LeadForward
By: by Arthur Schurr
How Tammy Tumbling Rises to Every Leadership Challenge.
Some people believe that leaders are born. Others believe that leaders are taught or made. Tammy Tumbling believes that both can be true but that the proof reveals itself when leaders are tested. And Tumbling faced her test at an extremely young age.
“As a teen mom growing up in Compton, I had to grow up fast,” she recalls. “I needed to learn how to meet the needs of my child, who needed a role model, a safe space to grow up, a quality education, and to make sure he felt empowered to make his own decisions.”
And that’s exactly what she did. But then the test got even more difficult. Losing her mother two years later at the age of 19, Tumbling then took on the raising of her younger brothers and sisters. She quickly formed one of her most devout beliefs: Age does not define who will lead. But when recently asked by her boss when she knew she was a leader, her answer surprised everyone.
Tumbling explains, “Sixth grade. It started with a gold whistle. I wanted to be on the drill team and be the captain. I didn’t really know what that meant but I knew inside me that that’s what I wanted. I joined and they made me captain. They gave me a gold whistle and said, ‘Based on how you blow this whistle, all of the girls will follow. If you do it incorrectly , they’ll all go in different directions and we’ll lose. If I failed, the whole team would fail. That gold whistle was my first leadership experience, complete with fifty girls following me and the fear of letting people down. But I did it.
“And I learned that the w in wasn’t the finish line, it wasn’t winning the competition, but rather staying after hours and working with girls that didn’t know the rout ines well, helping them learn what they needed to know to succeed. Taking the time to invest in each and every individual taught me how to lead. And that’s what I do now . I invest in people.”
Describing herself as a servant leader , Tumbling now serves as president of the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF). Housing more than 700 charitable funds, OCCF benefits a wide range of causes including human services, education, health and wellness, environment, the arts and community development. In the top 5% of grant-making activity among more than 800 U .S. community foundations, OCCF maintains approximately $850 million in assets, has awarded $125 million in grants and scholarships in 2025, and has bestowed more than $1.25 billion since its incept ion. As a result, being a servant leader of such a powerful, dynamic organization presents significant challenges. But Tumbling takes it all in her leadership stride.
“I’m responsible for overseeing operational excellence,” she says. “ Which for us means implementing our Vision 2030 Strategic Plan. I look to ensure that we perform above our benchmarks in human resources, information technology, finance and marketing. Basically, you name it and I hav e it underneath me.”
Four pillars comprise Vision 2030: community impact, donor engagement, amplified giving and operational excellence. Managing Vision 2030’s implementation, Tumbling ensures operational excellence in the execution of the plan, explaining that OCCF cares about what its donors care about. Given the depth and breadth of the mission, Tumbling’s leadership proves crucial to the success of that mission.
She explains, “My job is to serv e and to ensure that employees internally have the appropriate processes in place, a comfortable work environment and a safe work environment where they have the space to learn, g row, fail and try again. We also have to make sure that they have the right technology. You can’t put top talent in every seat without being able to serve them properly.”
Defining excellence through people, processes and technology, Tumbling credits the evolution of her leadership style to her time at Southern California Edison. Serving in the Corporate Affairs Organizational Unit as the Director of Government Relations, Tumbling provided strategic oversight and direction for local public affairs government relations for nearly twenty-two years. And her experience had a profound effect on her.
Tumbling says, “I had the luxury of working with really great leaders who ensured that I had exactly what I give our people now, the appropriate development processes, technology and safe environment to grow, learn and execute work optimally. As I was promoted through the ranks there, we always focused on safety,
