Dr. Cassandra Joubert has been appointed director of the Central California Children’s Institute at California State University, Fresno. The institute is dedicated to improving the quality of life for central San Joaquin Valley children, youth and their families.
Joubert was vice president/community investment at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan in Detroit. She oversaw its $48 million regional grant-making program.
Dr. Benjamin Cuellar, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, said the addition of Joubert will allow the Institute to build momentum as it addresses regional needs.
“By leveraging resources in partnership with other public and private entities, Dr. Joubert will help expand the institute’s capacity to bring people and institutions together to address children’s issues,” said Cuellar.
Increased support will help the institute “strengthen its engagement with child-serving organizations in the region to be a voice for children, to conduct interdisciplinary, community-based research, and provide high-quality educational programs,” he said.
The Children’s Institute and Central Valley Health Policy Institute, also based at Fresno State, are conducting a telephone survey of 1,600 residents in eight Valley counties to document concerns about the well-being of children now and in the future. Focus groups are planned to involve human service, education and other professionals. Findings will be presented at a regional conference in early 2009.
Joubert has held senior positions with the Ruth Mott Foundation and Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint, Mich., and was acting chief of the Michigan Office of Minority Health.
She received her Doctor of Science degree in maternal and child health from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and child development from Howard University.
Joubert is on the editorial board of the American Journal of Public Health and is the principal author of a book about her experiences raising a child with bipolar disorder. She is a frequent speaker at conferences on children’s behavioral health and has served on nonprofit boards and state commissions focusing on children’s issues.
At Fresno State, Joubert also holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Health Science.
“We recognize the significant health, safety and education needs of children in the Valley, as documented in the new Children Now research report,” said Joubert. “The institute will be action-oriented to help our partners address and solve the problems.”
The Central California Children’s Institute was founded in 2000. With significant support from The California Endowment, the institute established a reputation for definitive, widely distributed publications that examined key health issues facing children in the region including teen pregnancy, obesity and asthma.
The institute is supported by five colleges/schools at Fresno State: Health and Human Services, Social Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Science and Mathematics and the Kremen School of Education and Human Development.
For more information, call the children’s Institute at 559.228.2150.
