Ernesto Morales, founder and CEO of North Star Alliances, is calling for stronger, more thoughtful approaches to community engagement following the release of a feature interview titled “Ernesto Morales: Building Big Ideas That Bring People Together.”
The piece, which traces Morales’s two-decade journey from finance and healthcare into large-scale public strategy, reinforces a central message: real change comes from listening first.
“Community work requires trust,” Morales says in the article. “That’s when I learned how to listen, not just pitch.”
With over 1,100 projects under his leadership—spanning clients like Google, The White House, Coca-Cola, LA Metro, and the City of Los Angeles—Morales is urging leaders across sectors to rethink how they approach strategy and outreach.
The Problem: Communities Are Being Talked At, Not Heard
A Brookings Institution report from 2024 revealed that nearly 60% of U.S. residents feel disconnected from decision-making on local policies, public works, or social programs. Many cited poor outreach, limited language access, and lack of cultural understanding as key barriers.
Morales believes the result is more than bad communication—it’s missed opportunity.
“We weren’t just marketing,” he reflects on his time at Rose Hills Memorial Park. “We were learning how people grieve, how they celebrate life, and what matters to them culturally.”
A Career Defined by Listening, Not Labels
The press attention follows a career-spanning interview where Morales discusses his evolution from a senior accountant at the John Wayne Cancer Institute to running a leading community engagement firm.
At Pepperdine University, as Director of Corporate Relations, he helped raise $14 million in new partnerships by aligning institutional goals with shared values. As Vice President at Cordea Consulting and Executive Director at Rose Hills, he built outreach programs focused on underserved communities, especially Hispanic families.
“You can have all the degrees and experience in the world,” he says. “But if you don’t care, it won’t land.”
Start Small, Stay Curious
Morales believes the first step toward better engagement isn’t hiring consultants or launching ad campaigns—it’s shifting mindset.
“You don’t need a massive budget to make a difference,” he explains. “What you need is a willingness to listen and adapt.”
His advice to leaders, nonprofits, educators, and neighbors:
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Start by asking questions. Don’t assume you know what people need.
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Include more voices early. Don’t wait until it’s time to report results.
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Build long-term relationships. Not just one-time interactions.
The Bigger Picture: Leadership with Purpose
Appointed as a State Commissioner on California’s Employment Training Panel, Morales now plays a key role in how the state approaches job creation and training investment. He also sits on the board of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, keeping him close to the grassroots communities he’s long served.
“It’s not about the title,” Morales emphasizes. “It’s about the responsibility.”
What You Can Do
Morales hopes his story inspires others to lead with empathy—whether they’re running a nonprofit, managing a city department, or starting a neighborhood project.
“There are still stories to hear and communities to reach,” he says. “That’s what drives me.”
Take the first step today by:
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Attending a local community meeting and listening without agenda
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Talking to someone in your neighborhood you don’t usually speak with
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Volunteering time with organizations that represent groups you don’t belong to
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Ernesto Morales
Ernesto Morales is the CEO of North Star Alliances, a Los Angeles-based community engagement and strategy firm founded in 2012. With an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Pepperdine University, Morales has worked across healthcare, education, nonprofit, and government sectors. His clients include Google, LA Metro, and L.A. Care. He is a State Commissioner for the California Employment Training Panel and serves on the board of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation.
Contact:
info@ernestomoralesnsa.com
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