Madeleine Keegan O'Connell Presents the YWCA of Sonoma County
Our speaker for Thursday, March 28, 2024, was Madeleine Keegan O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Sonoma County. Madeleine has been the CEO of YWCA since 2012. Prior to her career at the YWCA, Madeleine was in the banking world with the Bank of the Redwoods in a variety of executive positions. She is a proud graduate of the University of San Francisco.
The YWCA was established in Sonoma County in 1975 when community leaders realized that Sonoma County families were becoming increasingly financially stressed, some even living in their cars. It is now the only domestic violence service provider in Sonoma County operating an emergency shelter. Madeleine supervises a staff of 50 and oversees a budget of $5 million. Domestic violence is a pervasive problem in Sonoma County; 1 in 4 families have experienced domestic violence. The YWCA provides three categories of services: domestic violence services, counseling support, and childcare.
The YWCA operates a 9-bedroom, 4,500 square foot home built in 1900 as a confidential safe house shelter for male and female victims of domestic violence. The YWCA has a 24/7 hotline staffed by trained domestic violence counselors. It also provides resources and support for divorce, custody, child support, housing, immigration, and finances. The YWCA also provides counseling services to survivors of domestic violence, including children, teenagers, adults, and families. In addition, the YWCA operates a network of six affordable childcare centers throughout the county, including a therapeutic pre-school called “A Special Place” in Santa Rosa.
The YWCA is a major participant at the Family Justice Center. The YWCA sees about 90% of the people who come through the Family Justice Center.
Thank you, Madeleine, for speaking to us about the YWCA and its many services, and for being such a powerful advocate for Sonoma County families.
