Los Angeles, CA, Jan 12, 2015 — Child welfare nonprofit organization CASA of Los Angeles (CASA/LA) is pleased to announce the election of Jensen + Partners Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Partner Frances Ridlehoover to its Board of Directors.

Jensen + Partners is an Owners Representative and Program Management firm that specializes in healthcare, research and academic capital and planning projects. Services include Project Development, Master Planning Programming and Construction Management.

“I first got to know CASA/LA through my husband’s volunteer work as a CASA volunteer and board member, and I’ve come to truly respect and admire the many CASAs and staff who change lives every day,” said new Board member Frances Ridlehoover. “Now that my own (lucky) children are grown, I want to continue to be involved in the lives of kids, our future. I’ve been impressed with the CASA leadership focus on growing the number of advocates who can be a grounding force for children in foster care—especially those living in the most difficult and unstable circumstances through no fault their own. The organization is poised with true forward momentum to dramatically impact hundreds more children’s lives in consequential ways. I am honored to be a part and look forward to working hard!”

As Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Partner at Jensen + Partners, Ms. Ridlehoover provides leadership and direction for the firm’s healthcare strategy and operations practice. Frances offers extensive experience successfully collaborating with and facilitating Boards, physician groups, clinical providers, executive leadership, community groups and regula¬tory agencies to develop a shared vision and clearly define strategic imperatives and goals. Frances has over twenty years of broad experience in healthcare encompassing physician practice management, academic medicine, behavioral health, community hospitals, post-acute care, and the medical device industry.

Ms. Ridlehoover and her Jensen + Partners colleagues are providing pro bono services to plan and coordinate the redesign and renovation of CASA of Los Angeles’ primary offices in the Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park.

Prior to joining Jensen + Partners, Frances was Chief Operating Officer of the UCLA Hospital System after serving in various positions in physician practice management and clinical operations. She also previously served as Chief of Operations for Karl Storz Surgical Endoscopy, leading operations and develop-ing Centers of Excellence for surgical innovation with academic medical centers and research institutions. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at Texas A&M University and completed Academic Healthcare Management studies at the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.

ABOUT CASA/LA
Founded in 1978, CASA of Los Angeles is a community-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to mobilize community volunteers to advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in the overburdened foster care system of Los Angeles County. CASA’s vision is of a Los Angeles where every foster child has an advocate and the opportunity to thrive. Through committed, highly trained everyday citizen volunteers, CASA brings the voice of a concerned community into the child welfare system. Studies have shown that children with CASAs receive more assistance and support than children without, and are more likely to be adopted or returned to their families and less likely to reenter the child welfare system. For more information, please visit the CASA of Los Angeles website: https://www.casala.org.