Foster Grandparent Program Manager Sofia Henriquez Selected for National Intergenerational Leadership FellowshipPage Title
Sofia Henriquez, program manager for Pepperdine University’s Foster Grandparent Program, has been selected to participate in the inaugural Generations United Intergenerational Leadership Accelerator, a national fellowship supporting emerging leaders advancing intergenerational work across the United States.
Launched by Generations United, the Intergenerational Leadership Accelerator brings together a cohort of leaders from across the country who are committed to strengthening connections between generations and advancing collaborative, community-based solutions. Henriquez was selected as part of the program’s first-ever cohort, representing California.
Henriquez’s selection reflects her management expertise, and ongoing commitment to intergenerational collaboration through the Foster Grandparent Program. Under her management, the program continues to support meaningful relationships between older adult volunteers and children, strengthening educational and social outcomes while fostering cross-generational understanding.
“Since stepping into the program manager role in January 2025, Sofia has continued to make a positive impact on the program, particularly in strengthening compliance and volunteer engagement activities, including our companion caller initiative, which encourages volunteers to regularly check in with their peers to prevent isolation and reduce loneliness. Our volunteers, station partners, advisor council members and team are incredibly proud of her, and this fellowship will further strengthen our program’s leadership capacity, national partnerships, and visibility within the intergenerational field,” said Dr. Shanetta Weatherspoon, executive director of the Foster Grandparent Program.
The fellowship is designed to deepen participants’ leadership capacity, expand national partnerships, and elevate innovative approaches within the intergenerational field. Participation in the accelerator will further strengthen the Foster Grandparent Program’s visibility and engagement at the national level, while supporting continued program growth and impact.
The Foster Grandparent Program, housed within Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), reflects the school’s mission of purpose, service, and leadership by promoting community connection, service-learning, and intergenerational engagement.
Henriquez’s inclusion in the Generations United fellowship underscores both her individual commitment to intergenerational connections and the broader impact of Pepperdine’s Foster Grandparent Program within communities locally and nationwide.