Seven Californians Honored with 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards -- SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 29 /PRNewswire/ --

Seven Californians Honored with 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards -- SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 29 /PRNewswire/ --

Seven Californians Honored with 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards

$750,000 Total Awarded for Inspiring Work on Health Care, Education, Ranch Land Conservation, Solar Energy for Low-Income Homes, Foster Youth, Diversity in the Health Workforce

Elected and Appointed Officials to Honor Recipients at Sacramento Event

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The James Irvine Foundation will announce and honor the recipients of the 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards at an event in Sacramento today. Now in its fifth year, the awards celebrate extraordinary leaders who are advancing innovative and effective solutions to significant state issues. The awards aim to publicize proven solutions that can inform policymaking and better the lives of more Californians.

The seven recipients, described below, will receive six $125,000 awards and additional support from the Foundation for their organizations. (Two co-recipients will share one of the awards.)

Following recognition by legislators on the California Assembly floor, recipients will receive their awards from elected and appointed officials at an event at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento.

Award Recipient	Presenter
Dr. Ellen Beck, UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic Project, San Diego	California Assemblywoman Mary Salas
Judy Burton, Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, Los Angeles	California State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell
Sam Cobbs, First Place for Youth, Oakland	California State Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg
Dr. Katherine Flores, UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research, Fresno	California Assemblyman Dr. Edward Hernandez
Erica Mackie and Tim Sears, GRID Alternatives, Oakland	California Assemblyman Sandre Swanson
Nita Vail, California Rangeland Trust, Sacramento	California State Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth

"In tough economic times, it's easy to focus only on what's wrong in our state, but we should not lose sight of inspiring, transformative results that Californians are achieving on some of our most daunting problems," said Jim Canales, president and CEO of the Irvine Foundation. "These extraordinary individuals have created successful models we can, and should, replicate