Board of Directors: Client Advocate Officer

About the Role The FACTS Initiative is seeking a compassionate, client-centered advocate to join our Board of Directors as the Client Advocate Officer.

Please note: While we operate with a working board due to our organization’s size, this is strictly an advisory and governance role, not an operational staff position. You will not be expected to execute daily operational tasks. Instead, you will offer high-level guidance, review policies, and provide strategic recommendations to ensure professional oversight and informed decision-making.

Many services in helping professions are designed based on data and expert opinion, which means the unique insights and expressed needs of the clients themselves can often be overlooked. As the Client Advocate Officer, you will ensure that the voices and perspectives of the children and families we serve are integrated into every aspect of our work. By bringing your lived experience to the board, you will help shape services that are both empathetic and highly effective.

What You Will Do (Governance & Oversight)

• Client-Centered Advocacy: Serve as a voice for clients—particularly children and families—at the board level to ensure their experiences and needs are central to our decision-making processes.
• Program & Policy Guidance: Provide high-level oversight on programs aimed at minor clients, ensuring total alignment with trauma-informed and client-centered practices.
• Service Advisement: Draw from personal experiences to offer strategic insights on service development, ensuring our approach is practical, meaningful, and relevant for children facing significant challenges.
• Culture & Education: Support board members and staff in understanding the lived experiences of our clients, helping to foster an organization-wide culture of empathy and respect.

Who We Are Looking For

• Individuals who have received successful mental health treatment and/or have lived with a significant childhood diagnosis or childhood trauma. (Must have a High School diploma or GED).
• Strategic thinkers who can use their personal insights to advocate for policies that honor the real-world perspectives of minor clients.
• Excellent communicators capable of advocating effectively on behalf of clients and collaborating seamlessly with board members and staff.
• Preferred: Individuals with experience working in a professional or advocacy role.

Time Commitment

• Approximately 2 hours per week.
• Attendance and active participation in quarterly board meetings.
• Occasional additional time to engage in committee meetings focused on client services, or for advocacy-related events and initiatives.

Why Join Us? The Client Advocate Officer plays a vital role in bridging the gap between service provision and client needs. By bringing a deeply empathetic, client-centered perspective to the board, you will directly ensure that The FACTS Initiative builds a supportive, trauma-informed environment where children and families can truly thrive.