Leadership Update from ExtraordinaryFamilies’ Board

A message from our Board Chair:

You may recall in October of 2015, we announced that ExtraordinaryFamilies received a request from the State of Illinois to take part in leading reforms in their statewide foster care system-the nation’s third largest. This represents a tremendous prospect for us to expand our policy impacts to a national stage. As a result of this opportunity, the role of our founding CEO, Andrew Bridge, shifted to Chief Policy Officer, enabling him to lead our national policy initiatives.

At that time we began a rigorous search for a new Chief Executive Officer who could bring to life to our mission. We were fortunate to find the right person from among our ranks and have appointed Sarah Boone, MSW as ExtraordinaryFamilies’ new CEO.

Sarah brings a rich history of 15 years in clinical and leadership roles in foster care, adoption, and child welfare policy. Sarah’s work in child welfare is greatly influenced by her experience as a foster parent; she is the proud parent of sons whom she adopted as teenagers from foster care. As the Director of Policy and Programs for ExtraordinaryFamilies, Sarah played a key role in integrating the policy work of Child Welfare Initiative (CWI) with the exceptional direct service provision of Southern California Foster Family & Adoption Agency (SCFFAA), to enhance effective practices and develop policy-oriented initiatives.

As CEO, Sarah will lead ExtraordinaryFamilies in continuing to provide high quality foster care and adoption services, expand the recruitment of foster parents to serve a greater number of teenagers, sibling sets, and children and youth with mental or behavioral health needs, and to identify opportunities to develop programs that will create a meaningful, measurable, and lasting impact in the lives of children and families in child welfare.

Janet Marinaccio continues with ExtraordinaryFamilies in the role of Chief Operating Officer. We are grateful to Janet for assuming the responsibilities of CEO on an interim basis as the executive search committee conducted interviews.

As we look forward to 2016 and beyond, The Board of Directors and I are proud to have a leadership team that represents the best in child welfare policy, foster care, and nonprofit leadership.

Warm regards,

Juliet Musso, Ph.D.
Board Chair