CredentialsLeadership Legacy
For more than four decades, Cassandra Gibson-Judkins has dedicated her professional life to serving vulnerable children, youth, and families. As Assistant Executive Director of Eggleston Youth Centers, Inc., she has played a central role in shaping the organization’s growth, helping transform a small six-bed residential program into a comprehensive nonprofit agency providing residential treatment, foster care services, mental health care, and substance use disorder treatment throughout Los Angeles County.
Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to mission-driven service and a lifelong belief that every child deserves the opportunity to grow in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment.
A career rooted in purpose, service, and advocacy for youth and families.
Cassandra earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California.
She has served as an Adjunct Professor at California State University, Long Beach, and as a field instructor for CSULA and USC schools of social work.
She also holds a nonprofit management certification in leadership from the Center for Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles.
LeadershipOrganizational Growth
Working closely with Executive Director, Clarence Brown, Cassandra has helped guide Eggleston Youth Centers through decades of growth and transformation. Together they helped expand the organization from a small residential program into a multi-service nonprofit agency serving children and families throughout Los Angeles County.
Their long-standing leadership partnership has helped shape the programs, partnerships, and infrastructure that support Eggleston’s mission today.
DevelopmentFoster Family Agency
In the early 1990s, Cassandra authored the program statement for Eggleston’s Foster Family Agency (FFA) and was instrumental in the agency’s successful licensure and contracting process.
Following approval, she helped build the operational structure of the program from the ground up, including policies, procedures, and training systems for staff and foster parents.
Today, the Foster Family Agency program remains an essential component of Eggleston Youth Centers’ continuum of care for children in foster care.
PartnershipsPublic Sector Leadership
Cassandra has played a key role in establishing partnerships that have expanded Eggleston Youth Centers’ ability to serve children and families throughout Los Angeles County.
In 2012, she played a major part in the agency obtaining a contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, enabling Eggleston to expand behavioral health services.
In 2012, she also contributed to securing a contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health – Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) Division, expanding the organization’s ability to provide substance use disorder treatment services.
Her leadership navigating complex regulatory, licensing, and contracting processes helped position Eggleston Youth Centers as a trusted provider within Los Angeles County’s child welfare and behavioral health systems.
ExcellenceOrganizational Accountability
Cassandra has played a significant leadership role in strengthening Eggleston Youth Centers’ organizational quality, governance, and accountability systems.
In 2018, she served as Chairperson of the agency’s Accreditation Committees, guiding the organization through its initial accreditation through the Council on Accreditation.
In 2022, she again chaired the agency’s reaccreditation effort, resulting in fast-tracked reaccreditation, recognizing Eggleston’s strong organizational systems and continued commitment to high-quality services.
In addition, Cassandra currently serves as:
- Chairperson of the Agency’s Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) Committee
- Chairperson of the Agency’s Risk Prevention and Management (RPM) Committee
In these roles she oversees organizational performance monitoring, quality improvement initiatives, risk management strategies, and compliance systems that support continuous improvement across Eggleston’s programs.
ImpactHighlights
- Nearly five decades of service to children, youth, and families
- Leadership across residential treatment, foster care, mental health, and substance use disorder programs
- Instrumental in establishing contracts with LA County agencies including Department of Mental Health (DMH), Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Department of Probation (DOP), and Department of Public Health (DPH) Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC)
- Authored the program statement and helped develop the operational framework for the Foster Family Agency program
- Chaired Accreditation and Reaccreditation Committees resulting in COA accreditation and fast-tracked reaccreditation
- Chairperson of the Agency’s Performance and Quality Improvement Committee
- Chairperson of the Agency’s Risk Prevention and Management Committee
- Mentor and trainer to generations of social workers, marriage and family counselors, professional clinical counselors, and nonprofit professionals
PhilosophyLeadership Principles
For Cassandra, leadership has always been grounded in purpose, service, and collaboration.
What began as a five-year commitment to child welfare became a lifetime devoted to improving the lives of children and families. Over time she realized that serving children and youth was not simply her career. It was her purpose.
Her leadership continues to focus on strengthening programs, mentoring future professionals, and ensuring that Eggleston Youth Centers remains a trusted provider of services for children, youth, and families across Los Angeles County.
“Serving children and youth was never simply my career—it became my life’s purpose.”
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