December 2003

In continuing to advance the goals of the Urban Health Initiative, the board of Safe Passages selected Josefina Alvarado-Mena to be its new Executive Director after an extensive search. Josefina officially began working with Safe Passages in August 2003.

Josefina has extensive experience in Oakland public service and leadership. Prior to joining Safe Passages, she spent four years at the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), helping to expand after-school programs, violence prevention programs, case management and mental health programs throughout the entire district. She has been an ally of Safe Passages for a few years and along with former OUSD Superintendent Dennis Chaconas, helped launch the Middle School Strategy.

Josefina has a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a J.D., also from UC Berkeley. She is a native of Oakland and Safe Passages’ board has great confidence that she will continue to be a driving force in change for Oakland and the public systems serving its children and families.

Josefina replaces Laura Pinkney, who left Safe Passages this year after spending five years with the organization, including the last three years as Executive Director.

Under her leadership, Safe Passages achieved several important goals set out by the board in 2000. This year, despite challenges faced by the Oakland Unified School District and the distractions of the California recall, Safe Passages made great strides in implementing its strategies:

• Pathways to Change served 114 youth repeat offenders in 2001 and 2002, reducing overall recidivism rate to 11%;
  
• The Middle School Strategy is providing immediate support to students in need and students are learning a nationally renowned violence prevention program;
  
• The Early Childhood Strategy led to the creation of an exciting partnership between the Oakland Police Department and the Family Violence Law Center to help families impacted by domestic violence break the cycle of violence.

The entire UHI welcomes Josefina and wishes Laura well in her future endeavors.

For more information on this website about Oakland's Safe Passages, click here.