Mission-driven Nonprofit Adds New Board Members, Rebrands Itself, and Inspires Companies to Drive Positive Change through Compostable Packaging, Climate Reform, and Social Justice Alignment and Action.
Oakland, CA (June 3, 2021) – One Step Closer™ (OSC), a mission-driven, natural products industry nonprofit , is pleased to announce that visionary leaders José Corona and Konda Mason have joined the board of directors. In addition, Cynthia Billops has joined the team as OSC’s Vice President of Operations, Membership & Belonging, and will guide OSC operations, membership and growth strategy and oversee our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion project known as J.E.D.I. Collaborative.
Formerly known as ‘One Step Closer to an Organic Sustainability Community (OSC2)’, the organization rebranded to its current name as ‘One Step Closer.’ OSC envisions a society that collectively brings people One Step Closer to manifesting a shared vision for a just and prosperous world. Together, advocates and corporate partners meet to discuss policies that drive change while focusing on OSC’s three core competencies: moving one step closer to zero-waste packaging, reversing climate change, and implementing JEDI values and vision throughout the industry . In this capacity, they have launched the OSC Packaging Collaborative, Climate Collaborative, and most recently, J.E.D.I Collaborative.
“At One Step Closer, we work with our network of CEOs and business community to address challenges that seem too big for any one of us to conquer alone.We are thrilled that Konda and José have joined the OSC Board and Cynthia is now a part of our executive team. Leveraging their experience, authentic approach to leadership, and advocacy, we will continue to shine a light on topics that allow us to manifest meaningful change—particularly in advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in business .”
New Board Members
Joining the OSC Board is José Corona, Vice President of Programs & Partnerships, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. José is a social entrepreneur who has built a reputation as an innovator and relationship-builder. He is recognized for building mindful and creative organizational cultures and convening public, private, and community people and resources to solve complex community, business, and public sector problems.
“I am humbled and honored to join the OSC Board, whose members and efforts align with my values and allows me to continue walking my path in life,” said Corona. “My path and mission in life has been dedicated to ensuring all people have the opportunity they need to fulfill their life mission and goals.”
Konda Mason is also new to the OSC Board of Directors and brings decades of experience. She is the Co-founder and President of Jubilee Justice, Inc, a non-profit working to bring climate-resilient farming and economic equity to Black farmers in the rural South to restore and accelerate Black land ownership and stewardship and create thriving Black farming communities.
Along with her partner, actor Woody Harrelson, Konda opened the first home delivery service of organic food in the Los Angeles area and was responsible for negotiating the first organic food section in a major supermarket in the area.
“Leveraging the incredible companies in its network, OSC is very smartly guiding them to an even better version of themselves with the J.E.D.I. initiative. The work of OSC and their commitment to racial justice in the natural food sector made my joining this Board a no-brainer,” said Mason. “Plus, I get to hang out and learn from some really cool and experienced entrepreneurs. That’s my version of heaven!”
Membership Details
The OSC member community is made up of leaders in the natural products industry who maintain the highest sustainability standards in business and personal lives. For more information about our Core Chapter, Rising Star Chapter, and Cannabis Chapter memberships visit, osc2.org/join-osc/.
About Jose Corona, Vice President, Programs and Partnership, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation
As Vice President of Programs & Partnerships, Jose leads all grantmaking, partnership, and programmatic efforts for Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation – a new foundation the Curry’s launched in 2019 that is becoming one of the country’s most innovative and impactful philanthropic organizations through its commitment to creating equal opportunities and bright futures for every child.
In 2020, Jose served as the Co-chair of the City of Oakland Economic Recovery Advisory Council, charged to safely open businesses in Oakland during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Jose is an Aspen Fellow and serves on the Boards of Northern California Grantmakers, The Unity Council, and the Oakland Museum of California.
About Konda Mason, Co-founder and President of Jubilee Justice, Inc
Konda is a social entrepreneur, financial activist, earth and social justice activist, and mindfulness teacher. She is also the Co-founder and VP of Potlikker Capital, a charitable loan fund specifically designed to deploy integrated capital to Black American farmers.
Konda is Co-Founder and was? founding CEO of Impact Hub Oakland (newly renamed Emerge Oakland), an award-winning co-working space that supports socially engaged entrepreneurs and changemakers. In addition, she is the Strategic Director of RUNWAY, a micro-lending fund for African American entrepreneurs, and the co-founder of the annual COCAP (Community Capital) conference in Oakland, focusing on closing the racial wealth gap; restorative economics, and the next economy just transition.
Konda is on the Board of Directors of The Historic Clayborn Temple in Memphis, TN, On Being with Krista Tippett, One Generation with Paul Hawken, and Lion’s Roar Magazine.
About Cynthia Billops, OSC & J.E.D.I VP Operations, Membership & Belonging
Cynthia is a business strategy and operations expert who has spent the last few decades planning, designing and launching complex IT, Web, and SaaS services. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mills college – focusing on small group interactions and the importance of each individual’s contribution to optimal success.
Her unique understanding of the challenges (and opportunities) faced by developing organizations combined with her determination to ensure open doors and “on-ramps to opportunity” for persons living in and coming from systemically marginalized communities; helps collaboratively create systems and processes that lead to sustainable growth, better staff retention and higher profits due to optimization and efficiency gains.
About One Step Closer (OSC)
One Step Closer (OSC) is a non-profit community-based organization centered in the natural products industry. OSC was founded in 2012 to build regenerative businesses and tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our industry and planet. With a carefully cultivated membership of 50 mission-driven companies, OSC has three leadership chapters: Core Chapter, Rising Star Chapter, and Cannabis Chapter. In addition to regular chapter meetings, OSC hosts industry-wide programming and member-focused continued education programming through OSC University. OSC has launched three industry-wide projects with a network of partners: Compostable Packaging Collaborative, the Climate Collaborative, and J.E.D.I Collaborative. For more information, please visit osc2.org.
