Karen I. Suarez, Vice President of Collective Impact at the Making Hope Happen Foundation was named JPMorgan Chase’s 2023 Community Icon in the individual category.

The event hosted at the Ontario Convention Center last week honored extraordinary individuals, non-profits and small businesses in the community.

For more than a decade, Suarez has worked in roles to support and advocate for students, women, community and education.

As vice president of collective impact, Suarez helps lead local students in amplifying electrification efforts within the community to ensure that as this fields continues to develop that residents, businesses, workforce and infrastructure is ready to grow alongside it.

“My proudest accomplishment is providing work-based leaning opportunities to our youth and hiring interns that are 18 and under. In addition, watching the homeownership rate in our community go up .02 percent instead of going down,” Suarez said.

In her acceptance speech, Karen thanked Community JPMorgan Chase Community Manager Brad Wilson and the JPMorgan Chase team for the outpouring of support and recognizing leaders in the Inland Empire. Suarez also recognized the Uplift San Bernardino network as well as family, colleagues and friends for the success of the collective impact work.

“I dedicate this award to my maternal and paternal grandmothers who were the very epitome of giving and generosity in their communities,” Suarez stated, “to our partners and the extensive network who have joined hands and hearts through the journey– thank you. It is your trust, your belief, your love and your collaborative spirit that has amplified our impact on our youth and in our communities. You are all community icons.”

Congratulations to all of the 2023 recipients:

Karen Suarez

Individual

Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino

Not-For-Profit

Behavior Genius LLC

Minority-Owned Business

Blue Diamond General Contractors

Small-Medium Business

Moore United Construction

Veteran-Owned Business