Tony LoRe
President & Founder
Tony LoRe is president and founder of Youth Mentoring Connection, a youth services organization that brings caring adults into the lives of at risk youth in the Los Angeles area. LoRe is also a featured speaker and seminar leader at each of the California Mentor Summits, and at many symposiums throughout the state. In addition, Tony is the author of the nationally recognized “2 Minute Mentor Tips,” an e-mail campaign serving over 2000 mentors with on-going mentoring assistance/training.
A successful businessman, Tony found his life’s passion in working with young people. In 1997, the Board of Communities In Schools in Los Angeles issued a challenge to “come and do your life’s work.” Tony heard the call and sold his business to dedicate his life to helping kids. He now spends all of his time and energy dedicated to connecting youth with mentors in their community. In addition to community based programs, Tony operates worksite mentoring programs that bring young people into organizations such as HBO, Warner Bros. Studios, Ritz-Carleton, and L.A. World Airports.
LoRe has written Life Skills and Business Skills curriculum for youth and has facilitated at the UniversalYouth Entrepreneur Academy and the Center for Entrepreneurism at Manual Arts High School. He served the leadership role in curriculum development for the Community for Education Foundation’sentrepreneurism program, creating the model for facilitation of student sessions and teacher training.
Prior to answering the youth services calling, Tony spent 20 years building management, facilitation, marketing, team-building and leadership skills, both as a corporate executive and as an independent consultant. Through his company, Excel/Systems for Accelerated Performance, he facilitated performance and leadership workshops as well as team building implementations at major corporations and small companies.
In November of 2000, Tony founded Youth Mentoring Connection. Since then he has been living his passion for helping the most vulnerable members of our society: at risk youth. In addition to his duties as President of Youth Mentoring Connection, he designs and runs all of its programs, mentors the mentors, counsels youth, and consults with other mentoring organizations.
His passion runs so deep that it’s not unusual to find him on a kid’s doorstep late at night waiting to reestablish connection. When one mentee’s mother died, he had all funeral expenses donated and helped her write a eulogy. When another was faced with deportation, he drove her to legal aid and sat with her for hours so she could meet with an immigration lawyer. He attends graduations and wakes; meets runaways at 2 a.m. because they need help; and drives to South Central every other Sunday to pick up kids and take them surfing.
Tony LoRe ’s decision to dedicate his life to finding mentors for at-risk, inner city youth has impacted the lives of thousands of kids and just as many adults.
