Desirée Aquino

Interim Director, Membership & Communications

Desirée Aquino is a strategic communications and social impact leader with more than 20
years of experience in corporate, nonprofit and entrepreneurship. Prior to joining GSYO,
she was a communications and development consultant to youth nonprofit organizations
and spent over 13 years leading corporate social responsibility and internal
communications for Simpson Strong-Tie, a $2B global construction industry leader.

Desirée has built and managed comprehensive communications strategies spanning
executive messaging, employee engagement, content development, and community
partnerships. She cultivated strategic alliances with national nonprofits including Habitat
for Humanity, American Red Cross, and Girls Inc., aligning corporate initiatives with
meaningful social impact.

Earlier in her career, Desirée co-owned a San Francisco-based retail boutique, where she
led marketing and public relations efforts that garnered local and national media coverage
and achieved first-year profitability in a competitive market.

Desirée holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from UCLA and a Life Coach certification from
iPEC. She currently serves on the Grantmaking Committee for Three Valleys Community
Foundation and on the Advisory Committee for Mindful Littles, where she previously held a
Board of Directors position.

Outside of GSYO, Desirée writes about all things wellbeing, mindset and personal
development on Substack.