My name is Tomas Alvarez III and I am a transformative leader and visionary social worker dedicated to serving marginalized communities. My pioneering work has been recognized by major media outlets, including NPR, The New York Times, CNN, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Forbes. As an Ashoka Fellow, NBC Latino Top 20 Innovator, and former CNN Hero, I strive to be an effective practitioner in the social impact space.

My changemaker journey began in Oakland, California, where I launched one of the nation’s first Hip Hop Therapy programs in 2004. For eleven years I grew this initiative into an award-winning nonprofit, helping to establish Hip Hop Therapy as a recognized discipline globally.

In 2016, I was chosen to serve as a Social Entrepreneur in Residence at Stanford University’s Haas Center for Public Service, where I focused on innovative scaling strategies and taught courses in Social Entrepreneurship and Public Service. In 2017, I was nominated by my peers to co-chair the Children’s Wellbeing Initiative, a partnership between Ashoka and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, aimed at fostering a culture where every child develops a strong sense of self, belonging, and purpose.

In 2018, I co-founded Idea2Form (I2F), a creative studio specializing in social impact design. Under my leadership, I2F completed over 60 design projects, delivered $250,000 in pro bono services to under-resourced nonprofits, and allocated more than $4.3 million to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) creatives and nonprofit professionals.

I hold both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work from San Francisco State University and Smith College School for Social Work, respectively. Currently, I’m pursuing a doctorate in social work at the University of Southern California, focusing my research on equitable practices to address race-based disparities in philanthropy. For my capstone project, I’m designing a systems change initiative aimed at enhancing funding accessibility and support for emerging nonprofit leaders.

Since 2022, I have served as a trustee of the Grunin Foundation, where I play a vital role in shaping the organization’s strategy and impact. As a trusted social impact advisor, I am committed to guiding philanthropic organizations in developing the mindsets and practices needed to maximize social impact and ensure greater equity and community accountability.

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