North Hollywood, CA — September 14, 2023. The San Fernando Valley Business Journal selected Olga Duran as their 2023 Community Impact Advocate Award winner at their Annual Women’s Leadership Symposium & Awards Luncheon. The award recognizes someone who makes significant contributions to their communities in ways unrelated to their professional position, including volunteer work, fundraising efforts, board member service, and other giving opportunities.

Valley Community Healthcare nominated Olga Duran for this significant award in recognition of her 64 years of service as an educator, cross-cultural specialist, parental advisor, NGO consultant, and as community representative to civic and county boards. Olga’s personal experience raised her awareness and understanding of the needs of underserved children and their families in disenfranchised communities, and motivated her to address how poverty and adverse environments adversely affect the ability for children to thrive and succeed. She developed culturally sensitive leadership courses and self-esteem workshops for LA County students; oversaw training programs for women in non-traditional occupations, and developed and implemented successful outreach campaigns and prevention strategy programs for gang members and their siblings.

Olga Duran joined the staff at Valley Community Healthcare in 1997, and was instrumental in developing an efficient and empathetic member services department charged with enrolling and counseling patients in the management and enrollment of their health care plan and coverage. After 26 years with VCH, Olga retired and is now engaged in developing a strategic resource plan that supports the anticipated growth of her church, She regularly takes mission trips to Guatemala and Mexico where she works in the orphanages, cooks for volunteers, cares for infants, and travels to rural villages distributing medical supplies and food.