ALISO VIEJO, January 12, 2021. Octane announced today that they are contracting with Linda DiMario to serve as Director, Community Engagement leading Octane Foundation for Innovation (OFI). In this role, Linda will manage four key initiatives under OFI including STEM Fellows, Non-Profit Accelerator, NextGen, and Women Leaders of Octane. All were initiated during 2018-2019 and significant in the development of the Orange County innovation ecosystem.
Linda recently retired as Executive Vice President of the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce and is well known across the community. “I am excited to work with Octane, their very talented leadership, team and Board to grow the influence and impact of these initiatives. My years with the Chamber helped me build a valuable network that I intend to put to work for our innovation ecosystem,” Linda said of her new role.
An important component of Octane's strategic plan is to provide impact that builds the community, creates jobs, and promotes opportunities for diverse individuals and groups. "As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, OFI has addressed many unmet needs in Orange County since its inception in 2004," said Janelle Brunette, Chief Administrative officer at Octane. "Over the past three years, we've been laser-focused on building these initiatives to better serve underrepresented groups, help them build capacity and sustainability, and increase our collective impact in the communities we serve. I cannot think of a better individual than Linda to take our initiatives to the next level!"
For more information on OFI, its mission and how you can engage, please visit https://octaneoc.org/octane-foundation-for-innovation