Carolyn Losos has been involved with issues of educational policy, excellence and equity with a special interest in the importance of early education and the role of families in the educational process throughout her life. In addition, she has focused on issues affecting young people, combining advocacy, scholarship and leadership. Carolyn was born in St. Louis and has lived here all her life. Her passion for this community is evident in everything she has accomplished. She was the Executive Director of the St. Louis Leadership Program for seventeen years. Under her leadership, it grew to five programs, published a book about St. Louis and became its own organization known as the Leadership Center of Greater St. Louis Before retiring, she lead the effort to merge The Leadership Center with Confluence St. Louis to form FOCUS.
Today, though Carolyn is retired, she continues to be very involved in the Community. She serves on the Executive Committees of both the Missouri Botanical Garden board and Parents as Teachers National Center board, and is a member of the National Council for Art and Sciences of Washington University. Her new passion is Arts and Faith St. Louis where she serves as Chair of the Steering Committee.
Her activities through the years have also included the following: chairing the boards of the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis, Junior Kindergarten, Conference on Education, Regional Art Commission. She was on the Executive Committees of the National Board of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Repertory Theatre, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Starkloff Institute, and the National Board of OASIS. She co-chaired the 1976 Governor’s Conference on Education, the Girl Scout Boy Scout Bicentennial event in Busch Stadium, and the 2007 Forest Park Forever Hat Luncheon.
Since retiring, Losos has been recognized by the Prevent Child Abuse America with their National Visionary Leadership Award. The award recognizes and honors outstanding leaders who have been instrumental in positively affecting public policies on behalf of children. She received the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Community Advocate of the Year Award; the Mitzvah Star Award from the J Associates; the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award from Washington University; and the Ageless-Remarkable St. Louisan Award from the St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation. She was honored with the 2010 National Philanthropy Day Community Award from the local chapter. She was the first person chosen to receive the Legacy Award from the Girl Scout Council of Eastern Missouri.
She received the 2016 Voice of Inspiration Award from the Megan Meier Foundation, and in 2018 was recognized by the Starkloff Institute for her service as one of the three founding directors.