Dear Safe & Sound Community:

Today we are thrilled to officially welcome our new CEO, Dr. Pegah Faed, to the Safe & Sound community. Pegah has dedicated her career to lasting change for children and families, and we are energized to embark on the next chapter for Safe & Sound with her leadership.

Before joining Safe & Sound, Pegah successfully led First 5 Marin’s efforts to create a new strategic plan, with an 8-Year Plan endorsed by the commissioners last year. Working with partners and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Pegah also coordinated the mental health pillar of the city’s COVID-19 response. Pegah’s positive impact has had a ripple effect across so many child- and community serving systems, and we know her commitment, expertise, and passion will continue to advance Safe & Sound as a leader in strengthening families, building communities, and nurturing childhoods.

It’s fitting that Pegah is joining us during National Child Abuse Prevention month. Our team has worked tirelessly – and successfully – through direct services, with our partners, and with political leaders to strengthen families, build communities, and nurture childhoods.
In the past year alone, we have:

• Supported more than 5,500 caregivers through our 24/7 parent support TALK Line,
  
• Provided over 3,000 children and their parents or caregivers family strengthening programs
  
• Grown the number of individuals served by 13% over the previous year
  
• Engaged in 17 partnerships to adopt and refine 15 policies and protocols in San Francisco
  
• In partnership with the state, published an issue brief with detailed guidelines on how to move from mandated reporting to community supporting to help keep families safely together.

It is this record of positive impact that we are so excited for Pegah to inherit and expand upon. We believe that with her own history of successfully steering large organizations, Pegah will usher in new opportunities for partnership, enhance services for our clients, and continue our investment in children and families across San Francisco and the Bay Area.

We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Pegah to the Safe & Sound community. She looks forward to meeting all of you soon.

Very truly yours,

Sarah Whitelaw and Bill Barnes, Board Co-Chairs