Alexander Graham Bell said, “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” It’s a rare skill that the top leaders in any area of expertise posses – focus. Doug Mazza has honed his skills in organizational leadership to a place where God is using him to impact the lives of hundreds of millions worldwide.
Doug Mazza is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Joni and Friends International Disabilities Center. He has as overseen an era of tremendous growth since coming to the organization 12 years ago. He’s taken the vision of Joni Eareckson Tada and helped make Joni and Friends the authoritative voice on Christian outreach to the worlds one billion people with disabilities and their families. Doug became keenly aware of the world of disability when his son Ryan was born with a severe handicapping condition. He’s brought award-winning skills in corporate leadership. Doug’s distinguished career in the automotive industry includes serving as senior American executive for American Suzuki Motor Corporation; he wrote the marketing plan that successfully launched Suzuki automobiles in this country. Under his leadership, the Suzuki Samurai was named one of the top 10 marketed products in the United States and became the subject of a Harvard case study. Doug Mazza also joined Hyundai Motor of America as it’s top American executive. A sought after public speaker, he and his wife Lorraine, made a life-changing decision and left the industry to answer a calling to full-time Christian ministry in 1999 with Joni and Friends. In 2004, following dramatic ministry growth he was eventually promoted to President. A graduate of Otterbein College, he and his wife live in Woodland Hills, California and attend Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, California. They have five grown sons.