Carlos A. Hernández

Recipient of the 2024 Milestone Achievement Award

Carlos A. Hernández, president and CEO of Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern Arizona (JFCS), has devoted his 30-year career to providing and overseeing the delivery of mental health and social services to children, adults, and families from all walks of life. 

Carlos’ passion for helping the most vulnerable led him to experiences that included coordinating mental health programs for foster children, counseling for homeless teens, and promoting integrated health for migrant workers living on the border.  

Carlos received his master’s degree from the Crown Family School in 1999. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a doctorate from the University of Southern California. His professional experience runs the gamut from clinical work to compliance and continuous quality improvement. A licensed psychotherapist, Certified Professional for Healthcare Quality, as well as a faculty member at the School of Social Work at Arizona State University and the Social Services Department at Pima Community College, Carlos is the first Latino to serve as president and CEO of JFCS in the organization’s 83-year history. 

Previously, Carlos served as Director of Family and Community Partnerships and successfully guided the implementation of disabilities services, mental health services, and parent engagement services for Head Start at Tucson-based Child-Parent Centers. Before this, he was in charge of compliance, quality management, and performance improvement for Pantano Behavioral Health Services in Tucson.  

As an influential community health leader, Carlos’ life work reflects his commitment to de-stigmatizing mental illness and achieving mental health parity. His guiding mantra is “Mental health is essential to community health.”