Simona Valanciute – CEO
Simona serves as CEO of San Diego Oasis, an award-winning organization with over 55,000 members, focused on healthy longevity and intergenerational programs. Simona was recruited to Oasis to merge two independent nonprofit organizations into one efficient, regional organization (you may know that nonprofit mergers are extremely rare and difficult in the charitable sector). A thought leader for 35 years, Oasis launched its largest and most technology-forward center of excellence in Rancho Bernardo, a national example to showcase innovation to combat social isolation, which US Surgeon General declared a national epidemic in May of 2023. San Diego Oasis is widely recognized of its impact in intergenerational programming, increasing elementary at-risk student literacy, technology learning, lifelong learning, and comprehensive fitness and health education for older adults. With undeniably strong demographic shift in the US and worldwide, Oasis’ leadership and impact is making a difference for thousands of seniors and children every single day.
Prior to Oasis, for more than a decade, Simona was a senior executive at The San Diego Foundation helping facilitate and increase strategic philanthropy.
Simona holds degrees in linguistics and business. She completed the prestigious Harvard Business School’s global nonprofit leadership program in Boston. San Diego Business Journal named Simona as one of 500 Most Influential Leaders of San Diego in 2022 and 2023.
A respected local and national leader, Simona serves on the boards of American Society on Aging, San Diego Rotary (which is the 10th largest Rotary Club in the world), San Diego Senior Alliance and San Diego State University’s CEAL. Simona is as Strategic Advisor at California Software Inc. and Founder of the San Diego Lithuanian School, working closely with Ministry of Education and major universities in Lithuania; she is an active host and member at the San Diego Diplomacy Council, and other international organizations.
Originally from Lithuania, Simona loves cultural adventures.
Read more about Simona here
