State of Child Welfare Will Be the Topic of Keynote Address at JFCS Brighter Tomorrow

Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS), a leading human services nonprofit organization in Maricopa County, announced today that Arizona Department of Child Safety Director David Lujan will provide the keynote address at the organization’s annual Brighter Tomorrow Luncheon to be held Jan. 19, 2024 at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale.

JFCS is among the leading providers of child and teen behavioral health in Maricopa County. At the annual event, Director Lujan will address how the department strengthens families and will offer his personal experiences working on behalf of children in Arizona. JFCS has been providing behavioral health, healthcare and social services to Maricopa county residents of all ages, faiths and backgrounds since 1935.

“Director Lujan has dedicated his life to improving the lives of children in Arizona and his insights into the challenges facing our most vulnerable children will surely stimulate and inform our luncheon guests,” says Lorrie Henderson, president and chief executive officer of JFCS. “So much of what we do, from behavioral health to foster teen programs to domestic violence services involve children so Director Lujan’s perspective is extremely relevant to our work.”

Governor Katie Hobbs appointed Lujan as Director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety in April 2023 and he brings more than two decades of child welfare advocacy experience to the department. Prior to joining the state, Lujan helped found the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, where he developed many aspects of the organization’s structure and branding. Previously he was President and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance. Under his leadership, the organization achieved a significant number of policy priorities, including increased stipends for kinship foster care providers; expanding access to health coverage for youth transitioning out of foster care; and $800 million in new annual funding for public education.

Lujan served as a state representative from 2004 to 2010 and as a state senator from 2011 to 2013. During this time, he helped launch Defenders of Children, a non-profit organization that provides free legal representation to abused children and adult victims of domestic violence. Lujan also served as the Chief Administrator for ASU’s Preparatory Academy, and later, served as the National Director of Public Policy for Reading Partners, a non-profit organization dedicated to early childhood literacy.

He began his career as an attorney for the Arizona State Senate after graduating from Arizona State University with a Juris Doctor degree.

For more information about the 2024 Brighter Tomorrow Luncheon, or to purchase tickets visit the event website.