Alarcon to lead CommUnify’s family and youth services

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Natalia Alarcon is excited about her promotion to director of family and youth services at CommUnify.

Ms. Alarcon previously served as assistant director of community services for CommUnify. The promotion was announced March 21.

“I am really excited to be in this role and to be able to demonstrate my leadership in this position,” Ms. Alarcon told the News-Press. “I really love working with youth. It’s nice to be in a position where I lead a department whose sole focus is youth and families in our county.”

Ms. Alarcon is a long-time resident of Santa Barbara County and grew up in the city of Carpinteria. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from UCSB and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University.

The News-Press asked Ms. Alarcon how her career has prepared her for this position.

“I started in nonprofits when I was at school in an internship while I was earning my master’s degree. It introduced me to the nonprofit world. One of my first jobs was working with girls on probation in Santa Barbara and Lompoc. Since then, all of the experience and jobs I have had pour into my current position. My experience has ranged from direct service to oversight and development of programs.”

Ms. Alarcon discussed her new duties.

“I will be overseeing five programs focusing on youth and families spread out throughout the county.”

The programs are Familias Seguras/Secure Families, Cal-SOAP, Adolescent Family Life Program, Los Compadres (including Youthful Offender Block Grant) and South Coast Youth Safety Partnership.

“Some programs will serve the entire county while others will focus on a specific area. With this position it will require me to work closely with stakeholders who have an emphasis on youth. We have partnerships with local schools, the probation department and several hospitals,” said Ms. Alarcon.

“One of my goals in the position is to focus on the Familias Seguras program based in Santa Maria.

Natalia Alarcon

The program is focused on youths in fifth-seventh grades. We work closely with elementary schools to develop a direct pipeline to mental health services. I would like to expand the program and the footprint. I would love to see that program expand into Lompoc and Santa Barbara,” said Ms. Alarcon.

“My other goal is being able to develop close partnerships with stakeholders and look at areas to enhance partnerships and to find creative ways in which we can reach out to youth and provide services. The mental health impact on youth needs to be brought to light, so we can find ways to serve youth even more.”

“I am really looking forward to leading an incredibly seasoned team and work with stakeholders who have the same passion to work with youth,” Ms. Alarcon said. “I want to see youth come into themselves and be stewards in the community.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com