EMPLOYMENT: New mentorship program launched by CEO Leadership Alliance OC

CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County (CLA-OC) on Oct. 14 launched its Orange Fellowship, a pilot mentorship program in partnership with the Anaheim Union High School District.

The high school mentorship program, launched by some of the Orange Fellows, allows high school students interested in technology and innovation to connect with young professionals.

“The Orange Fellows are closer in age to a high school student. There’s a connection line between a 16-year-old and a 24-year-old. They seem more accessible,” Peggy Wolff, co-founder and program manager of the Orange Fellowship, told the Business Journal.

“These opportunities are really beneficial to show young people the landscape of OC’s business community and how many opportunities there are.”

The Orange Fellowship—co-founded in 2020 by CLAOC members Carey Ransom and Wolff—is an industry-agnostic, two-year-long fellowship designed for recent graduates who work full time at an OC company. The application window is currently closed.

Fellows participate in quarterly events that encourage skill development, from experiential learning opportunities to social gatherings, Wolff said. One such event is bringing in top-notch, well-respected” executives, like Alteryx cofounder and Chief Advocacy Officer Libby

Adams, to share their lessons from corporate America.

“They so graciously share their career stories. Within those stories they share their pitfalls and challenges, but also the decisions that made the difference,” Wolff added.

The Orange Fellowship program hopes to use its pilot program with the Anaheim Union School District as a “template” for future partnerships with other school districts.