Jose Arellano @ Chautauqua Institution

Jose Arellano is an organizational leader and entrepreneur with a proven record of driving transformation, building high-performing teams and delivering sustainable growth. He began his career at Homeboy Industries in 2013 as a trainee and advanced to vice president of operations, where he leads organizational initiatives, workforce development, integrates departments, and implements strategies that strengthen systems and scale impact. In addition to his executive role, Arellano is the co-owner of Tepito Coffee, where he successfully uplifted the company into profitability by restructuring operations, refining strategy and driving disciplined execution.

Arellano’s leadership on the executive team of Homeboy Industries led to the prestigious Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world’s highest honor for humanitarian organizations. Earlier, he was recognized with the I Have a Dream Award in 2022. He has also spoken nationally and internationally on organizational development and transformation, including moderating a landmark 2021 conversation between Father Greg Boyle and Pema Chödrön. He previously co-hosted the Without Your Permission Podcast and continues to share insights on leadership, resilience, and social impact across multiple platforms.