Board of Directors

Stepping into the role of president for Vistas for Children is both a profound honor and a deeply humbling responsibility. Taking the helm of an organization completely powered by the heart and dedication of a 100% volunteer network is an inspiring reminder of what happens when a community decides to protect its most vulnerable members.

Volunteerism isn’t simply about donating free hours; it is an act of love that tells a child facing a disability, illness, or trauma: you are seen, you matter, and you are not alone. Our collective hands are the safety net they deserve.

Beginning with our foundational roots in 1978 when Patty Sullivan envisioned a lifeline for blind children, to our expansion in 2000 to embrace children with all forms of special needs, Vistas has always known how to grow without losing its soul. Today, we are funding eye, dental and mental health care for children and teens, bringing equine therapy to children with special needs, supporting children navigating cancer, and aiding children and their families experiencing homelessness. That is only part of what we do. Our mission is the same as from our inception: create a bright future for every child.

As we look to the year ahead, I am thrilled to share a major milestone in widening our community direction: Vistas for Children is officially strengthening our ties with the local business landscape by joining the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. This is a beautiful full-circle moment for us. In 2025, under the leadership of Co-Presidents, Rene Mizuguchi and Nadia Elgrably, the Chamber named Vistas the Community Service Organization of the Year. Today, we are formally stepping into this partnership which will allow us to build powerful multidimensional bridges between our philanthropic mission and our local business leaders. By engaging in this incredible network of entrepreneurs, corporate citizens, and innovators on the Peninsula we can foster corporate sponsorships, elevate our grant making visibility, and design new, sustainable avenues of support.

To our lifelong members, our hard-working provisionals, our dedicated alumni and our generous sponsors, thank you. You are the hands, the heart, and the driving force behind every dollar distributed to our philanthropies. If you are not a member of Vistas, why not? Please join us! Let us step into this next chapter together, eager to build new partnerships, capture new opportunities, foster new friendships, and continue putting smiles on the faces of the children who need us most.