Matt Watson
When Orange City Councilman Steve Ambriz ran for an office in 2002, he billed himself as a product of the community, for the community. He once wrote, “I know that in my young life, I have made an impact in the lives of others. I know that in the big picture, I have made a difference in the community. Most importantly, I know that I would not be where I am today if not for the community that I love.”
Born and raised in the City of Orange, Ambriz was always finding ways to make the city a better place and make a difference in the community. He served on the Orange City Council for three years before tragically losing his life at age 35 when a motorist under the influence of drugs collided with his vehicle in 2006.
But Ambriz’s community commitment did not die that day, and his legacy lives on in many ways. Most notably, the promise Ambriz made to serve his community continues through his daughter, Kaitlyn Ambriz Holl, who will graduate from Chapman University this week on her way to becoming a teacher because of another promise – the scholarship Chapman offered her when she was 3 years old.
Ambriz recognized how much the people of Orange supported him and was incredibly driven to give back – a drive Kaitlyn inherited and is already using to help her community.
Ambriz’s wife Bridget ’97 (MBA ’00) earned a Business Administration degree and an MBA from Chapman, and Ambriz himself was a supporter of Chapman because of the shared investment in Orange. A few months before Ambriz died, he wrote to then-President Jim Doti that Chapman “takes an active interest in its community, but most importantly instills in its students the belief that it is OK to have big dreams.”
Ambriz was the youngest person ever elected to City Council, worked with numerous nonprofits, and notably developed many programs to help the residents of Orange that are still in existence today. In return for all Ambriz did for Orange, Doti wanted to help take care of Ambriz’s family.
“When you see a mother and daughter losing a beloved husband and father, it seemed like the right thing to do. If there was one bit of anxiety we could remove back then, it would be Kaitlyn’s future,” Doti said.
Doti worked with Chapman Trustee Doy Henley, who has supported the scholarship for Kaitlyn, and Ambriz family friend Todd Spitzer, now the Orange County District Attorney, to make it happen.
Born and raised in Orange, Kaitlyn was no stranger to the Chapman campus. She even sold Girl Scout cookies long before she ever took classes. She knew she wanted to be a teacher from her first day of kindergarten.
“At my Kindergarten career day, I shared with my class that I wanted to be a teacher. At the school auctions, I always asked my parents to bid on teacher-for-the-day,” she said. “I’ve always known teaching was the plan for me, and now I’m finally in position to start it.”
When she discovered Chapman’s five-year program to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction, she knew she didn’t want to apply to any other universities.
Kaitlyn has already made an impact on the local community by volunteering and working with nonprofits. Throughout her years at Mater Dei High School, Kaitlyn served more than 1,000 hours in her community. She volunteered for a number of organizations including RAD Camp, the Orange International Street Fair, Forever Footprints, and Assisteens of Orange. She served as chairman for Assisteens of Orange where she navigated pandemic restrictions to find ways to help countless organizations, including one specifically close to her heart, the Youth Centers of Orange.
During her freshman year of college, she went back to volunteer at the Youth Centers program, and to this day continues to work there and develop new programs.
“I had the most amazing experiences getting to know the kids and positively impacting their days, the same way they did mine,” she said. “After-school care is that in-between space where kids can just be themselves. It’s a safe place to take a break from whatever happened during the day or what’s going on at home. They get to laugh, relax, hang out with friends, and build special memories, while also having the support of mentors who care about them.”
During the summer, they took kids on field trips, one being an Angels game, and “for many of them, it was their first time at a baseball game. It was so special to watch them enjoy something I love so much,” she said.
She also co-created a program called BLOOM through Youth Centers of Orange, a mentorship program for young girls focused on building confidence, exploring new interests, and learning life skills. They partnered with local organizations and Kaitlyn led workshops on leadership, personal growth, and community involvement to help empower girls and develop strong peer connections.
“I remember what it was like being a girl in middle school, so it was important to me that I found ways to have a place where these girls can have fun and feel empowered.”
This past year, she started an interventional tutoring program through Youth Centers of Orange at Cambridge Elementary, where 90% of students are from low-income families.
“This has been one of the most meaningful and unique experiences I’ve had. Since I co-created the program from the ground up, I implemented ideas from other teachers and mentors at Chapman and really made the program my own,” she said.
The program helped more than 40 students who were two to three grade levels behind and attended two to three days a week. With this intervention, those students were able to close the gap and find academic success.
“It was incredible to see what commitment, support, and belief can do. My team and I believed in these kids, they felt it, and they rose to the challenge,” she said. “Throughout the year, I’ve been able to bring what I’ve learned in my Chapman classes directly into the program. It’s been amazing to see my education come to life and make a real impact.”
Kaitlyn is preparing to receive her bachelor’s degree with Joint Preliminary Multiple Subject (Elementary) and Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Support Needs Credential (Special Education) on Saturday and return to Chapman to complete her Integrated Bachelor’s/Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction in May 2026. She hopes to teach at a Title I elementary school and stay in Orange. Just as father wrote about it being OK to dream big, Kaitlyn wants to instill that same belief in her students.
“My dad was the first one in his family to go to college. His teachers taught him that he can make a difference and believed in him, which inspired him to lead the life that he did. This is a big reason I am so passionate about what I do,” she said. “The scholarship is the most generous gift I’ve ever received, and I’m committed to paying this gift forward throughout my career.”
Doti, Henley, and Kaitlyn have all stayed in close contact throughout her time at Chapman. Doti will present her degree to her at the Attallah College of Educational Studies ceremony on Saturday.
“She exudes a positive spirit that’s infectious,” Doti said. “She’s the kind of person that after you see her or talk to her, you feel better the rest of the day.”
“She’s going to be a very successful teacher, no doubt,” Henley said. “She’s an enthusiastic young woman who is going to really make a mark with her life.”
Kaitlyn recognizes how much support she has received since she lost her dad, starting with her parents Bridget and Tim, siblings Kelly and Kaden, and close friends from the City of Orange who knew her dad. To this day, people still talk about the impact he had, and Kaitlyn hears all the time that she has his smile and his eyes.
“Being able to stay connected and build my own relationships with the people who knew my dad has shown me just how much of an impact he made in his life,” Kaitlyn said. “Continuing those relationships, making my own mark on the City of Orange, and becoming someone who makes them, and him, proud has become one of my greatest accomplishments.”
