In just two years since its founding in 2021, Tad Seth Parzen has led the Burnham Center for Community Advancement (BCCA) to becoming one of San Diego’s most influential nonprofit organizations.
For his success in co-leading BCCA’s founding and rollout and now continuing into its day-to-day operations, San Diego Business Journal named Parzen CEO of the Year in the Nonprofit Organization Category.
Long List of Accomplishments in Short Time
Parzen’s leadership has already led to financial stability and international acclaim for BCCA – a “think-and-do tank” with a mission to make the San Diego binational region a better place by tapping the power of community collaboration and civic innovation. The center is founded on the vision of community leader Malin Burnham.
CEO
Burnham Center for Community Advancement
On the financial side, Parzen last year secured fundraising contributions and grants to successfully fund BCCA operations for the remainder of 2022, as well as complete the White Paper on Balboa Park – a project looking at how to fund and execute needed maintenance for San Diego’s “crown jewel.” This year, he has already secured a charitable donation of $20 million to further fund BCCA operations.
In addition to securing funding, Parzen led BCCA’s role as a primary partner of World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024. BCCA provided early operational support for the joint San Diego-Tijuana bid, leading to San Diego-Tijuana’s selection as World Design Capital 2024. Parzen also led the establishment of a separate nonprofit entity to oversee World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024.
Over the past two years, Parzen also led BCCA development of productive new partnerships with major players in the region, including UC San Diego, San Diego Workforce Partnership, Catalyst and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation.
In addition, he oversaw the designation of BCCA as a fiscal sponsor for Creative Communities San Diego applicant organizations seeking support from the city’s Commission on Arts & Culture, helping arts and cultural organizations throughout San Diego gain access to critical funding.
Lifetime of Public Service
Parzen’s involvement in civic leadership began when he was in the sixth grade and became the student representative on his school’s governance council.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from UCLA and a J.D. from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Parzen went into law and eventually became a partner at the San Diego law firm of Hillyer & Irwin.
He pivoted to public service and philanthropy in 2000 and has since served as general counsel for the San Diego Unified School District, executive vice president of Price Philanthropies, founder and executive director of the City Heights Partnership for Children, co-architect and counsel to the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, education reform consultant to Los Angeles Unified School District, and design-builder of the Oceanside Promise, among other positions and civic board and committee affiliations.
Parzen was also the legal and strategy architect for the Los Angeles Unified School District and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Funded by Bill Gates and other foundations, he worked for two years to create their reform strategy and charter that still exists today. This system of schools and the partnership between the city, philanthropy and social services agencies create ongoing support for children in low achieving neighborhoods.
Prior to joining BCCA, Parzen founded and headed his own consulting firm, Parzen Civic Solutions, providing strategic vision, management and implementation services to philanthropy, government and nonprofits – work that specialized in cross-sector public-private collaboration to enhance communities and lives.
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
“It is true, when you do what you love for a living, good things happen. I’m very fortunate to work with great people who care as much about our community as I do and who do their personal and professional best to move the region forward alongside many others who feel the same. I’m confident that we can do better and create the future that our region and all who live, work and play here deserve. This award validates that premise and the vision that Malin Burnham and I shared to found the Burnham Center for Community Advancement. We need to be smart, open minded, collaborative and persistent in our efforts. Public interest work is where I’ve always wanted to deploy whatever I have to offer, and I’m thankful to SDBJ and the award judges who recognized that when purpose and profession come together, the results are there. It is an honor to lead BCCA as a place where we come to work every day to advance the interests of our region and to do it with a diverse set of community leaders from all walks of life. What could be better?”
