Quick look: Sloane Keane, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of OC and the IE, recently appeared on the FutureCurrent podcast to share how meaningful mentorship relationships can open doors for young people and expand access to opportunity.
As FutureCurrent reached its 10th episode, Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean and educator Lainie Rowell welcomed Sloane Keane — CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire — for a conversation about mentorship, belonging and the power of helping young people feel supported.
For Keane, that understanding began with a first-grade teacher who changed the trajectory of her life. As a child, she struggled to pay attention in class and was frequently sent home with behavior notes. But one teacher looked beyond the surface, recognizing that what appeared to be defiance was actually boredom and disengagement.
Instead of punishing her, the teacher found ways to challenge and support her by even helping Keane gather school supplies so she could feel more connected in the classroom. She credits this teacher as the first person who saw her and invested in her.
Now serving as CEO — or, as she prefers, “chief empowerment officer” — of the regional mentorship nonprofit, Keane joined the Future Current podcast to discuss how mentorship can shape confidence, agency and opportunity for vulnerable youth across Orange County and the Inland Empire.
Throughout the episode, Keane shared how impactful connections can help students build social capital and navigate challenges such as poverty, housing insecurity, chronic absenteeism and mental health struggles.
Dr. Bean and Rowell guided the discussion through Keane’s personal journey, beginning with her own experiences being mentored as a child and later becoming a volunteer “Big Sister” during a career transition after years working in advertising sales.
Shaping student success through connections
The episode also highlighted how Keane’s organization has evolved its mentorship models to better serve today’s students through school-based programs, workplace mentorships and partnerships with local education agencies, including the Orange County Department of Education’s ACCESS program.
Keane emphasized that mentorship is not simply about encouragement, but about helping students recognize their own potential while holding them to high expectations.
“You can be anything you want to be, and so if I see it in you, then it’s easier for you to see it in you,” Keane said. “When we hold students to a higher standard, they achieve it.”
During the discussion, Dr. Bean reflected on the importance of ensuring vulnerable students have access to caring adults and opportunities that can change the course of their lives, particularly students served in alternative education settings.
Keane said partnerships like those between Big Brothers Big Sisters and OCDE help bring mentorship directly to students who may otherwise never seek out or receive those services on their own, helping underserved youth build the social capital and networks that can open doors later in life.
Throughout the episode, the role that mentors play in helping students feel valued and capable was emphasized, reinforcing a theme Keane returned to repeatedly — young people thrive when someone helps them understand they matter.
“What if, at an early age, some of our young people who are struggling had somebody step in and see them and hear them and support them?” Keane said. “What would that do to unburden our systems today?”
FutureCurrent is produced by the Orange County Department of Education and features unscripted, story-driven conversations with educators and community leaders across Orange County. Episodes are available in both audio and video formats on major podcast platforms and YouTube.