Lauren Plichta is the visionary leader behind Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles (BBBSLA), a nearly 70-year-old institution that she has strategically posi-tioned for long-term sustainability and impact. As CEO and president, Plichta is not only deeply involved in day-to-day operations but also plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s future through innovative partnerships, fundraising strategies and pro-gram growth. She is a seasoned fundraiser who excels at campaign, staff and volunteer development. At a critical inflection point for BBBSLA, Plichta led the development and imple-mentation of the agency’s 2023-2026 strategic plan, ensuring that mentorship opportuni-ties for Los Angeles youth not only remain high quality and sustainable but also scale for exponential growth beyond 2026. Under her leadership, BBBSLA has streamlined core processes to improve mentor recruitment, matching efficiency and participant experience, ensuring that more youth receive high-impact mentorship faster. Plichta also launched an alumni engagement initiative, building a strong network of former “Bigs” and “Littles” to expand programmatic outcomes, create a lifelong BBBSLA community, and drive donor support. BBBSLA has expanded its corporate and community partnerships, securing long-term funding and increasing brand awareness, including a groundbreaking mentorship ini-tiative with Warner Bros. Plichta has worked to strengthen the organization’s financial sustainability, focusing on major gifts, corporate giving and future endowment planning to ensure continued service for generations to come. She also initiated increased board engagement and accountability, setting new recruitment strategies and performance expectations to drive mission-driven leadership at all levels.
