Known for her boundless energy and belief in the power of connection, Samantha Scholl has been named Vice President of Innovation at Better Business Bureau Pacific Southwest, Central and Inland California (BBB), recognizing her transformative leadership, infectious drive for excellence, and dedication to uplifting people and businesses alike.
Scholl joined BBB in 2021, bringing with her a 28-year career in the hospitality industry. Her transition from hospitality operations and consulting to the nonprofit sector has been a cornerstone of her success. By applying a “people-first” service mindset, rooted in years of running operations and building community partnerships, Scholl has redefined how BBB engages with modern entrepreneurs and small business owners.
“Samantha embodies the very best of the BBB mission,” said Michael Sedio, BBB’s VP, Chief Operations Officer, and General Counsel. “Her ability to inspire trust, strengthen collaboration, and create meaningful programs that support ethical business growth has elevated our organization both locally and nationally. Her grace and professionalism make her an outstanding leader and a remarkable steward of our brand.”
Scholl has been a pivotal force in bridging the gap between traditional consumer protection and proactive business advocacy. She has overseen the nationally expanded BBB Breakthrough Accelerator, and under her guidance, the program has graduated more than 200 underserved entrepreneurs, many of whom have transitioned into BBB Accredited Businesses, Torch Awards for Ethics Winners, and influential voices within the regional business community.
Scholl’s leadership extends to ignite sparked by BBB, a collaborative innovation hub serving San Diego, Phoenix and Fresno. Under her direction, ignite has evolved into a vibrant ecosystem for professional growth, hosting an average of 1,600 visitors and facilitating nearly 2 I00 meetings and events each month. Drawing on her extensive background in hospitality, she has cultivated an environment where organizations feel empowered to connect and grow, exuding her personal mantra: “You can’t have community without ‘unity”.”
A dynamic communicator, Scholl has significantly reframed the public perception of BBB through strategic storytelling. Her presence has been featured across major media outlets, including FOX News, KUSI San Diego, Good Business San Diego, and various regional business journals and podcasts.
Beyond her professional achievements, Scholl is a dedicated community advocate and volunteer. She actively supports and serves with organizations including the San Diego Equality Business Association, Shoreline Community Services, Cause San Diego, and many others. Her leadership extends beyond her role, rooted in service, collaboration, and creating spaces where others can succeed. Her contributions have been recognized by the San Diego Business Journal through inclusion on San Diego’s Top 500 Most Influential Leaders list and the Top 50 LGBTQ+ Leaders of Influence list, along with the Inclusive Champion Award, the She Makes History Award, and the BBB Excellence Award from the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.
“I do this work because businesses grow best when people feel seen, supported, and trusted. My purpose is to remove barriers, open doors, and create spaces where entrepreneurs know they are not alone. When people have access to the right tools, real relationships, and a community that believes in them, they build businesses that last. That kind of growth carries forward, strengthening families, neighborhoods, and the communities they serve,” shares Scholl.
In her role as Vice President of Innovation, Scholl leads a cross-functional team of 10 professionals across California and Arizona, building programs and partnerships that translate ideas into real-world impact. Through public speaking and deep cross-organizational collaboration, she helps shape an innovation strategy grounded in trust, access, and people-first leadership, ensuring the work leads to measurable outcomes for entrepreneurs and the communities they serve.
Inspired by the effortless charm of French cafés, this taste of France on Orange Avenue invites guests to embrace the simple pleasure of taking their time.
Strolling down Orange Avenue on a sunny afternoon, you’ll hear the hum of beach cruisers rolling by and visitors making their way toward the Hotel del Coronado. Dogs pause to greet one another on the sidewalk, palm trees sway overhead, and for a moment, you’re convinced you’re living inside the postcard from the gift shop you just passed.
Then the scene shifts. Towering white columns, black café awnings and gold-trimmed windows frame Little Frenchie, where woven bistro chairs spill onto the sidewalk and servers deliver bubbling crocks of French onion soup. The scent of caramelized onions and melted Gruyère is practically an invitation to ask, “How long for a table for two?”
That feeling of pulling up a chair and staying awhile is exactly what inspired Little Frenchie. French cuisine has a reputation for feeling a little intimidating, but the restaurant is rewriting that narrative with food and wine that feels approachable.
“Sometimes when you read a French menu, you come across words you can’t even pronounce,” David Spatafore, the owner of Little Frenchie, says. “We wanted to create a restaurant where people felt comfortable.”
Little Frenchie was designed to capture the spirit of the French sidewalk cafés that inspired it. Dating back to 1917, the space already carried the charm of a Parisian bistro, with architectural details that felt more at home on a European street corner than in Coronado. The team saw an opportunity to create a restaurant that matched the character of the space while filling a gap in the neighborhood.
The result is a French restaurant that honors tradition without taking itself too seriously.
At Little Frenchie, classic French techniques are at the heart of the menu, but there is always room for creativity. A cassoulet featuring Toulouse sausage and duck confit pays homage to the recipes and regions that inspired it, while a rich hot chocolate made with ingredients imported from France brings a taste of French café culture to Coronado.
The team loves finding unexpected ways to make familiar dishes feel new. A burger becomes a showstopper when it is finished tableside with melted raclette, while a French Dip gets elevated with prime beef and Wagyu makes its way into the burgers. Even Eggs Benedict gets a French twist, swapping the traditional English muffin for a buttery croissant. The GB&J, Little Frenchie’s take on a grilled cheese, brings that same playful approach with seasonal jam and French Brie layered into a comforting classic.
Nearly everything at Little Frenchie is made from scratch, with ingredients carefully chosen to match the restaurant’s standards. Even the bread receives special attention. Each morning, the team sends a car to Prager Brothers Artisan Bread to pick up freshly baked loaves, ensuring every element of the meal reflects the restaurant’s commitment to quality.
Wine is woven into the experience just as naturally as the food. Inspired by the effortless pairings found in French cafés and bistros, Little Frenchie’s by-the-glass selection invites guests to sip their way through different regions and discover new favorites without the pressure of knowing all the rules.
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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Your feet and ankles probably aren’t something you give much thought to—until something goes wrong. Orthopedic surgeons at Scripps Clinic are on the leading edge of foot and ankle reconstruction, treating patients with sports injuries, deformities, traumatic injuries and other conditions. That includes repairing torn Achilles tendons with a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks the incision site to less than a centimeter, and performing advanced ankle replacement on some patients with ankle arthritis. Read more about Scripps’ innovations in foot and ankle care here.
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Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more.
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It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.
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When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here.
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