Get to know Rachael Orose, President & CEO of United Way of San Diego County (UWSD).
Rachael is an entrepreneurial social-sector leader with more than 25 years of nonprofit experience advancing education, literacy, and opportunity for children and families in low-income and historically disinvested communities. With a deep background in nonprofit leadership and a passion for building stronger communities, Rachael brings both heart and experience to her role.
Originally from Michigan, Rachael holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in public and nonprofit administration and has led impactful work at organizations including Words Alive, The Molina Foundation, the American Red Cross, and First Book. Rachael’s family made the decision to relocate to San Diego eight years ago, and most recently, she served as Executive Director of Words Alive, where she connected children, teens, and families to the power of reading across San Diego County.
We sat down with Rachael to discuss everything from leadership to her favorite hidden gems in San Diego.
The “Quick Fire” Round:
Before we dove into the big questions, we started with some fun, quick questions:
- Coffee or tea? Coffee!
- Early bird or night owl? Early bird. I’m up by 4:30 most mornings, curled up on the couch with a book, a cup of coffee, and my dog.
- Beach or mountains? Both! That’s why we live in San Diego.
- Favorite comfort food? Anything on the menu at Petco Park!
- Physical book or e-reader? Physical book.
- Favorite “hidden gem” spot in San Diego County? I have a few. How about a perfect day? Early morning dragonboating at Fiesta Island, brunch at Brothers Family Restaurant in Allied Gardens (they have the world’s best pancakes), and then a family-friendly hike at Annie’s Canyon or Mission Trails.
- Favorite book from childhood? Oh gosh, that’d be like asking me to choose my favorite child!
Questions on Leading with Purpose
What drew you to United Way of San Diego County (UWSD)?
There are big, complex problems facing San Diego’s families – some we know about, but most we aren’t talking about. What I love about the United Way model is that we 1) identify the problem, and 2) focus on a myriad of solutions. Families in our community may be wrestling with similar problems, but what each family needs to thrive is different. So, we are building resiliency, strength, and skills in the ecosystems that support our families, and within families themselves – so we have the right tools to navigate the unique challenges that each of us face.
Before joining UWSD, you led the nonprofit Words Alive. How has that experience shaped your leadership?
Words Alive has been connecting children, teens, and families in the San Diego community to the power of reading for 25+ years. The organization is rooted, at its very core, in community. It is volunteer-founded and volunteer-driven, by anywhere from 800-1,000 volunteers a year. I saw first-hand how the passion, and focus, of a dedicated group of individuals was actively changing the story on literacy in San Diego.
My transition from Words Alive to UWSD wasn’t a departure from this mission; it was a decision to scale it. Illiteracy, a seemingly intractable problem – like many of them facing our community – is solvable, but we need to think differently about solutions. At United Way, I have a chance to help us increase access to the tools used to solve intractable problems – tools that empower communities most impacted by these challenges, tools that leverage the strength of our entire community.
How do you define your leadership style?
Collaborative, mission-driven, and people-centered. I’ve found that the best outcomes are born from a culture of listening, continuous learning, and being open to input and perspectives different than my own. I find this approach allows me to reframe where we’ve been, and better articulate where we are going.
I like to remind myself and our team that the work we do is joyful. In the nonprofit sector, we may be wrestling with really complicated, hard things, but we’re really here to create joy. I try to keep that centered in what we do and in our approaches. We can “doom and gloom” all day long, or we can center genuine joy, meaningful engagement, and the power of community. By actively making that choice, it really gives us an opportunity to improve the work that we do, the community we do it in, and the lives of the children, teens, and families we serve.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned from nonprofit leadership?
There’s no easy path to the type of change we’re trying to create in our community – however, it is incumbent on us to resist the urge to slow down or analyze a problem ad nauseum. We need to simultaneously move quickly and think differently, because families are struggling today.
In my experience, that lesson necessarily leads to action. And, not to put too fine a point on it: we need philanthropists to invest – generously – in the work nonprofits do. We need our investors to trust the teams who dedicate their careers to this work, and empower us to be agile enough to both respond to the struggles our clients face today and create the systemic change needed for our future.
How do you define success for United Way of San Diego County?
Only by tackling change head-on has UWSD been able to find innovative solutions to new problems and stubborn old ones. We’ve been doing this in San Diego for over 105 years. Our success is measured in the alignment of our partners – businesses, government, nonprofits, philanthropists, schools – to invest in solving the most complex issues facing San Diegans.
Let me clarify a few terms: when I say aligned, I mean working in engaged coalitions where we are transparently sharing best practices, capabilities, and knowledge across organizations and across sectors. When I say invest, I mean investing significant levels of financial and political capital, while empowering the best and brightest in our community to lead needed change.
I firmly believe the solutions to the most complex problems facing San Diego County exist right here – we need to weave our understanding and our resources together, differently, to care for our neighbors.
Questions on Inspiration
You’ve shared that you are a two-time cancer survivor, most recently navigating treatment two years ago. How has that journey shaped the way you lead, and where do you draw your strength from today?
There are not enough terrible words in the English language to describe cancer and what it does to oneself or their family. It is a gut-wrenching, debilitating disease that requires you to fight for your life – against an enemy you cannot see and cannot control.
An entire community of medical professionals in San Diego has saved my life, twice now. They bring to this fight powerful tools: medicine, science, and technology. As a cancer survivor, my most powerful tool is how I show up for the fight. I chose to meet cancer head-on with grit, determination, resilience, and a good dose of humor. Regardless of how bad and painful the treatment, my north star was always my family. My daughter and husband were (are) the fiercest supporters I had – I showed up every day for them with joy and hope in my heart, regardless of just how hard things were.
I am deeply grateful to be able to say: I never fought alone. No one should have to face their hardest moments alone. Let me say that again: no one should have to face their hardest moments alone. That’s the sense of urgency and focus I bring to my work – and my life – today. Too many families in San Diego are fighting to make ends meet, and I want them to know that they are not fighting alone. At UWSD, my priority is to fight for our families, rallying resources from every corner until our families have everything they need to thrive. San Diego is a community of neighbors helping neighbors and we are stronger together.
What’s the best piece of leadership advice you’ve received and still use today?”
This one is easy: be prepared for serendipity. I’d encourage you to wrestle, for a moment, with what it might mean for you to always be ready for something good to happen. It’s a wonderful way to live!
A Closing Message for San Diegans
If you could send a message to every San Diegan who wants to help make a difference but doesn’t know where to start, what would it be?
Start where you are, stay curious, and don’t underestimate the power of small, consistent actions. Remember that we are a community of neighbors, who care for one another. It’s easy to start: introduce yourself to that neighbor you’ve lived by for years but never actually met, put a book in a little free library, buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line, share a meal. We are stronger when our community comes together, shows up for one another, and supports one another.
I’m grateful to be part of this community and excited for what’s ahead!
Join Us in Welcoming Rachael!
We are inspired by Rachael’s vision and leadership as she advances United Way of San Diego County’s work in education and economic mobility and helps build lifelong learning habits across our region.
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