When she was growing up in a binational family in San Ysidro, Gloria Corral’s father would often ask, “What did you do today and how did you help others?” Oftentimes, Gloria said, she felt like she didn’t do enough.
She doesn’t feel that way anymore.
A longtime social justice advocate and a San Diego Foundation Board of Governors member since 2023, Gloria has spent nearly 25 years as a leader in organizations such as First 5 San Francisco, First 5 San Diego, and the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE). She now serves as interim chief executive officer at Reality Changers, a San Diego nonprofit that guides students from families with limited resources on a path to becoming the first in their families to attend college and become agents of change in their communities.
At SDF, where she is secretary of the Board of Governors, Gloria treasures the opportunity to work with others in advancing just, equitable, and resilient communities through a holistic approach to complex challenges.
“I truly believe in the work the Foundation is doing, and contributing to that work as a board member is an honor that comes with responsibility,” she said.
Impacting Change
Since 2001, Reality Changers has been working with first-generation youth to help them achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Gloria identifies three ways SDF is shaping public policy:
- “First is simply acknowledging a problem exists. It take courage for an organization like the Foundation to identify structural challenges. That recognition prompts people to engage in conversations and pursue systemic solutions.”
- A second key area is financial. SDF has invested $2 billion in supporting nonprofits since it was founded in 1975, and its $1.8 billion in assets ensures a permanent philanthropic resource for future generations.
- A third is SDF’s ability to convene people and organizations around a shared purpose. “Bringing people together is critical, and the Foundation, because it has such a powerful voice, has the ability to do that.” One example: “I’m very proud about the impact the San Diego Unity Fund is having. This effort illustrates the power of working together. Looking five or 10 years ahead, I’m hoping the Foundation will continue to create and develop partnerships in new spaces.”
Gloria’s advice to future SDF board members is simple, but profound. “Be humble, value everyone’s perspective, and advocate for and be an ally of those whose voices are not in the room.”
A Clear Priority
Gloria’s focus on addressing the root causes rather than quick fixes is grounded on personal experiences. Born in Tijuana, Gloria moved to San Ysidro with her family when she was a young girl and didn’t speak English when she started attending Sunset Elementary School in San Ysidro. Of the 50 fifth grade students who would graduate from Sunset the same year she did, just two—her and a cousin—would go on to earn a college degree.
“That’s not because parents didn’t want a better future for their children,” Gloria says. “It is because of an inequitable distribution of opportunities. You cannot support education when children are unhoused, when you don’t have access to healthcare, when parents don’t’ have jobs or are underemployed. If we want to improve our educational systems, we need to look at environment and the challenge wholistically.”
Trained for the Moment
Gloria holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Political Science from UC San Diego and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley. Her passion for P-12 and higher education led her to work at the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, with a focus on dual language learners. That was followed by roles as Deputy Director of First 5 San Francisco, Assistant Executive Director with First 5 San Diego, and President and CEO at PIQE. When she left PIQE after more than six years, , Gloria took time to reflect and recharge. Reality Changers reached out in the spring of 2026 to serve as the organization’s Interim Deputy Director.
“I kept hearing my father’s voice asking, ‘Are you doing enough?’”
She found the answer and began working at Reality Changers in April.
