T W I L A T R U E
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
Twila True is an Oglala Sioux Native American from the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota- the second largest reservation in the U.S. and the poorest place in the country. The culture and heritage are rich in tradition and color holding true to Twila’s endeavors still today. Her Sioux name, means “Woman Who Walks Towards Future” and she has lived up to it in numerous ways. Twila believes that “the grace of a woman is not defined by the difficulty of her upbringing but rather the dignity and integrity she conducts herself with.”
Twila is an entrepreneur, CEO and President of True Family Enterprises: an investment firm comprised of entities including True Investments, True Fresh HPP, True Venture Capital, Twila True Fine Jewelry, Polished Perfect Studios, Twila True Beauty and her new entertainment company Volume.
As a philanthropist, Twila founded True Children's Home, a children’s orphanage and True Sioux Hope Foundation. The foundation provides critical aid and empowers Tribal members to act, positioning this generation for success. Twila is a champion for women in the workforce and continues to be a positive influencer.
T A R E K G H A Z Z A W I
E X C E P T I O N A L Y O U T H L E A D E R
Tarek Ghazzawi is an 18 year old student based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. His is a unique mix from many nationalities from across the globe of which Native American is part of his heritage. As part of the discovery as a young Native American youth, Tarek has been committed to helping True Sioux Hope in our fight to help the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He stands true to his heritage and is a proud member of his community. Through his work with our Service Journey Program he has shown commitment, empathy, responsibility, and loyalty. He has been able to impact many people on the reservation ranging from the very young in our Children’s Safe Home to the elderly by passing our firewood to help with the harsh winters. Tarek has gone above and beyond our expectations by implementing LOVE-40 into our Children’s Safe Home. Given his love and passion for tennis, Tarek created LOVE-40, a platform that uses sports to help motivate the children who are coming from home environments with fragmented circumstances. He helped coach our staff on his approach, engaged with the children, and helped get sport equipment donated to our home. We are thankful for his efforts and because of this we have nominated Tarek as an Exceptional Youth Leader.
“I am beyond indebted to my heritage, for being a complex mix of so many pieces and parts... Each one holds a history and story that has its own magic... I look forward to exploring these...And so grateful to everyone I encounter along the way... in the words of the great poet Rumi “Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myths...” – Tarek Ghazzawi
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L E A D E R S H I P
D O N N A P I C K U P
B O A R D M E M B E R
As a dedicated Orange County philanthropist, when Donna Pickup learned of True Sioux Hope Foundation she knew her purpose was to connect with Twila to make a positive impact for the Lakota Sioux of Pine Ridge. Growing up in Rapid City, two hours north of Pine Ridge Reservation, she didn’t understand the harsh reality of the poverty the Lakota Sioux were facing until she left South Dakota. It is Pickup’s passion to help the Sioux of Pine Ridge by focusing her support toward True Sioux Hope Foundation’s education pillar. To Pickup, education is where it all begins.
K E L L Y B R E I N H O L T
B O A R D M E M B E R
As a mother of 5 and grandmother of 7 and counting, My passion is improving the life of my family and others. As a philanthropist, I have been involved in several charities. When I heard the story of the conditions that the Lakota Sioux living on the Pine Ridge Reservation are living in I was touched to my very core. By nature, I am a fixer and doer. Many thoughts and feelings for helping the tribe came to my mind and I wanted to get started right away. I knew of a few resources that would help out and I quickly set-up meetings. After the first meeting with my contacts, it was clear that we had very positive energy and many people were motivated and ready to help. I am honored to be a part of a foundation that is willing to give, teach, work side by side and do whatever it takes to make a positive impact. I have rolled up my sleeves and am honored to be working for such a great cause.
S U S A N K A R A S
B O A R D M E M B E R
As wife to a loving husband and a mother of 2 wonderful treasures, my heart was touched to its core when I connected with Twila and learned of the suffering of the children living on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Our family has been blessed to have a beautiful and full life, and that is my greatest wish for all families. As a dedicated philanthropist from an entrepreneurial family, I am extremely passionate about protecting the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable, while creating paths through entrepreneurial action to a brighter future. It is my great honor and privilege to serve alongside Twila and the True Sioux Hope Board. Together we empower tribal members to act to create bright futures of their own making.
S T A C Y J . B R I M A L L
B O A R D M E M B E R
I purchased my first piece of real estate at twelve years old, using the proceeds from raising and selling calves. From 1988 to 1994, I owned a seasonal home maintenance business in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. During this time, I maintained my home in Gilbert, Arizona, where I spent the majority of my youth working on the family farm and studied the real estate and the market in the Phoenix metropolitan area. In 1992, we founded Langley Properties and began to invest in real estate with some partners. Langley Properties has acquired in excess 51,500 acres of land in Arizona. Eighteen years later we have conducted hundreds of successful transactions and are now recognized as one of the largest real estate organizations in Arizona. As both the Founder and Managing Partner of Langley Properties I am responsible for all real estate acquisitions, operations and dispositions, including property identification, procurement, management and marketing. My greatest achievement was convincing my wife, Parshelle, to marry me and now we have five beautiful children. I am the author of the book Defeating Depression: One Man’s Flight to Find Joy, a book of hope designed for sufferers of depression and anxiety, and for those that love them. There are many who suffer in silence, and far too many who give up and take their own life. Unless we start speaking out about it, the suffering will not only continue but it will increase. When I connected with Twila and learned of the immense suffering of those living on the Pine Ridge Reservation and that the teen suicide rate was 300 times the National average I decided to lend my time and resources to help save lives and end the suffering. I also serve on the board of Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M), co-founded by actress Glenn Close and David Watson, to end the stigma associated with mental illness. With land being one of the biggest resources the tribe has I also hope my life experience will be of help to them.
B R I A N H Y M E L
B O A R D M E M B E R
I am a loving husband, father and friend who brings fun to everything I do. As a founding partner of several real estate companies, I have extensive experience in mortgage lending, real estate acquisition and development. I am also a founding member of the Fins and Feathers Club, established to bring together intelligent, creative entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders to help build and expand their business connections and knowledge base, while creating memorable, long-lasting experiences. When I met Twila and began to learn more about the suffering of her Lakota Sioux Tribe, I knew I needed to take action. We have a vision of creating unique experiences on the Pine Ridge Reservation to raise awareness and funds to support sustainable development.
D O U G L A S U R B A N S K I
T R E A S U R E R
Leveraging his fourteen years of experience in finance, accounting, valuation, and risk management, Doug Urbanski serves as the Chief Financial Officer at True Family Enterprises.
Doug earned three undergraduate B.S. degrees in Accountancy, Finance and Business Administration (Management & Information Systems) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Chartered Financial Analyst, and a Financial Risk Manager.