Wayfinder Family Services Chief Executive Officer
Wayfinder’s senior leadership team was just named Best Nonprofit Team of the year. What makes the leadership
team one of the best in the field?
I am beyond proud of this honor from the Los Angeles Business Journal. We were nominated by Board Member, Robert Held and I wanted to share an excerpt of his nomination:
The Wayfinder senior team brings life to the
saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough
gets going.” When COVID-19 disrupted the world
and put Wayfinder’s already vulnerable clients
at further disadvantage, the team stepped up
and into every gap. Despite the unbelievably
difficult challenges Wayfinder is confronting in the pandemic, the organization continues to live their core values: they support equity and social justice; they are empathetic; they are collaborative; they
are innovative, agile, forward-thinking; they create meaningful change; they help families thrive; they are always there for their children and their families.
Tell us about your impact across the state of California.
We serve 57 counties across California and provide services to more children who are blind than any other nonprofit in the state. We are also one of the largest foster care and adoption agencies in California, with expertise in multiple disabilities and profound mental health issues. Many years ago, we recognized the intersectionality between children with disabilities (including blindness) and those in the child welfare system. A large number of children with medical, mental health or developmental disabilities are in the child welfare system and children with disabilities are at the highest risk of abuse and neglect. We expanded our programs strategically to address this overlap and are one of the leading human services agencies to address these complex, intersecting issues to build a better California.
OUR MISSION
Wayfinder Family Services ensures that children, youth and adults facing challenges always have a place to turn. This mission is guided by our values:
OUR VALUES
Inclusive
We stand up in support of equity and social justice, and we stand against injustice and racism. We strive to build an equitable world for our clients and staff.
Empathetic
We seek to develop a deeper understanding of our children and families. We work to embed empathy into our decision-making, interactions and actions.
Collaborative
We can’t do it alone and we must do it together. We work in partnership to address the holistic needs of children and families.
Whatever it takes
We never give up. We will always be there for our children and their families.
Innovative
We are agile and forward-thinking. We continually seek out better ways to help children and families thrive.
Driven
We take every opportunity to move forward in our strategic direction and to create meaningful change.
Family
We provide families with a supportive community and resources so they can thrive. We want every child to grow up in a loving family.
Please consider a gift to Wayfinder today. We need your support, now more than ever.
June 3, 2022