IAOTP names Karen DiCarlo Top Female Trailblazer of the Year

The International Association of Top Professionals will honor Santa Claus, Inc. Executive Director Karen DiCarlo at its annual awards gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City this December. The award recognizes her decades of work expanding nonprofit support for children and families in Southern California. Why it matters: - IAOTP is recognizing a longtime nonprofit leader whose work has expanded services for children and families across Southern California. - The award spotlights Santa Claus, Inc.’s growth and its role in distributing essentials to underserved communities. - DiCarlo’s selection also adds to a long list of honors tied to nonprofit leadership and community impact. What happened: - The International Association of Top Professionals selected Karen DiCarlo, executive director of Santa Claus, Inc. of Greater San Bernardino, for its Top Female Trailblazer of the Year honor. - IAOTP will present the award in December 2026 at its annual gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. - The gala information is available on IAOTP’s awards page . The details: - DiCarlo started with Santa Claus, Inc. in 1986 as a volunteer. - She became the organization’s first executive director in 2012. - Under her leadership, Santa Claus, Inc. says its year-round programs and outreach have grown by more than 1,400%. - The organization says it now serves more than 250,000 children each year through Youth Enrichment Services and seasonal assistance programs. - Santa Claus, Inc. distributes clothing, shoes, coats, bedding, hygiene products, school supplies, toys, books, sports equipment, musical instruments, infant care items, electronics and household essentials. - The organization also supports about 80 nonprofit agencies, hospitals across Southern California and school districts throughout the Inland Empire. - Partnerships include FedEx, Bank of America, Amazon, Walmart, Toyota, Kohl’s, Burlington, Disney, Mattel, Hasbro, Toys for Tots, Target, United Way, McDonald’s, Good360, In-N-Out Burger and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. - Those collaborations help Santa Claus, Inc. distribute millions of dollars’ worth of new products and essential services each year. - DiCarlo earned an associate degree in English from San Bernardino Valley College. - Her past honors include Stater Bros. Charities’ 2018 Hero of the Heartland Award, the 2016 Social Entrepreneur of the Year award from CSUSB’s Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards and California Sen. Connie Leyva’s Woman of the Year for the 21st Congressional District. - IAOTP also recognized DiCarlo in 2023 as Top Executive Director of the Year and Empowered Woman of the Year. - Last year, DiCarlo received IAOTP’s Lifetime Achievement Award and appeared on the cover of TIP Magazine. - She was also featured in the international bestseller Top 50 Fearless Leaders and has been named one of IAOTP’s Top 25 Global Impact Leaders, Top Executive Director of the Decade and recipient of the Presidential Award. - More information is available at Santa Claus, Inc. . Between the lines: - IAOTP is using the award to highlight nonprofit leadership with measurable community reach, not just personal career milestones. - The release frames DiCarlo’s work as both operational growth and direct service delivery, a combination that often matters in nonprofit recognition. - The repeated emphasis on partnerships suggests Santa Claus, Inc.’s model depends heavily on corporate and community collaboration. What’s next: - DiCarlo will receive the award in New York City in December 2026. - She says she hopes to keep mentoring the next generation of nonprofit leaders and encouraging community service. - IAOTP plans to continue its annual awards program for recognized professionals across industries. The bottom line: - DiCarlo’s latest honor reflects more than longevity. It recognizes a nonprofit executive whose leadership scaled an organization that now reaches hundreds of thousands of children each year.