Issuu

In the First Person: Meet Danna, pg. 6

Step Forward Endowment Campaign, pg. 10

F A L L

Innovation Insights: Culture Sustainability, pg. 5

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People-First Culture “The Way” At the heart of the culture at The Wooden Floor is our people-first philosophy, which is our commitment to placing people at the center of everything we do. Whether serving students and families, supporting our staff, or engaging supporters and community partners, we believe that investing in people is the foundation for achieving exceptional outcomes. Our people shape our culture, and our culture shapes our impact. By intentionally investing in relationships, fostering trust, and creating opportunities for growth, we have built an organization where people flourish, and where high performance naturally follows. This philosophy has evolved into what we call The Wooden Floor Way©, our shared approach to leadership, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It is more than a set of practices; it is a mindset that influences how we work together, solve challenges, celebrate successes, and remain grounded in our values. It reflects our belief that organizational excellence begins with caring for each other, fostering belonging, and empowering every individual to contribute their unique talents toward a common purpose. The Wooden Floor Way is built upon our core values of Respect, Community, Excellence, and Stewardship. These values guide our decisions, shape our relationships, and establish the expectations we hold for ourselves and to one another.

Dawn S. Reese CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Our people-first culture is strengthened through several guiding principles: ■

We lead with purpose, recognizing that everyone contributes to our mission of inspiring and transforming the lives of young people through the power of dance and access to higher education.

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We invest in people, understanding that professional development, leadership opportunities, wellness initiatives, mentorship, and lifelong learning are essential ingredients for organizational excellence.

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We embrace innovation with intention, thoughtfully exploring design-thinking, artificial intelligence, data-informed decision making, and emerging educational trends that enhance our impact while remaining deeply rooted in our mission and values.

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We celebrate excellence while remaining humble learners, recognizing accomplishments while continually asking what we can do to grow stronger as one community together.

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And perhaps most importantly, we cultivate belonging. We believe every individual deserves to feel valued, respected, heard, and connected. When people experience belonging, they bring their full talents, creativity, and passion to our mission; thereby strengthening our culture and amplifying our collective impact.

@DawnSReese

Ultimately, our culture has become one of The Wooden Floor's greatest strategic advantages. Programs can evolve, technologies will continue to change, and the future will undoubtedly bring new challenges. Yet organizations that place people first, all while embracing learning, innovation, and belonging, will continue to thrive. (See page 4.) By living The Wooden Floor Way, investing in our team, building relationships with our supporters, and preparing thoughtfully for the future of our students and families, we create an enduring culture capable of transforming lives today while shaping an even brighter tomorrow.

With gratitude,

THE WOODEN FLOOR

Mission Moment This summer, The Wooden Floor students explored future possibilities during a college tour of the University of Southern California (USC), gaining firsthand insight into campus life, academic programs, and the many pathways available in higher education. As part of our holistic college and career readiness programming, these visits inspire students to pursue ambitious goals, reflected in the fact that nearly 60% of The Wooden Floor graduates over the past five years have gone on to pursue degrees in S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) fields. College visits play an important role in expanding students' perspectives and helping them see what is possible in preparing them to thrive in college, their careers, and beyond.

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Newsfeed NONPROFIT INNOVATIVE IMPACT AWARD APRIL 2026 The Wooden Floor was named the recipient of the OneOC 50th Anniversary Spirit of Volunteerism Nonprofit Innovative Impact Award. This recognition highlights the organization’s commitment to developing innovative programs, creating meaningful impact in the community, and advancing our mission to transform young lives through dance and access to higher education, alongside other organizations helping strengthen Orange County. We are deeply grateful to OneOC for this recognition and honored to stand among the many organizations and volunteers in our community.

READING WORKSHOP JULY 2026 Students built literacy skills this summer through The Wooden Floor's Summer Reading Program, centered around Stella Díaz Never Gives Up. Alongside vocabulary, reading, and comprehension activities, students explored themes of perseverance, culture, and community through creative projects and personal reflection. The program concluded with a celebration recognizing each student's growth and accomplishments while fostering a lifelong love of reading.

BEST PLACES TO WORK RECOGNITION FOR THE 4TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR JULY 2026 The Wooden Floor has been named one of the Orange County Business Journal’s Best Places to Work in 2026 with our highest ranking of #2 of among 30 for profit and nonprofit organizations in our category, marking the fourth consecutive year receiving this recognition. The award reflects ongoing efforts to support values-centered leadership, cultivate a strong organizational culture, and prioritize professional development and staff engagement, all in service of empowering students and their families to achieve their goals. Thank you to our Board of Directors and staff who make this award possible.

THE WOODEN FLOOR

INNOVATION INSIGHTS

Culture Sustainability Taskforce At The Wooden Floor, our workplace culture has been intentionally cultivated for nearly a decade. In 2016, as the organization prepared for significant growth, we established the Culture Sustainability Task Force to ensure the values and environment that define The Wooden Floor would remain strong as we expanded. Staff from every department came together to identify the qualities that make our organization unique and create a shared vision for sustaining a highperforming, mission-driven culture. Today, that vision continues to shape a workplace where employees are encouraged to be intellectually curious, support one another's professional growth, embrace adaptability, and pursue excellence. We strive to foster an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, collaborative, and family-oriented, where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute to our mission. This investment in culture began well before the pandemic and continues to guide our growth today. As The Wooden Floor expands, our culture extends beyond our main campus and has helped earn recognition as one of Orange County's Best Places to Work for four consecutive years. Most importantly, our culture strengthens The Wooden Floor's Theory of Change, which is built on the power of long-term mentoring relationships. By investing in our people, we ensure our students are supported by a dedicated team committed to helping them thrive, creating lasting, positive impacts for the young people and families we serve.

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In the First Person:

Danna CLASS OF 2027

"The Wooden Floor has helped me realize that everything is going to be okay. They don’t pressure me to have big dreams. They want me to make my own dreams and not compare myself to others, to follow my own path, to live my own life. The Wooden Floor’s Empowerment Workshop has provided me help and support at each step of my journey. In 6th grade Empowerment, I learned to be more extroverted. It helped me realize I could get out of my comfort zone and reach out for help if I needed it. 9th grade Empowerment helped me learn that high school is much different than middle school. They helped me know that as long as I stayed focused, I would be able to succeed through every challenge. This year, as a 12th grader, my Empowerment Workshop gave me the confidence and support to challenge myself by enrolling in more AP classes, including AP Government and AP Macroeconomics. Through Empowerment, I learned how these courses can prepare me for college while helping me build the skills I'll need for my future. The Wooden Floor's Empowerment program has given me the foundation to believe in myself and my future. It has shown me that I don't have to carry the pressure of achieving my dreams on my own because I have a strong support system behind me. With the guidance and encouragement I've received through Empowerment, I know I can create my own path and pursue my goals."

Danna holds an incredible 4.6 GPA at Godinez Fundamental High School. She will be the first in her family to attend higher education. She dreams of attending New York University, University of California Irvine, or California State University Fullerton to study Education or Dance. The Wooden Floor’s Empowerment Workshop is a part of a partnership with Chapman University’s Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. It serves The Wooden Floor students in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades, aiming to empower them to succeed emotionally and academically in the major transitions from elementary to middle school, and from middle school to high school, and on to higher education.

THE WOODEN FLOOR

Alumni In Action Stay up-to-date with the milestones in the lives of our alumni after graduating from The Wooden Floor!

DIANA AGUILAR CLASS OF 2009 “Dance helped me succeed in college and in life because it taught me how to have the confidence in taking on new challenges. Even though trying new things was scary, I knew that in the process of trying new things I would learn something new. That growth mindset helped me never give up even when things were challenging.” Diana Aguilar, a member of The Wooden Floor's Class of 2009, dedicates her career to supporting the mental health and well-being of others. After earning an associate degree in psychology from Orange Coast College, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and master's degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of California, Berkeley, she recently achieved another major milestone by becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California. Today, Diana works as a psychiatric social worker and hopes to one day open a private therapy practice serving the Spanish-speaking immigrant working-class community while also teaching psychology at the college level.

O R Aup N G E C O U N T Y ’ S P R E M I E R W I N E TA S T I N G B E N E F I T dance

20TH ANNUAL

Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 6:00pm Big Canyon Country Club One Big Canyon Drive Newport Beach, California

▫ A fun, strolling wine tasting competition ▫ Signature small plates ▫ Sharing of student success stories

▫ Silent auctions

and opportunity drawings

▫ Giving opportunities

Sponsorships and individual tickets available now

at TheWoodenFloor.org/WineTasting T H I S EVEN T SE LLS OUT EVE RY YE AR!

THE WOODEN FLOOR

2025-2026 Board of Directors

THANK YOU to our 20th Annual Keep the Promise™ Wine Tasting Benefit

S PONSORS

PREMIER The Beall Family Foundation Janice & John Markley

PLATINUM

Jehan Jayakumar,* Board Chair Founding Partner, Carlson & Jayakumar, LLP Theresa Allen,* Immediate Past Chair Managing Director, RBC Wealth Management Joseph Chatelle,* Vice Chair Principal, Mercer

GOLD

BRONZE Joe & Michele Chatelle Catherine MacIver & Jim Slaughter Monica & Jim Meacham Shelly Sandoval & Jon Lash

COPPER Glennda Adair Mark & Cathy Chamberlin Denise & John Duncan Yvonne & Damien Jordan Yvonne & John O'Neill Judy & David Threshie Vice Chair Katrina Foley, Orange County Board of Supervisors – Fifth District As of August 10, 2026.

Maria Ochoa, Parent Representative Community Leader Juan M. Pacheco, Parent Representative Community Leader Alix Portillo, Assistant Vice President, Compliance Monitoring Officer, Genesis Bank

Yvonne O’Neill,* Treasurer Certified Public Accountant, O’Neill Financial Management

Judith F. Posnikoff, PhD, Managing Director, Martlet Asset Management, LLC

Wendy Arciero Executive Director, Anaheim Ducks Foundation Sasha Ayloush,* Chief Executive Officer, Hydraflow Seán Curran, Chair, Department of Dance, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Viviana Davalos Alumni Representative Community Leader Michelle Dean,* Community Leader

SILVER Anonymous City National Bank City of Hope Hydraflow - The Ayloush Family Karin Krogius & Scott Mason Pardon Family Office Robyn & Dave Stauffer Bob & Karen Ulman Knapp

Kim Nguyen, Vice President, U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management

Richard Lee,* Secretary Market President, Retired, Aetna, Southern California

Frome Family Foundation Sharon & Terry Hartshorn US Bank Private Wealth Management

Theresa & Jonathon Allen Wendy & Michael Arciero - Anaheim Ducks & OCVIBE Carole & Rich Lee Judith Posnikoff

Catherine M. MacIver, Community Leader

Jen Dibble, VP, Corporate Counsel, Edwards Lifesciences Christina Di Rocco, Investment Operations Senior Manager, Capital Group Companies, Inc. Brent Funston, Chief Executive Officer, Wind River Group, LLC Roxanne Goodman, Controller, Mountain View Services, Inc. and Chem-Pak Products Naveen Jonathan, PhD, LMFT, Community Representative Clinical Associate Professor of Marriage & Family Therapy, Chair, Marriage & Family Therapy, Crean College of Health & Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University Jeremy Krout, President/CEO, Environmental Planning Development Solutions, Inc.

Morgan Ratcliffe, Executive Director, Chief Communications Officer, Providence Health Plan Dawn S. Reese, CFRE, Chief Executive Officer, The Wooden Floor Saar Swartzon, Principal Attorney, Cohn & Swartzon, a Professional Law Corporation Jerry Thode, Chief Executive Officer, J Paul Group, LLC Shervin Vadood, First Vice President, Branch Manager, Farmers & Merchants Bank Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, NCARB, Partner & CEO, SVA Architects, Inc. Candice M. Yorke, Ph.D., Sr. Director, Talent, Organizational Development, and Strategic HR, Behr Paint Company

Board Emeriti Joan Beall, Community Leader Beth A. Burns, Founder of The Wooden Floor and Artistic Director (’83-’05) Sharon Hartshorn, Community Leader Richard C. Hunsaker,** President, Hunsaker Management Virginia Hunsaker,** Community Leader

Richard LeBrun, Managing Director and Head of Alternatives Business Management, PIMCO Investments, LLC

Damien M. Jordan, General Manager, Retired, American Funds/ Capital Group Companies, Inc.

Sarah Lopez, MD, MBA, Medical Consultant, Division of Quality and Population Health Management, California Department of Health Care Services

Yvonne M. Jordan, Community Leader

As of May 14, 2026.

Socorro Vasquez, Community Leader

* Executive Committee Members

** In Memoriam

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Step Forward : B U I L D I N G U P O N 4 0 Y E A R S O F I M PAC T

The Wooden Floor Endowment Campaign

A Legacy That Lives On The most enduring legacies are not measured by what we leave behind, but by the lives we help shape. Every day at The Wooden Floor, students discover confidence, resilience, creativity, and the belief that their future is filled with possibility. Those life-changing moments are made possible because of the decades of supporters who have chosen to invest in something greater than themselves and the promise we make to our students: from here you can step anywhere. When you make a gift to The Wooden Floor's Endowment Fund, whether today or through a future planned gift, you become part of a legacy that extends far beyond your lifetime. Your generosity reflects your values and your belief that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. A planned gift is one of the most personal expressions of generosity, which can be made possible through the following ways: ■

Bequest to The Wooden Floor through a will or trust

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Appreciated stock or real estate

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Retirement plan or insurance policy beneficiary

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Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) beneficiary or other estate planning vehicle

These types of planned gifts allow your compassion and commitment to continue inspiring future children in our community, today and beyond. It is a meaningful way to ensure that the values that have guided your life: Opportunity, Education, Community, and Hope will continue to have an impact for many years to come. At The Wooden Floor, we believe gifts of any size do make a difference. Together, these gifts create a lasting foundation that will empower students and strengthen their families for generations. For a conversation about helping to define the impact you want to have over time, please contact CEO Dawn S. Reese at Dawn@TheWoodenFloor.org.

THE WOODEN FLOOR

Supporter Sightings

From left: Catie Chase, Sandy Fainbarg, Nancy Chase.

In Memoriam: Sara "Sandy" Fainbarg MAY 2026 Sandy Fainbarg will be remembered for her lifelong commitment to service, generosity, and compassion. Born in Hermosillo, Mexico, she dedicated her life to helping others through her work, volunteer leadership, and philanthropic support, leaving a lasting impact on countless individuals and organizations. A devoted supporter of The Wooden Floor for 29 years, Sandy and her late husband, Allan, were instrumental in the early days of the organization and made a transformative investment in our students and in our organization's growth strategy. Sandy's generosity helped establish the Allan and Sandy Fainbarg Education Center at our Depot campus location during our comprehensive campaign in 2018, creating opportunities for generations of young people to learn, grow, and thrive in our second location in Santa Ana. Her legacy of kindness and belief in the power of education will continue to inspire our community for years to come.

14th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast® APRIL 2026 We are grateful to the loving and compassionate community of individuals, foundations, corporations, and community partners as well as our generous underwriters and supporters of our students’ success at our 14th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast, who helped us raise over $300,000. Attendees were moved by an inspirational keynote presentation by Dr. Stefan Bean, Orange County Superintendent of Schools as well as the strong presence and commitment to our graduating class by civic leaders, education partners, and alumni who attended. Congratulations to the Class of 2026, who are all headed to higher education!

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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Please Save the Date! Please gather with us at the following events to help propel our students and our mission forward.

20th Annual Keep the Promise™ Wine Tasting Benefit September 24, 2026 | 6:00pm A fun, strolling blind wine tasting competition featuring 12 spectacular wines from around the world, with an average rating of 97 pts. and above. Proceeds help us keep the promise to each of our students: from here, you can step anywhere.

More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/WineTasting

Annual Auditions October 3, 2026 | 8:30am THE WOODEN FLOOR MAIN STREET LOCATION Know a child who needs us? Spread the word throughout our community about the opportunity to join The Wooden Floor.

More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/Auditions

Eat & Wrap December 7, 2026 | 11:00am THE WOODEN FLOOR MAIN STREET LOCATION Join The Wooden Floor as we bring holiday cheer to our 475 students! Enjoy wrapping gifts for each and every child and decorating trees to be sent home with students who would otherwise go without.

More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/Events

DanceUp is a trademark of The Wooden Floor.

BIG CANYON COUNTRY CLUB, NEWPORT BEACH

1810 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 92706-2727 714.541.8314 TheWoodenFloor.org