Norma Benicia

Chief Executive Office, Homeless Initiative

“I was intimidated when I first started because I have only worked with providing direct services to the community. It took some time to adjust to this macro setting, but I love it. I also feel extremely valued at my site because my experience with direct services is always taken into account. “

Norma Benicia grew up in the San Fernando Valley. As an undergraduate, she attended the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) where she obtained her bachelor's degree in Sociology and Spanish. Norma is also a recent graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and holds a Master's in Social Welfare.

The majority of her experience comes from working with the unhoused population, specifically with transitional-aged youth, for five years. Additionally, she has also worked at an outpatient clinic for substance use disorders, as well as with the Department of Mental Health (DMH)-UCLA Public Partnership for Wellbeing and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).