About the Award

The Matusak Courageous Leadership Award was created to recognize individuals who have shown courage to act authentically and speak up when silence means colluding with the problem.
The Award is sponsored by Larraine Matusak, former Leadership scholar at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and director of the Kellogg National Fellowship Program. Along with other traits, the Award recognizes those who are creative risk takers, driven by sound judgment, common sense, and profound sense responsibility, honesty and trust.

About Nancy

Nancy Guarneros, graduate of UCLA and a founder of Graduates Reaching a Dream Deferred (GRADD), is the recipient of the 2012 Matusak Courageous Leadership Award for her work speaking out on behalf of undocumented immigrant students, while risking arrest and deportation.
The accomplishments of and challenges faced by Nancy Guarneros have been profiled by Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN. As the award winner, Nancy Guarneros will receive the opportunity to share her story and experiences at Forum 2012. The award also carries a $2,500 prize which Nancy will donate to an organization of her choice.