Karen DiCarlo

Karen DiCarloExecutive Director, Santa Claus, Inc.

Karen DiCarlo, from New York, has been recognized for her outstanding achievements and dedication to the nonprofit sector through her role as Executive Director at Santa Claus, Inc.

Remaining steadfast in her commitment for over three decades, Ms. DiCarlo’s innate desire to help impoverished children and their families is truly admirable. Having initially attended San Bernardino Valley College in order to obtain her Associate’s degree in English, her first experience of volunteering for Santa Claus, Inc. was in 1986. This was a transformational moment and set Karen on a fulfilling career pathway which ultimately led to her appointment as the organization’s first Executive Director some 26 years later. Now in its 73rd year, Santa Claus, Inc., now supports over 250,000 children annually via its highly acclaimed Youth Enrichment Services and seasonal programs. 

Karen’s outstanding leadership has been instrumental in driving the growth of the organization, which has experienced a 1300% growth in its crucial year-round programs for children and families in need. The number of children helped has risen from 18,000 in 2012 to over 100,000 in 2024. 

During this time, Ms. DiCarlo has expertly spearheaded a number of valuable partnerships with a strong roster of national and international corporations, including the likes of FedEx, Bank of America, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Amazon, Walmart, Toyota, Burlington Coat Factory, Kohl’s, BNSF Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, Mattel Toys, Disney, Hasbro Toys, Toys for Tots, Stater Bros. Charities, The Jack H. Brown Family Foundation, Good360, In-N-Out Burger, Ross, Target, Delivering Good, United Way, McDonalds, and The Community Foundation of SB and Riverside Counties, among others. 

These partnerships help Santa Claus, Inc. to provide life changing quantities of much needed products all year round to over 80 nonprofit organizations, hospitals and school districts in Southern California and throughout the Inland Empire. Most notably, resources are distributed to children across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, the latter being the largest county in the United States. 

Products supplied include clothing, shoes, socks and undergarments, toys, books, sports equipment, musical instruments, hygiene products, infant necessities, birthday bags, quilts and blankets, school supplies, warm coats, bedding, electronics, plus anything else that children may want or need. 

Ms. DiCarlo’s impressive contributions have been widely recognized over the years, with her notable inclusion in the 2nd Edition of Top 25 Global Impact Leaders by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP). This accolade highlighted Ms. DiCarlo’s outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. In addition, Ms. DiCarlo received the prestigious Spirit of the Entrepreneur Award in the Social Entrepreneur category during the 13th annual awards gala, celebrating her organization’s remarkable impact on the Inland Empire community. 

In 2018, she received the “Hero of the Heartland Award” from Stater Bros. Charities and was honored with The Sun Newspaper’s “Outstanding Citizen Award” during its 100th-anniversary celebration, alongside other San Bernardino County leaders. She also earned the distinguished 2016 “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” award at CSUSB’s Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards and was named California Senator Connie Leyva’s “Woman of the Year” for the 21st Congressional District. Recently, Karen was celebrated as IAOTP’s Top Executive Director of the Year and Empowered Woman of the Year. In 2024, she also received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, was featured on the cover of TIP Magazine, and was highlighted in the International Best Seller Top 50 Fearless Leaders with a dedicated chapter.

Reflecting on her incredible journey so far,  Ms. DiCarlo credits her achievements to the dedication of 2,000 volunteers that have helped deliver such vital support to so many underserved children and families. She deeply values the lifelong connections she has made during her time in the nonprofit sector and firmly believes the rewards that come from serving others are just as significant as for those on the receiving end. 

Ms. DiCarlo is thankful to the mentors who have inspired her during her career and cites her perseverance and strong worth ethic as critical factors in her success. She hopes to play a similar role for others in the future and actively inspire them to build a similar career in the nonprofit sector. 

Outside of work, Ms. DiCarlo loves nothing better than spending quality time with her husband, three children and ten grandchildren.