Sorkow comes to Children’s Defense Fund after previously serving in leadership roles at the nonprofit organizations Build.org and ProLiteracy.
Media Contact: John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679
LOS ANGELES, CA—The national youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) has named Jaren Sorkow the new state director of its Children’s Defense Fund-California (CDF-CA) office.
Sorkow steps into his new role with more than 20 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations in the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas. Prior to joining Children’s Defense Fund, Sorkow served as the California director of strategic partnerships for BUILD.org, a national nonprofit focused on teaching entrepreneurship principles to high school students in marginalized communities. He also worked as the principal partnerships director for ProLiteracy, a nonprofit focused on improving adult literacy rates in the United States and across the globe.
Children’s Defense Fund Vice President and Chief Program Officer Sheri A. Brady said CDF is thrilled to welcome Sorkow to its staff as his previous work with children shows his commitment to advancing the well-being of all young people across the Golden State.
“Jaren has made a direct, positive impact on many young people across the state of California,” Brady said. “At CDF, we center the voice and experience of youth in our decision making. Their voices help direct and guide our work to create meaningful and lasting change. From Jaren’s work in Los Angeles preventing youth from joining gangs as the director of Casa Esperanza to his role overseeing youth programming at the organization, Stiles Hall, in Berkeley, he has repeatedly proven his capability to respect, connect, and engage with young people where they are. We’re excited to have him join the CDF family.”
Sorkow, a Los Angeles native, said he is eager to begin work with the rest of the CDF-CA team to continue their efforts to build community for young people in California so they can grow up with dignity, hope, and joy.
“For more than fifty years, CDF has transformed the lives of millions of children through its policy and advocacy work from coast to coast,” Sorkow said. “I cannot wait to contribute to that storied legacy to continue to help the hundreds of thousands of children and young people who live in my home state of California.”
Sorkow earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Berkeley; a Master of Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco; and a Master of Public Administration with a focus on public policy from California State University, Northridge.
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About Children’s Defense Fund
Founded in 1973, Children’s Defense Fund envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. The only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice, CDF advances the well-being of America’s most diverse generation, the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25. CDF’s grassroots movements in marginalized communities build power for child-centered public policy, informed by racial equity and the lived experience of children and youth. Its renowned CDF Freedom Schools® program is conducted in nearly 100 cities across 30 states and territories. Learn more at www.childrensdefense.org.