Social Enterprise Collective

Aja Brown is a distinguished leader in government technology solutions, renowned for her transformative impact on both communities and governmental entities. As the current leader of government solution design, impact, and communications at FORWARD, Aja harnesses her comprehensive expertise in technical fields, strategic planning, politics, and government administration. Her leadership is pivotal in creating market opportunities that enhance fairness, efficiency, accessibility, and overall societal benefit. Aja heads the Impact Team at FORWARD, focusing on enhancing the organization's brand, strategic communications, marketing initiatives, exploration of new markets, social impact efforts, and securing direct opportunities through Requests for Proposals (RFPs).

In her extensive 20-year career in government administration, Aja has established herself as a credible innovator and a driver of progress, with a leadership style that prioritizes trust, impact, and human-centric values. Her service as Mayor of Compton, CA from 2013 to 2021 underscores her exceptional ability to lead transformative initiatives under challenging conditions. Aja designed and led the execution of a transformative 12-point Vision for Compton Strategic Plan that catalyzed unprecedented economic growth, triggered a new wave of investment, and significantly reduced crime rates. This paradigm-shifting blueprint was covered extensively by both national and international media, serving as a new standard for community transformation, offering a model for future leaders. Learn more at AjaBrown.com.

Lauren Triplett has been working in sales & marketing for over 15 years. Her early interest in behavioral economics led her to pursue a career in marketing where she could combine her love of economics and sales. She founded her company BiteSized Consulting, LLC in 2017 with the goal of helping BIPOC- and women-owned businesses create unique connections with their audience through affordable and relevant digital marketing services.

Lauren received her Bachelors of Science in Applied Economics from Florida State University and her MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Pepperdine University. Lauren is an avid Florida State fan, and enjoys spending her weekends with her husband & friends tasting interesting wine varietals, eating delicious food around LA, planning her next travel venture, or reading the latest novels with her tuxedo cat, Beaux Charles.  

Veronica Escalante is a dedicated social impact leader and founder of the SHARE Foundation, established in 2013 in post-conflict Ambon, Indonesia, to inspire communities worldwide to embrace diversity and bridge societal divides. Through SHARE’s innovative *Horizontal Approaches* model, grounded in her doctoral research on ethnicity and race, Veronica has developed tools and training programs that empower communities to reduce biases, foster empathy, and build lasting mutual understanding.

Over the past decade, she has collaborated with 89 partner organizations with a presence in over 90 countries, designing and overseeing the implementation of educational policies to foster inclusion in Mexico, directly impacting over 300,000 people.

With an extensive background in anthropology and applied philosophy, Veronica brings both academic rigor and practical experience to her work. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), an MA in Applied Anthropology from Macquarie University, and a BA in Philosophy from Universidad Iberoamericana. Her academic contributions include collaboration on interdisciplinary projects such as UNAM’s PAPIIT initiative on education and racism, and she is an active member of Red INTEGRA, a network dedicated to researching racism and ethnic discrimination.

In addition to her research and foundation work, Veronica has served as a social leadership professor and as a board member for Ashoka’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and the Belafonte Tacolcy Center, strengthening her commitment to driving equitable change. Known for her collaborative approach and dedication to building cross-sector partnerships, Veronica’s insights make her a powerful voice for creating inclusive, resilient communities worldwide.

As part of her ongoing mission, Veronica facilitates transformative dialogue and trains local leaders to sustain impactful conversations on social justice, helping communities thrive by embracing their unique diversity.

Jeff Fouchey, the founder and CEO of Faid, a college readiness platform dedicated to fostering transparency in college access and affordability for students and their families. 

With over 15 years of invaluable experience in the education sector, Jeff brings a profound passion for enhancing student accessibility to vital resources. Jeff's commitment to educational equity extends beyond his role at Faid. He serves as a dedicated mentor to graduate students in Pepperdine University's prestigious Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Change (SEC) program. His insights and leadership also contribute significantly as a member of the SEC Advisory Board at Pepperdine University. 

Driven by a mission to empower students through knowledge and transparency, Jeff Fouchey continues to innovate within the education landscape, ensuring that every student has the tools and information needed to pursue their educational dreams.

Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures focused on early stage investing in consumer technology companies led by female and co-ed teams. Draper, the first solo female GP in Los Angeles is also a 4th generation venture capitalist, the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series, The Valley Girl Show, and host of the MOMumental Podcast. She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today. Among her 75+ portfolio companies, are the Skimm, Babylist, ThirdLove, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company, Squad (acquired by Twitter), Eloquii (sold to Walmart) and This is L (sold to P&G). 

Selected as one of the top 10 early stage female investors by Business Insider, Draper was also listed by Marie Claire magazine as one of the ‘50 Most Connected Women in America’, nominated by the NRF as a DealMakeHers, Variety’s Holly’s New Leaders, and Refinery29 30 Rising Stars.” Draper has been a contributor to Marie Claire, Forbes, and is a regular investor and tech personality showcased on Cheddar, CNBC, CNN. 

Following Jesse’s viral Medium piece, Investing in Women Isn’t a Fucking Charity, she’s become a leading voice of women in technology. Draper is also a Kauffman Fellow. 

She proudly sits on the board of directors of Trust & Will, Preemadonna (creator of the Nailbot) and the non-profit board Bizworld and Project Glimmer. Draper supports the Parkinson’s Institute and is very involved with growing UCLA’s female entrepreneurship community. She and her team also created the ‘Halogen Fellowship in Venture Capital’ to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry.

Rick Cole is the Chief Deputy Controller for the City of Los Angeles overseeing payroll, accounting, and auditing for a $13.2 billion budget. He has spent more than three decades in public service as a deputy mayor in the City of Los Angeles and as city manager in Azusa, Ventura, and Santa Monica. This March he was elected to return to the seat on the Pasadena City Council that he held for 12 years. He also served as Mayor of Pasadena and Executive Director of the Congress for the New Urbanism. The Los Angeles Times has called him "one of Southern California's most visionary planning thinkers" and among numerous awards he was recognized as one of Governing Magazine's Public Officials of the Year.

Cole has taught urban policy at Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy and Occidental College as well as religion and politics at Fuller Theological Seminary, and United States history at Pasadena City College.

Ryan Lynn Johnson is a committed advocate for community-driven change, channeling her diverse expertise to build impactful partnerships and foster social good. As the Community Relations and Foundation Manager for The Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Ryan creates innovative programs and strategic collaborations that enrich the lives of residents and strengthen organizational impact.

With a BA in Sociology/Public Relations from Loyola Marymount University and an MA in Social Entrepreneurship & Change from Pepperdine University, Ryan brings a unique blend of academic insight and hands-on experience. She has led outreach initiatives that amplify engagement and expand the reach of each organization she serves. Her work has spanned the nonprofit, education, fundraising, and public relations sectors, including roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, and Murphy O’Brien PR, where she designed and executed community-centered strategies for meaningful social impact.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ryan is deeply passionate about philanthropic focus areas such as mentorship, education, youth empowerment, mental health and wellness, and college & career exposure. She has volunteered with organizations such as Freedom & Fashion, the Boys & Girls Club, and Threads of Peru, championing causes focused on ethical fashion, women empowerment, and access to arts education.

She has further immersed herself in community work as a graduate of Leadership Pasadena, a six-month program which provides leadership development training and a "deep dive" into all aspects of Pasadena life. She also currently serves as a Board Member of local nonprofit, Girls on the Run LA County.