# Ken Berrick

> Ken Berrick founded Seneca Family of Agencies in 1985 in Oakland and spent four decades turning a single home for boys into a 1,900-person nonprofit serving children across California and Washington through a model he calls Unconditional Care. Now CEO Emeritus of Seneca and President and CEO of Just Advocates, he keeps arguing the same line: kids aren't failing the system, the system is failing kids.

- **Role:** President and CEO of Just Advocates; Founder and CEO Emeritus of Seneca Family of Agencies
- **Organizations:** Just Advocates, Seneca Family of Agencies, Alameda County Board of Education, California Alliance of Child and Family Services, California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, California Child Welfare Council, Aspen Global Leadership Network, Pahara Institute
- **Nationality:** American
- **Known for:** Founded Seneca Family of Agencies, now a nearly 1,900-employee nonprofit with ~$193M annual revenue., Created the Unconditional Education model, serving 8,000+ students across 50+ schools in California and Washington., Co-author of three Oxford University Press books on relationship-based care.

## Career timeline

- **1985** — Founded Seneca Family of Agencies in Oakland, California.
- **2010** — Co-authored 'Unconditional Care: Relationship-Based, Behavioral Intervention with Vulnerable Children and Families' (Oxford University Press).
- **2014** — Named Advocate of the Year by California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth; received a federal innovation grant launching Unconditional Education in the Bay Area.
- **2017** — Awarded the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.
- **2019** — Co-authored second Oxford University Press book on relationship-based care.
- **2021** — Received Jefferson Bronze Award.
- **2022** — Received Jefferson Silver Award; co-authored third Oxford University Press book.
- **2024** — Ran for Alameda County Supervisor.
- **2025** — Received California Behavioral Health Association Health Equity Champion Award; serving as President and CEO of Just Advocates.

## Achievements

- Founded Seneca Family of Agencies, now a nearly 1,900-employee nonprofit with ~$193M annual revenue.
- Created the Unconditional Education model, serving 8,000+ students across 50+ schools in California and Washington.
- Co-author of three Oxford University Press books on relationship-based care.
- James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award (2017).
- Two-time President of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services.
- Elected member and Past-President of the Alameda County Board of Education.
- Past-President of the California County Boards of Education.
- Governor's appointee, California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission and California Child Welfare Council.

## Latest updates

- **2025-01** — Received California Behavioral Health Association Health Equity Champion Award.
- **2024-09** — Just Advocates listed a $4M funding milestone.

## Links

- Website: https://justadvocates.net
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-berrick-6a92a924/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/kenberrick
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenberrick/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/senecafoa

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ken-berrick
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-30