Sacramento, CA – The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) of California today announced the selection of Carlos Marquez III as the organization’s new Executive Director. He will step into the role on October 1st.

“CWDA’s members work every day to pull millions of families out of poverty and keep our most vulnerable safe and fed,” Marquez said. “As a product of these very programs and services, it’s a true privilege to be entrusted to helm CWDA and put my experience to work for its members and the individuals and families who count on California’s life-saving safety net.” 

Marquez comes to CWDA as a seasoned advocate and recognized state association leader with nearly two decades of capitol experience. Against the backdrop of some of the toughest policy fights in Sacramento, Marquez has built a record of major legislative and budget achievements on behalf of large and diverse membership organizations. In past roles as inaugural executive director of ACLU California Action and senior vice president of the California Charter Schools Association, respectively, Marquez secured legislation and budget investments that target disparities in California’s public safety and public education systems. 

Marquez has also served as an advisor to safety net and anti-poverty advocates like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and Legal Assistance to the Elderly. Other past roles include leading HONOR Fund, a sponsored initiative of the Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund and serving as deputy political director of the LGBTQ Victory Fund & Institute. Marquez began his career representing social workers and county eligibility workers while at SEIU Local 221. He is deeply passionate about and understands the transformative power of county safety net programs personally. As a child, Marquez interacted regularly with Tulare County Child Protective Services and narrowly avoided foster care. 

Marquez joins CWDA as conversations around addressing longstanding harms of racism and exclusion, combating poverty, and improving the well-being of millions of Californians take center stage. Every day, county social service agencies work tirelessly to help Californians access the county-delivered, state programs that are a lifeline to individuals and families facing hunger and food insecurity, deep poverty, and abuse and neglect. 

Marquez will helm the organization as CWDA continues its ongoing work to simplify and improve access to social service programs, strengthen the child welfare care continuum, support and build up families, and advocate for resources to ensure county human services agencies and staff are supported to provide high-quality services. Marquez’s experience navigating complex policy and budget landscapes will be particularly important as the state and county human services departments steer through a difficult budget climate.

CWDA President and Director of the Department of Social Services for Fresno County Sanja Bugay said Marquez is the perfect person to lead CWDA into its next chapter. “The human services programs administered by counties are an integral part of California’s safety net and are only more critical amidst our current economic uncertainty,” Bugay said. “Carlos is a battle-tested leader who has delivered for California’s most vulnerable and is well positioned to advocate for CWDA’s member counties, and, most importantly, the clients we serve.”

Marquez assumes the ED role from Interim Executive Director Eileen Cubanksi, a 15-year veteran of CWDA who will continue in a vital leadership role for counties as Deputy Executive Director.  Bugay added, “The Board of Directors is profoundly grateful for Eileen’s leadership at a time of transition for CWDA; by stepping into lead CWDA, Eileen ensured our advocacy efforts didn’t miss a beat through a very intense legislative and budget cycle. Carlos steps into a strong organization in large part due to Eileen’s unparalleled expertise and longtime commitment to county clients.”