Chelsea Steele – Interim Chief Executive Officer
Chelsea Steele joined ABC of Southwest as Chief Impact Officer in April 2025 and stepped into the role of Interim CEO in August 2025. With over 15 years of leadership experience, she brings a deep passion for creating meaningful change in the lives of those we serve.
Throughout her career, Chelsea has excelled in both fundraising and operations, bringing a unique combination of heart and business acumen to every role. Her development work has consistently opened new doors for organizations, whether through innovative fundraising strategies, donor relationship management, or grant writing. On the operational side, she’s proven her ability to transform struggling organizations, streamline processes, and drive sustainable growth that serves both mission and bottom line.
What drives Chelsea most is her deep love for children and the unwavering belief that every child deserves to be loved, cherished, and brought up in a world of light and love. This passion extends to her conviction that every person deserves opportunity and support, regardless of their circumstances.
Chelsea’s commitment to community runs deep through her extensive volunteer work and nonprofit engagement. She has volunteered for many of the organizations she’s later served professionally, bringing authentic understanding to her leadership roles. In every position, she encourages her teams and organizations to give back to other nonprofits and actively raises awareness for causes beyond their own mission. As a member of PEO Chapter Y and part of the SVPSA fellowship, she continues to champion education and community support.
She brings this heart-centered approach and collaborative spirit to her work at ABC of Southwest, where she’s committed to expanding our reach and deepening our impact in the community.
Chelsea holds a Master’s in Business Administration and specializes in strategic planning, fundraising, grant writing, and team leadership. But her most cherished role of all is being a wife and mother. Chelsea has been married to Robert Steele for 14 years, and together they have four amazing children: Lily, Everly, EmmyLou, and Wylder. When she’s not passionately advocating for ABC, you can find her pursuing her love of theatre as a part-time staff member at San Pedro Playhouse and as cofounder and producer of Inception Theatre, which she started in 2010. She also enjoys writing plays, acting, cooking with her family, and going on adventures with the people she loves most.