Wendy Urushima-Conn, president and chief executive officer of the Epilepsy Foundation, has a very personal reason for serving in this role—her own daughter Reiko suffers from this neurological disorder, but is doing well. Wendy has more than 25 years of experience in community outreach, fundraising and marketing. She previously served as president and CEO of the Asian Business Association and associate executive director of the Center for Community Solutions where she was the chief fundraising and marketing officer focusing on sexual assault/domestic violence intervention and prevention. Wendy also worked for more than a decade at KGTV/10News as community affairs manager, promotion manager and as a weather and traffic reporter.

Her core belief is to improve our community. She serves as chair of the Southern California Diversity Council and chair of the Board of Library Commissioners. She recently completed 6 years of board service for the San Diego Public Library Foundation, and recently served on the Mayor’s Asian Pacific Islander Advisory Council.  She is a current board member for San Diego Rotary, Club 33 and is a graduate of LEAD San Diego and the FBI Citizens Academy. She has served as a respite care provider for foster youth, and for more than a decade personally underwrote the Harvey Simmons Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of her late husband, to assist high school student athletes heading to college.

Her awards include: Women of Dedication, Salvation Army; California’s 20 Most Powerful and Influential Women, National Diversity Council; Women of the Year, State of California; YWCA Twin Award; San Diego Business Journal, Women Who Mean Business and SD500; San Diego Magazine, Women Who Move the City; Girl Scouts Cool Women. A graduate of UC–San Diego, Wendy is married with two daughters, and enjoys running ultra-marathons. Her longest race– 62 miles!