Palo Alto Community Services Department Manager Tapped For County Role

PALO ALTO, CA — Sarah Duffy, a longtime children’s program analyst, strategist and manager serving children in San Francisco and Palo Alto, was hired as the first Chief Children’s Officer in Santa Clara County.

The county announced Duffy’s hiring last week. The position, created last year after an unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors, aims to better coordinate and utilize the county’s youth programs.

Duffy, who has a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and a master’s in public policy from UC Berkeley, began in the role on Tuesday.

“I’m very excited to lead this unique office,” Duffy said. “The leaders of Santa Clara County really have a finger on the pulse of what young people and their families need. This office will support the implementation of high priority board-supported initiatives, as well as support the county organization in taking a systems approach grounded in advancing equity and creating opportunities for children and youth.”

Duffy served as the manager of the city of Palo Alto's community services department beginning in 2021, and she was the manager of data and evaluation for the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families from 2011 to 2021.

The county budgeted approximately $1 billion for children’s services in 2021-22, which accounts for about 11 percent of its total budget.

“The County of Santa Clara has long been a force in providing youth-oriented programs and services, and those needs were exacerbated by more than two years of a pandemic,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith. “This new position will oversee some of the County’s most important goals – keeping every child safe, every child healthy, every child successful in learning, and every child successful in life.”

Supervisor Cindy Chavez said that Duffy will play a “leadership role countywide.”

“This will change the way we are thinking, long-term, with an eye on equity and an eye on prevention,” Chavez said. “To give it the wings needed to shift culture, it needs to be considered a body of work. I look forward to seeing our new Chief Children’s Officer take our thoughts and do great things.”