Staff
Laurel Adcock | Chief Executive Officer
Laurel is passionate about creating a world where all children have the opportunity to thrive. She has led strategy, programs, operations, grants, and volunteer initiatives for youth-focused nonprofit organizations for more than ten years. Laurel joined One World in 2018 as the Chief Operations Officer and went on to lead One World’s strategy and programs before becoming CEO. She previously served in the roles of Manager and Director at a nonprofit legal advocacy organization in Los Angeles, where she ran a volunteer program generating approximately 30,000 volunteer hours annually and oversaw a $3M grant portfolio benefiting children in the foster care system. She is an active member of her local Rotary Club and helps young children learn to read through her Rotary Club’s literacy program. She also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for nearly a decade, serving as the mentor and educational rights holder for a child in the foster care system. Prior to entering the nonprofit world, Laurel spent nine years as a business and employment lawyer. She received her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, Law, and Society from the University of California at Irvine, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Tara Barrett-Olds | Director of Operations & Impact
Tara joined One World in 2022. She has a master’s degree in nonprofit management and more than a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector. She most recently served as the Program Director of an intergenerational family literacy program. Tara developed and oversaw programs that provided high-quality early childhood education, taught parents about childhood development, behavioral, and learning strategies, and helped adults acquire English language skills. Tara also spent several years in Ecuador, where she taught English, trained teachers, and supported community public health initiatives. Tara received her B.A. from Columbia University and her master’s degree from the University of Central Florida.
August Pabst | Consulting External Relations Officer & CEO Emeritus
August served as One World’s CEO from October 2018 to October 2024 after sitting on One World’s Board of Directors. Previously, August spent over 7 years working at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with his last position as a Senior Public Health Officer for the Bureau for Global Health. He has also worked in digital design, environmental conservation and as an English teacher for children overseas.
