James Breedlove

BIOGRAPHY

James Breedlove is a dedicated lifelong servant of the community, with a career spanning over four decades, marked by outstanding contributions across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. 

A proud alumnus of California State University, Long Beach, James holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. His versatile career also saw him as a licensed Real Estate Broker, Series 7 Financial Advisor (Stock Broker), Firearm and Defensive Tactics Instructor, and a distinguished leader and trainer across various domains.

 In the private sector, James made a significant impact as a real estate broker, focusing on community education and helping clients acquire homes and residential income properties. His primary objectives were to enhance knowledge, promote homeownership, and foster generational wealth within the African American community. 

James and his late wife operated Rosewood Adult Residential Care Facilities, Inc. for over 25 years. They managed five community-based adult residential care facilities, providing housing, lodging, and care to more than sixty mentally ill clients. Within the public sector, James served as a California State Peace Officer in two distinct agencies: the California Youth Authority and the Adult Parole and Community Services Division, accumulating 30 years of experience at various levels, including frontline roles, supervision, and management. In 2005, he received the prestigious "Supervisor of the Year" award from the California Probation, Parole, and Correctional Agency Association. James retired in 2009 (at the age of 48), to fulfill his lifelong mission of serving the Black community through nonprofit work. 

Since 2005, James has been actively engaged in the nonprofit sector, initially assuming a leadership role at the Zeta Rho Foundation. Under his guidance, the foundation's annual revenues soared enabling it to offer a broad array of programmatic services annually. In 2016, under James's leadership, the foundation transformed, becoming the Bridge Builders Foundation, with an expanded mission to leverage through partnerships and assist multiple community-based organizations. The Bridge Builders Foundation now boasts a dedicated office, and full-time staff, and serves over 600 youth annually through programs, with an additional 2,000 youth benefiting from initiatives and outreach efforts. 

James’ vision is for Bridge Builders to become a cornerstone of community service, delivering high-quality programs while actively engaging in community empowerment, education, systems navigation, policy advocacy, and fostering long-term sustainability for future generations.