New executive director for Child Advocates of El Dorado County

Child Advocates of El Dorado County’s Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Deanna Santana as its new executive director. Deanna brings a wealth of strategic communication and leadership experience, along with a passion for protecting the youth in our communities.

A long-time resident of El Dorado County, Deanna has devoted her professional and personal life to serving others and her community. Deanna joined the staff at Child Advocates in 2019 as the program director. She has spent the last few years building relationships with staff, board members, volunteers, and community partners while building capacity to serve more youth in the community. Before joining Child Advocates, she worked for seven years in the Donate Life Community, managing hundreds of volunteers and motivating millions of Californians to join the organ and tissue donor registry. Deanna holds a B.S. degree in Human and Family Development from Arizona State University and an M.A. in Strategic Communications from Washington State University.

“I am honored to serve our community and work with the staff and volunteers (Court Appointed Special Advocates and Family Coaches) to advocate and speak up for abused and neglected children. I am also looking forward to building other community programs to break the cycle of abuse and neglect in our community,” states Deanna.

The previous director, Kathryn Mathews, left to pursue a position with California CASA in March. The board immediately appointed Deanna as the Interim Executive Director and began an extensive search for the right leader for this vital community non-profit.

“We are thrilled to announce Deanna as our new permanent Executive Director. We know she will not only maintain but will expand our programs and successes! Every time we meet with her, we are convinced we made the right choice,” said Claudia Kane, a member of the hiring committee.

Without missing a beat, Deanna transitioned into the role of Executive Director and looks forward to continuing the life-changing legacy of Child Advocates of El Dorado County (CASA).

About CASA of El Dorado County
Child Advocates of El Dorado County advocates for and empowers the abused, neglected, and at-risk youth in our community by providing court-appointed volunteers who speak up for the needs of children and make a positive impact in their lives. The heart of our program is the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a specially trained and supervised community volunteer, appointed by a Juvenile Court judge. CASA advocates make a difference in the lives of abused and neglected children by researching and monitoring cases involving children in foster care. Find out more about the CASA program at www.CASAElDorado.org