Jeanette Ortegon
(May 16, 2012)–Jeanette Ortegon grew up in sunny Los Angeles, Calif., where palm trees sway in the breeze and Hollywood stars are frequently spotted. As a youngster she enjoyed the excitement of hanging out with her friends and playing in their beautiful South Central neighborhood. Today things have changed for the Watts/Compton area. It has transformed tremendously and is now well-known for its graffiti-ridden walls, abandoned building, dangerous gang violence, drug infested alley-ways and drive-by shootings.
“It was much different back then,” says Ortegon, a mother of two lovely teenage children. “Today, I will not raise my kids there. Times are a lot different for the community and kids are not safe in South Central like we were in my days.”
Ortegon now resides in Pasadena, Maryland, and is settled into a career that she loves. Working as a manager with the Department of Defense (19 years) she knows the ins and outs of her role and has become an expert in her field.
She eagerly participates in the activities of her department and is also a member the Department of Defense’s Golf Association. Outside of her regular duties she serves as an executive for a non-profit.
Ortegon’s daily responsibilities are many, and varied, and require her to be at peak performance.
To accomplish her goals Ortegon utilizes her strong management skills and stays informed of the industry’s latest developments by attending technical conferences regularly.
It was Ortegon’s sister’s high school golf team that initially exposed her to the game of golf. Although she readily admits that she didn’t start to take the sport seriously until later on in her adult years, while in the Military.
“The military always got the good perks on the golf course,” she says with a slight grin. While serving in the Navy, Ortegon attended the University of Phoenix business administration (BSBA) bachelor’s degree program and also earned her MBA there.
Ortegon’s love for the game is expansive and extends beyond her. To share the many benefits of the sport with others she founded the Youth Golf Network Inc. The 7-year old, non-profit, based in Glen Burnie, Maryland, empowers young people through the game of golf and provides them with the chance to excel through golf summer camps, scholarship opportunities, tournaments, and more.
“Our mission at the Youth Golf Network is to engage youth in the game of golf to create opportunities for success and positive life choices,” says a spirited Ortegon, who along with her two children, Waverly (15) and Raul (16), took their first golf lessons together.
Since its inception, the Youth Golf Network has introduced the game of golf to over 200 youth.
“We have hosted golf programs for several organizations in the State of Maryland that include The Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, The Boys and Girls Club of Anne Arundel County, and other community organizations.”
It’s an accomplishment that she’s proud of and her work has positively impacted many young lives in her community.
“My home course is Bay Hills Golf Course (Arnold, MD) and I enjoy golfing with my kids and business leaders in the community. I try and get out at least twice a week, because I can play it forever without rushing….I can be 39-years old and play until I’m 89—can’t do that with basketball or tennis,” she says.
“I also enjoy taking in the views of the landscaping of the courses….that one minute cart ride (from the green to the next tee) is so relaxing—and at times, breathtaking—especially if you’re on a nicely manicured course.”
Ortegon is serious about her game and has taken private golf instruction. “The one coach who I enjoyed the most was Wayne Jearld. He is a PGA teaching professional. He is tough and will tell me the truth every time,” she says.
When it comes to golf outings, she regularly attends the very popular Art Shell Golf Classic, hosted annually by the University Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). “My good friend Jamila Johnson is on golf program staff at the university. Last year at the tournament I won the women’s longest drive!” Well Jeanette, it looks like those golf lessons are paying dividends to you.
