CommUnify Names Natalia Alarcon as Director of Family & Youth Services

The Board of Directors of CommUnify (www.CommUnifySB.org), a Community Action Agency, is pleased to announce Natalia Alarcon, LMFT has been promoted to the position of Director of Family & Youth Services (FYS) with the organization effective Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

Ms. Alarcon was selected following a competitive interview process with several highly qualified candidates. She is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) with over 10 years of experience in program development, operations, and administration, as well as direct services to children, youth, and families with such organizations as Family Service Agency and Domestic Violence Solutions. Ms. Alarcon started with CommUnify in February 2019 as Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program manager. In that newly created position, she led the implementation of this innovative program providing intensive case

management and support services to individuals seeking to improve their job skills, education, and training with the goal of becoming economically secure. Ms. Alarcon then held the position of Assistant Director, Community Services Department directed program activities for financial literacy training, case management, and utility payment assistance. As Director of FYS Ms. Alarcon will oversee such vital programs as Familias Seguras/Secure Families, Cal-SOAP, Adolescent Family Life Program, Los Compadres (including Youthful Offender Block Grant), and South Coast Youth Safety Partnership, to name a few and will supervise 31 full- and part-time staff throughout CommUnify’s service footprint. “CommUnify recognized Natalia’s talent and commitment to our mission and we are so excited that she will be joining our leadership team,” said Patricia Keelean, Chief Executive Officer. “Her particular skill set and compassion for the residents in our community along with her deep understanding of the needs of the people we serve will help us fulfil our mission of helping families to become financially secure and self-sufficient.”

In addition to her position with CommUnify, Ms. Alarcon was elected to her first term for Carpinteria City Council in December, 2020 and is currently serving as Vice Mayor. She has also served as a Board member for the organization AHA! and as Co-President and Board member for Parents For Aliso in Carpinteria. In 2022 Ms. Alarcon was recognized by the Pacific Coast Business Times “40 under 40” for her contributions to the community.

“As a parent raising children in our community, I am personally familiar with the challenges families face in Santa Barbara County,” said Ms. Alarcon. “I am honored to join CommUnify’s committed leadership team, and to provide programs and services to our community which help our local families and strengthen their economic resiliency.”

Ms. Alarcon is a long-time resident of Santa Barbara County and grew up in the city of Carpinteria. She graduated from Carpinteria High School, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from University of California, Santa Barbara, and her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University.

Ms. Alarcon resides in Carpinteria with her husband Eric Vega and their three children, Elias, Aileen, and Vianna.