NONPROFIT
Orangewood Foundation is proud to welcome three exceptional leaders to its Board of Directors: Garrett L. Abel, Jeremy Parness, and Dr. Shauntina Sorrells.
Garrett L. Abel brings four decades of financial leadership, currently serving as Principal at Abel Investments and Management. His distinguished career spans leadership positions as President of Abel Capital Corporation, Senior Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch, and Vice President of Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services. Beyond his corporate success, Abel is a dedicated philanthropist across Orange County. His commitment to youth and vulnerable populations is highlighted by ten years of service with Olive Crest — where he received the 2023 Olive Crest Legacy Award and funded both the Abel Family Visitation Center and a new transition home — and eleven years supporting Childhelp Orange County, earning the 2024 Childhelp Rich Saul Heart and Soul Award. Additionally, Abel has contributed two decades of committee leadership to the Jewish Federation of Orange County, focusing on strategic safety and security initiatives.
Jeremy Parness serves as Regional President of Lennar, where he oversees land and homebuilding operations across eight divisions in California and Nevada. With over 30 years of homebuilding experience, Parness’ executive leadership and land-acquisition expertise have fueled regional growth and shaped flagship master-planned communities, including The Great Park, Altair, and Serrano Summit. A longstanding champion of Orangewood Foundation, Parness has been a vital participant and top fundraiser for the annual Orangewood Challenge since its inception, regularly sponsoring Lennar teams and leveraging network support alongside the Lennar Foundation. His hands-on dedication continues as he leads Lennar’s efforts to assist Orangewood with essential renovations for its new 10-bedroom housing facility on Cambridge Street in Orange.
Dr. Shauntina Sorrells is the Chief Program Officer at the Samueli Foundation, leading strategic philanthropic investments across housing, workforce development, mental health, and human trafficking prevention. With over 20 years of experience in child welfare, behavioral health, and systems-level community impact, Dr. Sorrells brings a deep, familiar connection to Orangewood Foundation, having previously served as its Chief Program Officer. Her background also includes executive roles at Project Access and Boys Town, as well as serving as Adjunct Professor at institutions including USC, CSULB, and Vanguard University. Recognized as one of Orange County’s Most Influential People, Dr. Sorrells holds a Doctor of Social Work from the University of Southern California and brings unmatched expertise in advancing trauma-informed solutions for foster and transitional-age youth.
