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New Executive Director Comes to Ayuda

Ayuda is delighted to announce that on August 16^th Rocio Gonzalez Watson will join Ayuda as our new Executive Director!  Rocio was Executive Director for over five years with the Women's Transitional Living Center (WTLC) in Orange County, CA.  WTLC works with domestic violence survivors, as well as individuals exploited through human trafficking.  Prior to that, she worked in the Government & Community Relations Unit in the Orange County District Attorney's Office.   Since her recent move to Virginia, Rocio has been active with the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance.  Through these experiences, she is well grounded in executive management, nonprofit fundraising, and community relationship building, as well as many of the issues that Ayuda addresses through its programs. 

 Rocio's life experience directly connects to Ayuda's clients: her family emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and she speaks, reads and writes fluently in Spanish.  She has been recognized numerous times for her leadership and outstanding work.  Among these she was a Soroptimist Woman of the Year in 2007 and awarded the California Senate Woman Making a Difference Award in 2009. 

Rocio is excited about coming to Ayuda, and the Ayuda Board and staff are delighted about her joining our team. In the Board and staff interviews with her, she demonstrated a commitment to our mission, as well as warmth, energy and creativity that will help Ayuda grow and thrive.  Ayuda plans to hold several events this fall to welcome Rocio and introduce her to our community of friends and supporters. We look forward to introducing her to our friends and supporters soon!