Jim Keddy is the executive director of Youth Forward. For over thirty five years Jim has served as a leader in social change efforts in California. He is the former director of PICO California, a statewide association of faith-based community organizing efforts, and served as a vice president at The California Endowment, one of the state’s largest charitable foundations. While at The Endowment, he played a primary role in developing the foundation’s youth organizing strategy.
He began his work in promoting racial and social justice as a high school and college activist and entered the community organizing field in his early 20’s. He has been a member of several non-profit boards including the boards of The California Endowment, Public Health Advocates and the California Budget and Policy Center. As an appointee of Governor Brown, he served on the state Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee at the California Department of Public Health from 2019 through 2022.
He currently serves on Prop 64 Advisory Committee at the Department of Health Care Services and on the advisory board of Juma Ventures. He is married to Gina Martinez-Keddy and is the proud father of 2 adult children. He is a worm rancher and plays guitar in two bands, the Big Kids and Rooster.
