The 2026 Inland Empire Mentor of the Year honorees, clockwise from top left: Noah and Julian Sanchez, Community-Based Big and Little of the Year; Aniyah and Mercedes Howard, Community-Based Big of the Year; Sherri Inman, Workplace Mentor of the Year; Mitchell Gonzalez and Joel, High School Big of the Year; Nichelle Harris, High School Big of the Year; and David Villa, Workplace Mentor of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire honored six mentors at its 2026 Inland Empire Mentor of the Year Awards, held April 30 at Riverside City Hall's Grier Pavilion. Among the honorees was a Riverside-based mentor-mentee pair, Julian Sanchez and his Little Brother Noah, recognized through the agency's Community-Based program.
The event brought together community leaders, educators, families and local partners to recognize volunteers from the agency's Community-Based, Workplace Mentoring and High School Bigs programs. One male and one female match were honored from each of the three programs.
David Ambroz, a nationally recognized child welfare advocate, bestselling author and Amazon executive, delivered the keynote address. Ambroz, who grew up homeless and in foster care, spoke to the role a single consistent adult can play in a child's life and tied his personal story to the broader need for mentors as young people navigate instability.
Community-Based Mentors of the Year
Julian Sanchez and Noah were named Community-Based Big and Little of the Year. When Noah joined the program at age 10, he was struggling academically and behaviorally; his aunt, who adopted him at age two, was looking for someone who would truly invest in him. Julian became that person. After learning Noah had not been honest about completing his homework, Julian took him to the library and had a direct conversation about honesty and trust — not as a punishment, but as a demonstration of his commitment. Noah has grown more open about his challenges since, which has helped his aunt better support him at home. Their favorite outing is building Legos at the park.
Mercedes Howard was named Community-Based Big of the Year alongside her Little Sister Aniyah, the eldest of four siblings who entered the program while navigating her parents' divorce and racially motivated bullying at school. Mercedes attended Aniyah's basketball games, introduced her to new interests like knitting, and stayed connected through FaceTime while studying out of state. When Aniyah grew anxious about starting middle school, Mercedes shared her own experiences and coping strategies. Aniyah's confidence and resilience have grown through the relationship.
Workplace Mentoring
Sherri Inman of Altura Credit Union was named Workplace Mentor of the Year. An HR professional, Inman has participated in the Workplace Mentoring Program for more than four years, mentoring both high school and college students. She shares guidance on the hiring process, resume building and navigating professional spaces, and has reached a wider audience through an educational mentorship video series.
David Villa was also honored in the Workplace Mentoring category for his match with college student Mark. The two participated in a 5K together and maintained a relationship that extended beyond their scheduled sessions; when Mark organized an event at his college, Villa agreed to serve as a guest speaker. Mark, once shy and reserved, has emerged as a confident leader now active in his engineering club and working to secure funding to attend a national convention.
High School Bigs
Nichelle Harris of Pacific High School was named High School Big of the Year. Harris, an only child who initially struggled with social confidence, grew into her role through her match with Destiny, a Little who had recently lost her previous mentor and begun to shut down emotionally. Through consistent check-ins and patient guidance, Harris helped Destiny become more confident and engaged at school. She is now matched with Raymound, bonding over video games and arts and crafts. Harris carries a 4.1 GPA and has served as a Big Ambassador for three years.
Mitchell Gonzalez of Corona High School was also named High School Big of the Year. His mentoring relationship with his Little, Joel, began before their official match, when Gonzalez tutored him during homework club. He supported Joel through bullying and self-doubt over the years, and pushed through an initial failed attempt to launch a campus Big Brothers Big Sisters club before eventually growing awareness and sign-ups as a Big Ambassador. Gonzalez plans to pursue public administration and a career in nonprofit work.
As California's largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency, BBBS OC & IE serves more than 4,000 youth annually; 47% live at or below the poverty line. The agency says youth with mentors are 20% more likely to enroll in college and can close up to 66% of the economic opportunity gap with their peers.
More information: Inland Empire residents interested in becoming a mentor can learn more at iebigs.org.
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