Shelley Hoss has reached a milestone as chief executive officer of Orange County Community Foundation: 25 years in her position. That makes her the longest-tenured community foundation leader in California.
In naming her the 2025 Extraordinarius award recipient, UC Irvine honored Hoss (class of 1987 Master of Business and Public Administration) with its highest alumni recognition.
At the foundation’s headquarters in Irvine, Hoss oversees philanthropic outreach that funded $125 million in grants and scholarships for fiscal year 2025.
OCCF embarks this year on its Vision 2030 plan, a five-year strategy to address six initiatives: community power building, economic opportunity, educational access, environmental stewardship, women’s health and youth mental health.
Hoss excels at her work while finding immense joy in the simple pleasure of walking her dog, Jemma, a golden retriever rescue who came her way through the nonprofit jail-based dog training program Cell Dogs.
Tell us about the Extraordinarius award.
I felt so grateful to have had this almost 40-year career doing work that just fills my heart and my soul. It does feel like a little embarrassment of riches to have someone go, “And here’s an award.”
The part that’s meaningful is this is my graduate alma mater wanting to claim me as their own. That’s so lovely.
What insight from your post‑graduate education at UC Irvine stays with you?
It was really in that program that I learned collaboration. The curriculum was so challenging, it was immediately obvious that it was a nonstarter to be carrying the load myself.
It was my first experience of being completely dependent on others’ skills and strengths; the synergy of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
That is a lesson that has served me every day of my career.
What task is most crucial this year?
Following on the launch of Vision 2030, our new five-year plan. A centerpiece of that is six initiatives to address needs in the Orange County community where we feel we can add value.
We have these components that overall are being led by Tammy Tumbling, who is our president.
We get to be complementary: Tammy is focused on the operational foundation of all of that. And then I’m more free to build relationships in the community and help our work evolve externally.
What role does encouraging thoughtful use of open space play, particularly in Irvine?
We have the roots of The Irvine Ranch and all that history that’s now really coming to fruition with Great Park. I am so delighted to see the movement there.
There’s been a long arc of trying to get traction and work underway at the park. I just went and looked the other day because I’m meeting with a lot of folks who are working on various aspects of that space – all these other elements of arts and cultural and natural experiences.
How do you fit in time for yourself?
The total game-changer moment for me and my husband, Alan, was rescuing this absolute angel in dog form named Jemma. We’ve had her for three years. She’s 8 ½ now. She is just the absolute light of my life.
This is what grounds me. I start every single day walking her – rain or shine, even if there’s lightning, rain and thunder. We are out on our walk.
Do you have a favorite hangout in Irvine?
Honestly, my haunt in Irvine is Bistango. It’s a family-owned restaurant, and it’s in the same building as our office.
I am there all the time. I literally have my own table. I just go in and seat myself. I’ve gotten to know the family. They’re just wonderful.
It’s the first time I ever felt like I had my little place. My own booth at my little place. It’s like “Cheers.”
LEARN MORE
Hoss will host six half-hour episodes on OC World on KLCS-PBS. Each of the documentary-style “Power of Community” programs will focus on a specific topic, reflecting the same issues Vision 2030 will address. The monthly shows are expected to begin airing in the spring: “I won’t really be on camera much. It’s going to be focusing on telling these stories.”
