PeppTalks with Jeanne Pepper

Our guest this week, Dalia Taft, tells us about her personal journey in philanthropy and how she became an integral part of the Jewish community’s volunteer superstars. I first met Dalia almost twenty years ago when she was participating with our children in the Orange County standout organization “The Community Scholars Program” which brought us together for scholarship, camping trips, and other...

This is a shorter interview with my family friend Bailey Kaufman. Bailey is a young graduate student in New York City studying education. While on leave, Bailey came took time out from her Phd program to sit down with us to discuss the benefits of community service and her own personal journey to find meaning in her work. Bailey also discussed her spirituality and thoughts on a higher power. Baile...

In a heart wrenching interview, Linda candidly recounts the events surrounding the 2021 overdose and death of her 22-year-old son Tristan from his accidental use of Fentanyl and the recent epidemic of Fentanyl overdoses taking the lives of so many young people. Learn from Linda about her son Tristan and how the death of this talented young artist has impacted her and her two surviving daughters. L...

On this episode, Peter MacDonald the former Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Loan Depot gives us the back story on what inspired an average Canadian Irish Catholic and one of ten children to become an integral part of the Orange County Jewish community. His journey began after finishing college, when Peter left Canada alone to explore southern California and eventually made it to We...

Guest Wendy Chase Arenson is a driving force behind the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County, serving as both its Executive Director and President. Since joining the organization in 2012, her dedication to community collaboration and donor engagement has fueled the Foundation's remarkable growth. Wendy discusses her love for helping people, her history of community service and how she ende...

On this episode Jeanne is joined once again by Gideon Bernstein her husband and co-founder of #BlazeitForward, volunteer chairman of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County and philanthropist. During this interview Gideon talks about the role of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County, how it came to be and what you can do for your organization. Episode 111 Hosted by: Jeanne Pepp...

Rick Matros is more than just a super cool father of seven and grandpa of ten covered with amazing tattoos of his family, music, Judaism and Israel. Serving on the board of IsraAid US and with his wife Dr. Adrienne Matros they support many non-profit organizations such as Jewish National Fund, the Merage Jewish Community Center, Artists 4 Israel (Healing Ink), the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Child...

In this episode, Jeanne is joined by 2019 philanthropist of the year Adrienne Matros discusses her love of helping other people, how she took her humble beginnings and turned it into a life of service, and interestingly her Chippewa (native) family history.  Adrienne generously supports numerous causes in Orange County both financially and with her own active work.  Find out ho...

On this episode Jeanne is joined by Susan Seely the National Executive Director of Na' Amat USA. Susan talks about how her organization is making a difference supporting women and their causes in Israel. We discuss Susan's long professional history in social justice, and how her passion for helping people led to her success in nonprofit work. Episode 108 Hosted by: Jeanne Pepper Guest: Susan Seely...

On this episode Jeanne is joined by Gideon Bernstein her husband and co-founder of #BlazeitForward, volunteer chairman of the Jewish community foundation of Orange County and philanthropist. During this quick interview Gideon talks about the role of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County and how a community foundation can help you with your philanthropy. We also had time to talk about hi...

On this episode Jeanne is joined by Heather Kline an Orange County philanthropist and "Lion of Judah", she discusses her life and community service with Jewish Federation where she serves as board President. Jewish Federation of Orange County's Women's Philanthropy recently named Heather their 2024 "Woman of the Year". Heather also shares with us about here spirituality, how she finds meaning in t...

In this episode of PeppTalks with Jeanne Pepper, host Jeanne sits down with Mara James, the founder of the Extraordinary Lives Foundation. Mara shares her deeply personal story of loss and how it led her to establish a foundation dedicated to mental health and generational trauma. The episode explores the challenges of dealing with mental health issues, the importance of healing, and how to create...

In this episode , host Jeanne Pepper is joined by Erin Runnion , founder and president of The Joyful Child Foundation. Erin shares her personal story of turning tragedy into triumph after the abduction and murder of her daughter, Samantha. She discusses the foundation's mission to prevent crimes against children through education, awareness, and empowerment. The episode highlights Erin's passion a...

PeppTalks with Jeanne Episode 103 is a kickoff episode featuring guest Keith Anthony, host of "What Could You Do?". The episode is centered on inspiring action and providing valuable insights into nonprofit organizations. Tune in to learn more about community service and making a positive impact. Episode 103 Hosted by: Jeanne Pepper Guest: Keith Anthony Producer: Eli Moskowitz Original Theme: Jay...

PeppTalks with Jeanne , Episode 102, features an interview with Philip Yaeger , the Executive Director and CEO of Radiant Health Centers. The episode focuses on Yaeger's personal journey and how it led him to his role as a leader in the community. Radiant Health Centers provides comprehensive health services to underserved individuals in Orange County, with a particular focus on the LGBTQ+ communi...

In PeppTalks with Jeanne Ep 101 Anne Friedman of Gay for Good , Friedman details the organization's mission of using volunteerism to build bridges between the LGBTQ+ community and diverse non-profits, aiming to break down misconceptions. She shares her personal journey of coming out later in life and finding purpose with the organization, which has grown from 9 to 21 chapters under her leadership....