As CEO of Casa Pacifica, Shawna believes in elevating the community by focusing on the potential of every child and family.
Shawna’s career in mental health care is grounded in her deep dedication to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable children, young adults and families to thrive and reach their full potential. With nearly 25 years of experience in mental and behavioral health care, she brings a history of excellence in meeting the needs of youth and families to Casa Pacifica.
Since joining the agency in 2020, Shawna has led Casa Pacifica to positively impact the lives of thousands of at-risk youth and families throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties through direct services, partnerships and initiatives. Among her numerous accomplishments, she helped lead the expansion of Casa Pacifica’s transitional age youth program, in partnership with the County of Ventura, to increase supportive housing for young adults who have touched the foster or probation system or are at risk of homelessness, nearly tripling the number of young adults that Casa Pacifica can support.
Shawna helped expand Casa Pacifica’s nationally accredited programs and services from 13 to 17 through the addition of four new programs and services to support youth and families in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. She also helped establish the Hopeful Journey Endowment, a first for Casa Pacifica, to ensure the financial viability and future of the agency.
Under Shawna’s leadership, Casa Pacifica has consistently been named one of the best nonprofits and workplaces in the Central Coast by the Pacific Coast Business Times, as voted by employees.
Shawna’s extensive history of executive leadership includes 18 years as senior vice president and chief operating officer of Menninger Clinic, where she managed a successful merger with Baylor University College of Medicine and led a $50 million capital campaign to establish the organization’s 50-acre campus in Houston. She also served as president and chief executive officer of the Phoenix House California and Texas, overseeing a chain of six inpatient facilities along with a number of outpatient addiction and mental health treatment programs.
Shawna is a solutions-focused administrator with a comprehensive background in strategic planning, healthcare operations, organizational development and quality improvement. She brings a perspective grounded in compassion, emotional intelligence and strategic insights to Casa Pacifica’s leadership team.
She received her MPA with honors from the University of Kansas and earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and communication from Grace College. She is a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives, a member of California Child and Family Services and serves as the Board Director of the California Association of Alcohol & Drug Program Executives, Inc.
