Wayfinder Family Services Appoints Dawn Vo-Jutabha, Ph.D. as Chief Operating Officer

LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dawn Vo-Jutabha, Ph.D. has joined Wayfinder Family Services as executive vice president and chief operating officer. In this role she will also serve as Wayfinder's chief clinical officer and oversee all operations for the nonprofit, which employs over 400 people throughout California and has an annual budget of $48 million.

"Dawn will play a pivotal role in achieving Wayfinder's strategic goals and her leadership will strengthen our organization as we continue to evolve and expand to meet the needs of some of California's most vulnerable. She shares our core belief that everyone deserves a safe haven, a chance to thrive and a loving family. This commitment to equity—along with her combination of programmatic experience and clinical expertise—make her the ideal addition to our team," said Wayfinder President Jay Allen.

Vo-Jutabha has over 16 years of experience in clinical services and training, program development and quality improvement and most recently served as the chief clinical officer for The Guidance Center in Long Beach, California. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has worked at several prominent community mental health agencies in Southern California.

"As the child of Vietnamese refugees and the first in my family to attend college, I am passionate about helping disadvantaged and underrepresented children, youth and families. Witnessing my parents and grandparents work tirelessly while simultaneously helping their community inspired me to choose a career of service. I look forward to advancing Wayfinder's mission and trailblazing work in the field of disabilities and child welfare. The landscape is quickly changing for the way California is delivering care to those who need it most. I am excited to help lead an organization like Wayfinder, which is well-poised to provide them with life-changing programs and services."

Vo-Jutabha earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in children and families from Clark University in Massachusetts and her bachelor's in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She was awarded a four-year national grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to support her graduate research and clinical work.

She has held leadership roles at statewide and national associations, including the Southern California Association of Psychology Training Programs, Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Programs and the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation. She is currently a cohort member of APA's flagship leadership training, the Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology. More recently, she was elected as a Director-at-Large of the California Psychological Association Board of Directors.

About Wayfinder Family Services

Formerly known as Junior Blind, Wayfinder Family Services is the place to turn for people facing the greatest challenges. The organization provides expert, individualized support and services to children, youth, adults and families—from people with vision loss and developmental disabilities to children in need of temporary shelter, foster care and adoption.

SOURCE Wayfinder Family Services