SFCASA Welcomes Kate Durham as Executive Director
March 8, 2021 – San Francisco CASA and the board of directors announced that Kate Durham will become the new executive director today, as the organization begins its 30th anniversary year supporting youth in San Francisco’s foster and juvenile justice systems.
An experienced leader, Kate has worked with Bay Area community-based nonprofits, philanthropy and local government for 30 years. She has focused on developing programs, policies and partnerships that support children, youth and families impacted by poverty, homelessness, foster care and the criminal justice systems. She brings deep experience and passion for the mission to SFCASA.
Kate launched her career at Hospitality House’s program for runaway and homeless youth based in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, where she went on to become Executive Director. She then worked at San Francisco's Human Services Agency in Housing and Homeless Programs, where she worked to engage the community around a proposed drop-in center serving the homeless community in the Mission District.
Most recently, Kate served as Executive Director for Beyond Emancipation, a multi-service organization serving transition age current and former foster youth in Alameda County. One of her significant achievements at BE was leading the development and integration of a strength-based, trauma-informed, direct services coaching model, created to deliberately reconnect young people with their innate capacities, voice and choice.
Throughout her work, Kate has partnered with SFCASA and has great respect for the mission. She has a personal connection to the mission as well -- she became a mom to her 17 year old through fost-adoption. She, her wife and daughter live in East Oakland.
Kate is absolutely thrilled to be joining SFCASA and shares, “My work with vulnerable young people and my experience as a fost-adopt mom has affirmed for me what SFCASA knows so well: that the most important factor for building resiliency in children who face the highest risks is a long-term, consistent relationship with a caring adult. As volunteer advocates and mentors, CASAs get to know the young person they are matched with – their unique story, their strengths, their pain, their hopes, their health history, their academic experience – and they give voice to their stories in the rooms that matter.”
During the pandemic, San Francisco CASA’s volunteer advocates and staff have been working with creativity and persistence to address the increased social isolation and urgent needs of youth around healthcare, education and housing.
San Francisco CASA is currently recruiting for new advocates to serve more youth, with information sessions held regularly via Zoom. See www.sfcasa.org/volunteering for more information.
About San Francisco CASA
San Francisco CASA transforms the lives of abused and neglected foster youth by providing one consistent, caring volunteer advocate, trained to address each child’s needs in the court and the community. Our vision is that every child has a safe and loving home and is given the opportunity to thrive.