Sylvia LaMalfa Brings 20 Years of Nonprofit Leadership to CASA/LA

Los Angeles, CA, October 6, 2014 — CASA of Los Angeles has taken a large step forward in facilitating growth with the addition of new Deputy Director Sylvia LaMalfa. With over twenty years of senior experience in the nonprofit child welfare sector, Ms. LaMalfa provides veteran program leadership under Executive Director Dilys Tosteson Garcia, enabling the organization to expand its impact in assisting foster children in Los Angeles.

CASA of Los Angeles has significantly increased its services over the past four years, and is seeking to provide intensive advocacy services to more than 1,000 foster children for the first time this fiscal year, through pairing trained volunteer advocates with children in need.

Sylvia LaMalfa will lead CASA’s efforts to reach this milestone, as she oversees all programmatic aspects of CASA’s activities, including the recruitment, training, and coaching of CASA’s dedicated community volunteers.

Ms. LaMalfa has spent the past eight years as the Associate Executive Director of Covenant House California, where she was responsible for overseeing community outreach, housing and supportive services programs for runaway and homeless street youth (many of whom, statistically, are also foster youths) in Hollywood and Oakland. Sylvia oversaw a staff of over 80 employees. Prior to her position with Covenant House California, Ms. LaMalfa was Director of Residential Services at Hollygrove Children and Family Services in Hollywood, a non-profit residential and clinical services treatment program for abused and neglected children (ages 6-13). Earlier, she also worked with the San Fernando Valley Child and Family Guidance Clinic, and Community Counseling Services of Los Angeles.

“It’s fortunate that someone with Sylvia’s experience was looking for a new opportunity as we were seeking a new Deputy Director,” said CASA/LA Executive Director Dilys Garcia. “With so much time spent working with at-risk and foster youth, many in placement through the Department of Children and Family Services, Sylvia will be able to step in and make an immediate impact.”

Ms. LaMalfa stated, “I am very excited about joining the CASA of Los Angeles team, and hope to help strengthen our ability to recruit and train more volunteers to provide much needed advocacy to a higher percentage of foster children in Los Angeles County.”

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.