“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.”
Dr. Maya Angelou
Dr. Jonathan Lorenzo Yorba is the new Executive Director of Guide Dogs of the Desert. A longtime resident of Palm Springs and San Francisco, Jonathan has worked in philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, government, and education. Dr. Yorba holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving (CSPG) professional designations. A member of the California Desert Association of Realtors, Jonathan is also a Realtor®, a skill he uses in helping donors make charitable gifts of real estate.
The Mission of Guide Dogs of the Desert is to provide mobility, companionship, and independence for blind and visually impaired people with custom-trained Guide Dogs. We have an outstanding Board of Directors, professional staff, and numerous volunteers who serve as Puppy Raisers, Breeder Hosts, and Foster Parents. Without these dedicated volunteers and generous donors, Guide Dogs of the Desert could not fulfill its mission.
Yorba oversees a beautiful eight-acre hillside campus in Whitewater, a mile outside of Palm Springs. The campus has an Administration Office, Residences, Auditorium, Professional Kitchen, Nursery, and a Wellness Center / Hospital. In addition, Guide Dogs of the Desert has a new executive office in Palm Springs.
“Guide Dogs of the Desert has a long-term vision:50-50-50 Campaign for the Future,” states Yorba. “We have existed for nearly 50 years; we serve people from all 50 states; and to continue as a human services organization for the long-term, we need to raise $50 million over the next ten years. This is ambitious yet doable.”
Dr. Yorba is also a social scientist and the longtime Chair of the Ford Fellows Fund, a partnership between the Ford Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences.
See www.guidedogsofthedesert.org.
