callutheran.edu/clb.