- Bill Maurer, Dean of University of California, Irvine’s School of Social Sciences, tapped to provide strategic support to advance initiative goals
Irvine, CA. (April 29, 2024) – Today, Orange County United Way announced Bill Maurer, Dean of the University of California, Irvine School of Social Sciences, as chair of the Leadership Council for the organization’s United for Financial Security℠ initiative, which delivers programs to ensure struggling Orange County families find financial security.
“I am excited to welcome Bill Maurer as the new Leadership Council Chair for the important work we do under the United for Financial Security initiative,” said Susan B. Parks, President and CEO of Orange County United Way. “With Bill’s extensive experience in the financial sector, he will surely make important contributions towards the initiative’s goal of helping the community find financial stability and independence.”
Maurer is also a Professor of Anthropology and Law, and Director of the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion. With more than 28 years of experience at UC Irvine, he directs the largest academic unit on campus and has expertise in financial services for underserved communities and the intersection of financial services and technology. He has coordinated research in over 40 countries on how new payment technologies impact people’s well-being, which has been discussed in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Marketplace, the Financial Times, and more.
Additionally, he is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his work on banking cross-culturally, and the Filene Research Institute, which supports research on cooperative finance.
Maurer has shown a dedication to the betterment of the United States financial system with his research being supported by several grants, including the National Science Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, and more. He has worked as a consultant in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors. In Orange County, he has partnered with credit unions and community engagement organizations to make the process of financial services product design more inclusive.
“With financial security becoming a growing concern in our Orange County community, I’m honored to serve as Leadership Council Chair and provide strategic support to help carry this critical initiative forward,” said Maurer.
Current members of the United for Financial Security Leadership Council include:
- Shirin Behzadi, Shirin Behzadi, LLC
- Sarah Bowles, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
- Bill Butler, Kachinga
- Juan Carrillo, RevHub Orange County
- Gustavo Chamorro, Education Advance and Workforce Services
- Amber Cisneros, Orange County’s Credit Union
- Hugh Conners, BMO Harris Bank and BMO Capital Markets BMO Financial Group
- Jesse Crete, California Community Colleges LAOCRC
- Laurie Dubchansky, CFP, Havaplan Financial
- Shirin Forootan, Forootan Law
- Loreen Gilbert, WealthWise Financial Services
- Gaurav Goel, Medtronic Heart Valve Division
- Adrian Griggs, Pacific Life Insurance Company
- Najib Haider, Bank of America
- Jarrod Ingle, PNC Financial Services Group
- Lacy Carma, County of Orange Public Administrator/Public Guardian
- Abigail Lovell, Experian
- Marco Lucero, Anaheim Workforce Development Board
- Robbin Narike Preciado, Members Trust Company
- Michael O’Mahoney, UPS West Region
- Mario Ortega, Abrazar, Inc.
- Margaret O’Sullivan, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
- Bill Pedigo, Prestige Sports and Entertainment
- Ben Phillips, Savoie Capital
- Richard Reisman, Orange County Business Journal
- Michaell Rose, CalOptima
- Lisa Sims, Bank of America
- Ryan Smith, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- Marshall Solomon, Deloitte
- Laura Tarbox, Tarbox Family Office, Inc.
- An Tran, County of Orange Social Services Agency
- Erik Yost, Department of Housing & Urban Development
For more about the United for Financial Security initiative, please visit: UnitedWayOC.org/how-we-are-doing-more/united-for-financial-security/.
ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY
Orange County United Way is committed to breaking barriers and improving lives for everyone who lives here. Through our key initiatives—United for Student Success℠, United for Financial Security℠, and United to End Homelessness℠—we are working to ensure local students succeed, OC families gain financial security, and our unhoused neighbors find a place to call home. We also offer vital support via 2-1-1 Orange County (211OC), a key service that connects thousands of our most vulnerable residents with health and human service resources. We are committed to caring for one another. That’s #TheOCWay.
This year, Orange County United Way celebrates 100 years of purpose and impact in Orange County. To learn more or discover how you can help, visit UnitedWayOC.org.
Orange County United Way is a standalone, independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation, and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit UCI.edu.
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Media Contact: Annie Noebel, anoebel@cornerstonecomms.com, (949) 449-2527
