March 13 In Los Angeles The Conversation
The Conversation is an annual event which features a luncheon, award ceremony and panel discussion. This year’s discussion at the Jonathan Club will focus on Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma. The event brings together philanthropic- and civic-minded individuals to learn more about some of the most important issues in human services, and to honor those who have made an impact in the Wayfinder community and beyond.
Honorees
Glenn Sonnenberg
Wayfinder Board of Directors
Glenn Sonnenberg’s career has spanned law, real estate finance, and real estate equity investment. He currently is Chairman of LaSalle Debt Investors and President of Latitude Real Estate Holdings, both real estate investment firms.
Glenn is a graduate of the University of Southern California, with a B.A. in History, 1977, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and a J.D., 1980. He has received the USC Alumni Service Award, the Bet Tzedek Lainer award, the Jewish Federation Torch of Justice Award, the Stephen Wise Temple annual award, the USC Ex Libris award, and the Hillcrest Country Club Lifetime Achievement Award. Glenn and his wife Andrea raised three children. They reside in Southern California.
He has served on the board of Wayfinder Family Services since 2018, a period of remarkable growth for the organization. Glenn explains his commitment this way: “Wayfinder has served communities of people in need for over 70 years. As chair of the board, I couldn’t be more excited to work with our phenomenal staff, led by Jay Allen, in making the organization even stronger, expanding its reach to help more people with more innovative programming. I believe we have the programs, the team, the board and the community support to do just that.”
Jason Russell
Wayfinder Impact Council
Jason Russell has known about Wayfinder his entire life. “My grandparents were founding members of the Guiders, a fundraising arm of what was then known as the Foundation for the Junior Blind. My uncles, aunts and many of their friends were intermittently involved throughout
my childhood. And my mother was a volunteer in her teen years.”
Jason grew up, studied law, and became the managing partner and co-founder of Jacobson Russell Saltz Nassim & de la Torre, LLP, an entertainment law firm. Twenty-two years ago, Jason met two men who served on the board of the Foundation for the Junior Blind. He had been thinking about giving back to his community, and this was a perfect opportunity to reconnect with a nonprofit that meant so much to his family. He joined the board of directors and served for nine years.
In 2021 Jason was asked to once again be a volunteer leader and join Wayfinder’s Impact Council—a group of ambassadors who raise money and awareness for Wayfinder’s programs and services. He’s excited to be part of the organization. “This is an organization that helps people who would have nowhere else to turn. Wayfinder reinforces my faith in humanity.”
W.M. Keck Foundation
The W. M. Keck Foundation was established in 1954 in Los Angeles by William Myron Keck, founder of The Superior Oil Company.
Mr. Keck envisioned a philanthropic institution that would provide far-reaching benefits for humanity. By taking a bold, creative approach to grantmaking, he created a legacy that the Foundation proudly upholds today.
Over the years, the Foundation has focused on Science & Engineering Research; Medical Research; Undergraduate Education; and Southern California.
Their support of Southern California-based organizations that enrich the lives of the region’s residents has expanded and deepened over the years to focus on under resourced communities. They place a special emphasis on children, youth, and their families, with the goal of providing safe, healthy, supportive environments that prepare children to succeed in school and in life. Dorothy Fleisher, Ph.D., MPA, MSW, senior program director for the W. M. Keck Foundation’s Southern California Program, will accept the award on its behalf.
Learn more at www.wayfinderfamily.org/conversation
December 4, 2024