We’re passionate about helping you grow and make an impact.
Building Wealth Initiative - Inland Empire was founded in 2018 by local business leaders in the Inland Empire who understood that by enriching people, businesses and our communities with education, action and a wide network of support, we can build wealth within our communities that will sustain both financial empowerment and peace of mind, which in turn builds a better Inland Empire for future generations.
Using a strategy to teach those in our community about wealth building activities and mindsets, Building Wealth Initiative aims to leave each person, group or organization better off than before. Approaches employed are activities, networks, events and workshops where we can share our knowledge of wealth building methods. Wealth measures the value of all the assets of worth owned or intrinsically held by a person, community, organization or region. This far exceeds the financial meaning of wealth.
Building Wealth Initiative - Inland Empire is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and is located in San Bernardino, California. It consists of a Board of Directors, various committees and multiple members throughout the Inland Empire and Southern California.
We can help.
Building Wealth Initiative - Inland Empire offers members and the general public a variety of educational and informational workshops, classes and webinars that provide helpful, and in some cases, life-changing resources that address people's lives in ways that matter.
Grow your knowledge
Workshops, online webinars, and LIVE seminars that tackle today’s economy, finances, investing, starting & growing a business, getting your own home, retirement, and how to ensure your own financial independence.
Local Experts
A series of webinars that feature local “Experts” in their field. Each webinar will feature a different subject and guest speaker that will highlight an issue that affects our local community. The subject matter will vary from “My Rents Too High” to Veterans Benefits, Water-Saving Garden Tips to Pathways to Home Ownership, and more.
Build your confidence
It can be intimidating to figure it all out on your own. Learn directly from experts and professionals so that you can step into your own future with confidence.
Expand your potential
We want to help you meet your maximum potential, whether building your own net worth, securing your future, or supporting the growth of your community.
The Crew
The CREW for BWI offers a series of Workshops, resources, and support for under-represented residents of the I.E. Helping women, minorities, and those within the lower socio-economic population of the community create and grow wealth, reach financial independence, and re-invest within the Inland Empire community.
Personal Finances with Scott
BWI Board Member Scott Olivas hosts a series of workshops that tackles today's economy and how it relates to our personal finances. His in-depth series discusses topics such as Interest Rates, Inflation, Credit Scores and how they relate to you, your goals, and your bottom line.
Dawn Of A New Day Pet Rescue
In addition to the many classes and educational services that BWI-IE provides, it acts as a “Parent” of another non-profit organization which is the charitable arm of BWI-IE. Dawn of a New Day Pet Rescue is a very special group of people in the Coachella Valley area that address a specific need within the community affecting our Senior Citizens and their pets.
Dawn of A New Day Pet Rescue focuses on Seniors on fixed incomes that can no longer care for their pets due to their own declining health. The organization sends volunteers to individual homes to care for the pets so that the pet can continue to live at home. The separation of the Senior and their pet can be traumatic, as for many, their pets are their most important possession, and they strive to keep them together. If a Senior is no longer able to remain at home with their pet, they work with a network of individuals to shelter or rehome those pets, and also maintain a bond between the Senior and their pet by having regular visits when possible. This alone gives the Senior peace of mind. In addition, through generous donations and volunteers, they’re able to bring to the community many services and workshops to better the community at large such as Pet Food Bank, Low Cost Spay and Vaccination Clinics, Proactive Planning Classes, and more.
Meet the BWI Team
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Bobbi Albano
President, CEO, M.B.A. Entrepreneurship
Bobbi Albano is the founder of three So. Cal. Organizations: California Curb Appeal Real Property Specialists and their HOA Property Management division, as well as Good Deeds Escrow, and Building Wealth Initiative Inland Empire. She’s a former president of the association of government accountant Inland Empire and a former budget analyst for the County of San Bernardino and Loma Linda University. In real estate; She has facilitated property exchanges for over 1000 clients during her career as an agent, manager, consultant or broker.
Albano also serves as a court professional-witness in real estate transactions and property value for San Bernardino County Court cases. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and a Master of Business Administration-Entrepreneurship from California State University San Bernardino.
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Lacey Kendall
M.A. Communications
Lacey Kendall is a broadcast media consultant for four Southern California colleges/universities-focusing on media education, technology and sciences, as well as a professor of media studies for California State University San Bernardino. Kendall was awarded “Best Locally Produced Radio Program in the Western U.S.” by the American Advertising Federation 2022. She’s a former reporter for CNN Radio and NBC Radio national news, the recipient of the Inland Empire Media Awards “Media Talent of the Year”; and a former president of the American Advertising Federation Inland Empire. With over 30,000 hours of on-air experience in So. California radio; she also hosts a weekly program at KCAL FM where she began her career in 1980. She has spoken nationally on first amendment rights as they relate to advertising
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Dr. Daniel MacDonald
Associate Professor and Chair for Department of Economics, Cal State SB
Professor Daniel MacDonald is the Chair of the Economics Department at California State University, San Bernardino. He earned his B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Seton Hall University in 2007 and his Economics Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2013.
As an innovative and passionate instructor, Macdonald conducts economic research in labor economics, public policy, housing, and US economic history. He is also the author of the weekly Inland Empire Economic Update newsletter and Money Matters. He has been involved in many teaching initiatives both at CSUSB and consulting with other organizations.
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Scott Olivas
Secretary, Mortgage Lender
Born in San Dimas, CA until moving to Upland, CA in 1986, Scott has lived most of his life in the Inland Empire. Raised by his Mother and Father who was an ARMY Ranger & now a retired LAPD Detective is what has given Scott his drive and will to help others succeed in life and personal wealth. Scott believes in the value of helping others build wealth not only through real estate but through other organizations that he’s a part of or has been a part of in the past.
He is a founding member of B.W.I. and sits on the board as the Secretary. He’s also a part of the TEAM FYS Business Networking Chapter where he is the active President and has been for the last 8yrs. Scott is the Sales Manager for CrossCountry Mortgage, Ontario Branch, where he helps other loan officers grow their business as well as coaching his clients on how to build wealth through real estate. Scott also holds online classes and lunch and learns where he collaborates with real estate agents, financial advisors and CPAs to share their knowledge on how to build wealth through different means of investments.
A few of Scott’s greatest accomplishments are being husband to his wife Heather but most importantly being a father to his 2 children Adley (9) & Austin (5). He loves spending as much time as he can with them and taking mini vacations camping or to San Diego and lots of staycations. In Scott’s free time he enjoys golfing, snowboarding and lending a hand where needed.
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Monica George
Vice President, Realtor
Monica George sits on the board of Building Wealth Initiative as Vice President and is co-founder of The CREW, offering workshops, support, and resources to women, minorities, and under-represented residents of the Inland Empire to create wealth and become financially secure thru real estate investing and ownership.
The goals of BWI are closely tied to Monica’s real estate work. She believes that where and how you live can profoundly impact your life so she works daily to help her fellow neighbors, business owners, and community members to find needed housing, improve their homes, and live better lives.
She has also invested in homes throughout Southern California for over 20 years by providing rental housing, renovating properties, and helping to develop new housing. With her background as an appraiser, inspector, property manager, investor, top producing agent and office manager at California Curb Appeal Real Estate, she helps to educate her clients and the public on how they advance by investing in real property and local businesses.
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Paul Gordon-Sheridan
Business owner & non-profit director
Paul Gordon-Sheridan comes to Building Wealth Initiatives from a wide-ranging background in Business Management and Administration. He has successfully owned and operated multiple retail and personal service establishments, as well as manufacturing and distributing his own line of American Made products throughout Nevada, New York and Michigan.
As Director and Co-founder of Building Wealth Initiatives Charitable arm, Dawn of a New Day Pet Rescue Services, Paul is able to continue his personal mission to help others when they are in need. With a committed team of devoted professionals, his administrative and management abilities are regularly utilized when addressing our community and their needs.
Originally from New York City, Paul calls the Southern California desert his home of choice since initially arriving in 1989. Paul enjoys cooking, Mid-Century design, hiking and spending quality time with his family.
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Chastdei Kotsay
Realtor and Community Leader
Born and raised in San Bernardino, Chastdei Kotsay is dedicated to enhancing the lives of this region from generation to generation. She believes this goal is obtainable when community members have established financial freedom and are able to give back to the community in which they live or work. Chastdei graduated from California State University, San Bernardino with a BA in Liberal Studies, and a Concentration in Criminal Justice. She has been a licensed Real Estate Agent for over 11 years and is a very active member of her community. Her passions include investing in the lives of the youth, the community, and of course investing in real estate. She has actively volunteered in her community for over 12 consecutive years.
She currently serves on the Board for The Foundation of Grand Terrace as co-chair of Youth Services. She also serves on the Board for Building Wealth Initiative and is co-founder of The CREW which focuses on creating real estate wealth for under-represented groups of people within the Inland Empire. A few of Chastdei’s greatest accomplishments is being married for over 20 years and being a mother of teenage daughters. She loves spending time with her family and taking mini vacations. Beach or mountains on any given day; life is full of adventure!
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Lisa Gordon
Board Member at Large
Lisa Gordon has been called the Inland Empire's greatest social media influencer managing social media communication for 10 major industries every day. Organizations that have hired her to oversee their social media communication include the Jack H. Brown College of Business, the American Advertising Federation, the television show-Musicology, Building Wealth Initiative Inland Empire, and many more. Her various personal platforms reach more that 10,000 active daily followers and include congressional statesmen, business leaders, ministers, and law enforcement. Outside of her own business, Ms. Gordon is an administrator for the department of marketing at California State University San Bernardino.
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Lourdes Garcia
Treasurer
Born in Mexico, Lourdes came to the United States at 6 years old. After settling in San Bernardino, she moved to Los Angeles to attend USC where she studied Business Administration. Lourdes got the opportunity to work as an Independent Producer’s Assistant and traveled to China, Canada, France and Spain. Although the film never went into production she meet several actors and film directors.
After 24 years in Los Angeles she moved back to San Bernardino where she now lives with her two children, Vivian and Leon. She loves to take them to museums and spend quality time with them.
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Christy Boal
Philanthropist and Entrepreneur
A dedicated volunteer who selflessly serves her community in a variety of capacities. She currently serves as the Senior Legacy Chair for Grand Terrace High School and is a member of the Foundation of Grand Terrace, youth division. Christy also returned to taking college classes to obtain her bachelor’s in business administration. She and her husband enjoy raising their “almost adult” children, running their Electrical Contracting business, and are dedicated to improving their community for future generations.
