Lucy Santana

Chief Executive Officer
Girls Inc. of Orange County

In 2024, Lucy Santana celebrated 25 years as CEO of Girls Inc. of Orange County (GIOC), where her visionary leadership significantly expanded the organization’s impact. Under her guidance, GIOC grew from serving 1,500 girls in 2001 to 9,000 in 2024, increasing services by nearly 15%. Santana has secured substantial funding and built key partnerships with major companies to support transformative programs in education, career readiness and personal development. Notably, she co-created Project Accelerate, which aims to boost the presence of women of color in leadership roles and has doubled its participation in its second year. Santana’s efforts have also led to expanded programs like Girls Meet the Workforce and College Bound, and she has been a powerful advocate for women’s and girls’ issues.