Families Forward

MANAGEMENT

CEO/Executive Director

Christy Cornwall

CEO/Executive Director Experience

Throughout her career, Christy Cornwall has brought together health care systems, nonprofits, government leaders and community partners to create lasting solutions for people facing housing instability, poverty and other complex challenges. As Chief Executive Officer of Families Forward, she leads the organization with a deep commitment to ensuring every family has the stability, resources and support needed to build a brighter future. A mission-driven executive with more than 25 years of nonprofit and public sector leadership, Christy is known for turning vision into action. She has built high-performing teams, led regional initiatives that improve lives and developed partnerships that have expanded access to housing, health care, behavioral health services, and critical community resources. Her unwavering focus and servant leadership has earned her a reputation as a trusted expert who brings diverse stakeholders together to solve some of Orange County's most pressing challenges. Before joining Families Forward, Christy spent more than two decades with Providence St. Joseph Health, leading strategic initiatives across Orange County. There, she directed multimillion-dollar community investments, secured more than $10 million in philanthropic and grant funding, expanded programs serving vulnerable residents, and helped strengthen the region's network of care through collaboration and innovation. Christy's leadership extends well beyond the organizations she has served. She was appointed by the County to the Commission to End Homelessness, served on the Friendship Shelter and Laguna Beach Community Clinic boards, and was a member of Families Forward's Program Committee before becoming Chief Program Officer and then CEO. These experiences have deepened her understanding that lasting change happens when organizations work together with compassion, accountability and a shared vision for the future. She holds a Master of Public Health and a bachelor's degree in Community Health from California State University, Long Beach, and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). As CEO, Christy is building on Families Forward's four decades of impact while looking ahead to what's possible. Guided by her belief in the resilience and potential of every family, she is focused on expanding the organization's reach, strengthening community partnerships and ensuring that more families have the opportunity not only to achieve housing stability, but to flourish for generations to come.

Staff Information

Staff Demographics

Ethnicity

Gender