by Madeline Zuckerman on 2015-11-05

Donald Verleur, Chief Executive Officer of Olive Crest, has announced the appointment of Tracy Fitzsimmons as Executive Director of the organization’s Inland Empire and Desert Communities Region. Fitzsimmons comes to this management position with an extensive background and wealth of experience having worked for both for-profit, as well as non-profit businesses and organizations in her lengthy and successful career. “We are thrilled to have Tracy join our team as the Executive Director of Inland Empire and Desert Communities,” stated Dr. Donald Verleur. “Due to her depth of experience, I am confident that the impact Olive Crest has on the at-risk children and their families in the Riverside/Inland Empire and Desert Communities will expand under her leadership. Her role will be to raise the visibility and awareness of Olive Crest in the region, and to cultivate valuable relationships, in order to expand Olive Crest’s outreach and further the mission of the organization. She will lead and direct her team in achieving Olive Crest’s Vision 2020 strategic plan, doubling the number of children and families we serve,” Verleur continued. Prior to joining Olive Crest, Fitzsimmons was CEO and Founder of the social enterprise, Angel Wings Bakery, a source of earned income designed to help support the homeless services delivered through the Path of Life Ministries, where she served as both COO and CFO for eight years. Angel Wings Bakery serves people coming out of the cycle of homelessness and poverty, as well as aged-out-foster youth from its partner agencies. Prior to her work with Path of Life Ministries, Fitzsimmons worked in the dental management service industry, first as a Controller and then Director of Operations for a $30 million dental practice, which later became part of a publicly traded company during her final seven years of tenure. Tracy Fitzsimmons holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from California Baptist University, a Certificate of Philanthropic Advancement from La Sierra University, and is a recent graduate of the Leadership Riverside Class of 2015.