The Fernando Award Foundation announced five Valley leaders as official finalists for this year’s Fernando Award, honoring volunteer leadership in the San Fernando Valley.
Each year, except for 2020 due to COVID, community organizations and businesses nominate outstanding individuals to be considered for this lifetime achievement award.
Nominees are evaluated based on their volunteer engagement, length and number of years of volunteer service, volunteer leadership roles, and volunteer mentorship. They will be honored and the 2025 Fernando Award winner announced at a November event.
The five finalists are Armida Colmenares-Stafford, nominated by the Valley Economic Alliance and the Annenberg School of Nursing, Dennis DeYoung, nominated by Keith Nathaniel andCSUN, Steve Fazio, nominated by Dale Surowitz and Rickey Gelb, Jorge E. Rabaso, nominated by Teylez Perez and Claudia Shah, and Sharon Udkoff, nominated by Los Angeles Jewish Health and Los Angeles Valley College.
