Carmen Garcia-Morales — Senior Manager, Program Operations

With an impressive 30 years of combined professional and lived experience in Child Welfare, Carmen brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to her role. Carmen began her professional journey in 2012 with the Department of Children and Families. Throughout her time at the state level, Carmen’s experiences spanned from integrating behavioral health support services with child welfare operations, providing personalized and group coaching to child investigators, mid-level, and executive leadership, focusing on interpersonal conflict resolution and team buy-in, to leading the paperless food-stamp application operations for thousands of Floridians during Florida’s Food Disaster Relief recoveries statewide.

Carmen’s initial connection with the Foundation For Foster Children stemmed from her volunteer work, leading to her acceptance of a role as an Education Advocate in 2018. Her proficiency in leadership, collaboration, and implementation, coupled with her dedication to service, propelled her to her current position as Senior Manager of Programs and Operations. In this capacity, Carmen oversees three key programs within the organization, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations and strategic alignment with FFC’s overall mission and goals.

Beyond her professional commitments, Carmen and her husband have established a transitional home for young girls in foster care. Having graduated from the Department of Children and Families Youth Leadership Academy(FYLA) at the age of sixteen, Carmen has dedicated the past four years to serving as a mentor with FYLA. In her personal time, she finds joy in exploring the world with her husband and cherishing moments with their beloved dog. Carmen’s genuine passion for serving others illustrate her commitment to making a meaningful impact.