Celebrating Our 2026 Partnerships for Well-Being Institute Award Winners

The 2026 Partnerships for Well-Being Institute held their Institute Awards in June, honoring several change-makers who did outstanding work for California children and families.

Learn more about these inspiring individuals and organizations:

Robert Martinez: California Parent Partner Award

Robert Martinez received the California Parent Partner Award. He has served families across Contra Costa and Alameda counties for more than 13 years, and is known for his unwavering compassion and dedication along with his ability to balance accountability with empathy.  

Martinez has supported hundreds of families during his service, celebrating milestones, standing alongside parents during challenges and showing up without judgment. His commitment to uplifting fathers has been especially impactful. Through his advocacy, he has helped ensure fathers are included, respected and supported throughout the reunification process.  

He is also a certified domestic violence counselor, a trainer on engaging fathers and a leader in his community. He co-founded the Fatherhood Circle in Berkeley, creating a space where fathers can connect, grow and strengthen their roles in their children’s lives. He is also a founding member of the Alameda County Father’s First Five Corps.  

Martinez’s work continues to help and strengthen families, while inspiring those around him. He is known for his heart, integrity and purpose that he brings to every interaction while balancing accountability with empathy.

Eve Valdez: Youth Champion Award

Eve Valdez was awarded the Youth Champion Award for her passion and purpose that she brings to advancing equity and opportunities for youths across California.

Valdez grew up in foster care, and her experience has shaped her into a powerful advocate for foster-care children, public health and changing the system.  

She has mentored foster youth and transition-age young adults, supported pathways to education and employment and helped establish a transitional home for young women known as The STAY.  

Valdez also serves as co-chair for California Youth Connection and is a policy consultant with the National Foster Youth Institute, where she helps drive youth-informed policy and advocacy efforts.  

She also participated in the California Alliance of Child and Family Services Advocacy Day, where she has helped push forward policies that reform and strengthen our child welfare system.  

Valdez is a strong voice for health equity with her work spanning across multiple spaces from developing statewide mental health initiatives to advocating to protected and expand Medi-Cal access for foster youth, low-income families and immigrants.  

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services Santa Clarita Office: Collaboration and Integration Award 

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services Santa Clarita Office was honored with the Collaboration and Integration Award for their commitment to Wraparound principles and strengths-based approaches.

The Santa Clarita team has demonstrated what is possible when child welfare practice is grounded in partnership, compassion and accountability with the power of coordinated, family-centered care in action.  

The office has eliminated placements in short-term residential therapeutic programs for over 18 months while reducing the number of children in care by 65%. These results reflect a sustained focus on keeping children safely connected to their families, schools and communities.  

Their work is rooted in authentic engagement by listening to families, honoring lived experience and building plans based on dignity and respect. By strengthening partnerships with community providers, they have created more stability and support for families while reducing system involvement.  

Victor Community Support Services: Community Based Organization Collaboration and Integration Award

Victor Community Support Services received the Community Based Organization Collaboration and Integration Award for exceptional leadership in advancing High Fidelity Wraparound across California.

Their work has a strong commitment to family-driven, strength-based care while consistently centering the voices of children, youth and families and ensuring services are coordinated and responsive.  

Victor works closely with counties, schools, behavioral health and child welfare agencies to implement Wraparound with fidelity and purpose. Amid workforce challenges and growing needs, they have remained a steady, solutions-focused partner. 

Their collaboration has strengthened placement stability, supported reunification and permanency and improved access to coordinated care. Through innovative strategies and philanthropic partnerships like the Soar Foundation, they have also expanded resources available to families.  

Tammi Graham: Individual Collaboration and Integration Award

Tammi Graham received the Individual Collaboration and Integration Award for her pivotal role in transforming how Riverside County works across systems to support children, youth and families.

As the Integrated Health and Human Services director, she leads the RivCoONE Integrated Service Delivery effort, bringing together 17 departments, community partners and families around a shared vision of prevention, dignity and whole-person care.  

Building on her leadership at First 5 Riverside County, Graham has helped move the system beyond fragmented approaches toward stronger alignment and partnership. She creates space for agencies to come together, work collectively and center families in meaningful ways.  

She has supported integrated service delivery sites where families can access coordinated support through a single point of entry by sharing their story once and connecting to the services they need.

Brian Olden: Wraparound Champion Award  

Brian Olden was awarded the Wraparound Champion Award for his work at the Sacramento County Behavioral Health as a contract monitor.

Since 2017, Olden has been a trusted leader in the implementation of High -Fidelity Wraparound, where his work is grounded in compassion and accountability, while also believing in the strength of families.  

Olden has embraced the complexity of the system and turned it into a clear point of access for others by becoming a reliable contact to Wraparound services for families, social workers and probation staff.  

He has also played a key role in Sacramento County’s early implementation of High-Fidelity Wraparound, contributing to statewide efforts that continue to shape best practice. His leadership has strengthened collaboration across child welfare, probation and community providers, improving coordination and responsiveness for families.  

Jasmine Orozco: Wraparound Champion Award

Jasmine Orozco of the San Diego Center for Children was honored with the Wraparound Champion Award for being a dedicated clinician and advocate who consistently brings compassion, integrity and focus to her work with youth and families.  

Orozco is known for her ability to bring people together by working closely with team members and community partners to ensure families receive the support they need to succeed.  

She approaches every challenge with professionalism and resilience, showing up for families and teammates with consistency and care. She has supported families in navigating complex challenges, including homelessness and domestic violence, helping them move toward greater stability and opportunity.  

Orozco can build trust by creating relationships that help youth and caregivers see new possibilities for their futures. Her dedication continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the families she serves.

We would like to thank all award winners again for their dedication to helping California's children and families.

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