We are excited to welcome Carina H. Santa Maria MSW, LCSW as our new Executive Director.
Carina is a visionary leader who brings demonstrated experience in both non-profit and education, bringing her experience and passion to Shelter’s mission. Carina was previously Director of Field Education with Dominican University’s School of Social Work where she managed and coordinated internship experiences for master level social work students. At the same time, she maintained relations with community organizations to address the needs of clients needing social work intervention. While at Dominican, she also served as a clinical instructor, teaching various graduate level social work classes. Prior to her work at Dominican, she was a Community Youth Counselor for Memorial Health Care Systems and partnered with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and their Juvenile Diversion program. She also served as the Vice President of Education and Outreach at the Broward Human Trafficking Coalition, and as a residential counselor at Youth Villages in Memphis, TN. In addition, Carina has volunteered with Kristi House – Project GOLD and serves as the Education Director for Traffick Free, a volunteer driver organization in the Chicago that combats human trafficking. Carina is a founding member of a local, Arlington Heights community group called Voices of Community, Acceptance, and Love (VOCAL), whose mission is to bridge differences to create a supportive, connected community that celebrates diversity and practices tolerance and acceptance.
She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminology from the University of Tampa in 2007. In 2011, she received her master’s degree in social work from Dominican University. She resides in Arlington Heights, IL with her husband and two sons.