"I found my purpose in serving others” Efrain Escobedo

From “knucklehead” to changemaker

When Efrain Escobedo became President and CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Management in February 2023, it symbolized more than career success. It was the culmination of a journey defined by discovering his purpose and giving others the hope he once needed.

At 18, Escobedo was a high school dropout, a self-proclaimed “knucklehead” and a young father in Bell Gardens, California, struggling to find direction.

“Once you’re out of the traditional pipeline of high school, college, then career, it’s a struggle to find your path, especially for kids of color growing up in underserved cities like Bell Gardens where there’s really nothing,” Escobedo said. “I was just trying to figure life out.”

Motivated by faith and a deep sense of responsibility to his two young children, Escobedo enrolled at the East Los Angeles Occupational Center and became an X-ray technician, working at Clinica Medica Familiar health centers. Inspired to do more, he set his sights on becoming a physician’s assistant. But everything changed when he met Dr. Beverly Tate, an English professor at Pasadena City College who saw his potential.

After reading his papers, Tate asked, “Why are you here? What are you trying to do?”  

“I’m trying to become a physician’s assistant,” he replied. “I’m already an X-ray tech and want to help people.”  

“That’s not what you want to do,” Tate replied. “Yes, as a physician’s assistant, you’d help people. But it’s clear in your writing that you’re arguing and pushing for bigger change. Have lunch with my husband. He’ll tell you about American Studies.”  

That conversation opened a door Escobedo hadn’t imagined.   

He transferred to the University of Southern California, earning a degree in American Studies and Ethnicity in 2003. There, he found his calling: dismantling the systemic barriers that shaped his life.  

“I found my purpose in serving others, serving my family and wanting to serve the community by fixing the systems that had given me a lot of trouble, that made me a knucklehead, because I had no support in high school,” Escobedo said.  

With his purpose guiding him, Escobedo turned vision into action. From modernizing Los Angeles County’s voting systems to helping naturalize more than a million immigrants through the groundbreaking Ya Es Hora campaign, his work has shaped policies and amplified voices, giving others the hope he once sought.

“Those projects were game changers,” Escobedo said. “They changed systems. That’s why I’m so proud of this work.”  

A commitment to community and hope  

Today, as an Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation board member, Escobedo draws inspiration from the organization’s dedication to underserved communities. “This is a health system that stays because it believes people here deserve the best,” he said. “That’s something I want to be part of.”  

Reflecting on his journey, Escobedo said, “I’ve come further than I ever thought possible. My family sees it, and they’re proud. And I’m proud because now I can give others the hope I once needed.” 

Just like Efrain Escobedo, you can bring hope and purpose to your community. Your gift to Adventist Health White Memorial helps families in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and Montebello access the care they deserve. By giving today, you’re helping to break down barriers and build a healthier future for those who need it most. 

Make your gift now and bring hope to those who need it most.