President & Chief Executive Officer

"Insights give way to dreams-developing vision-creating purpose that end in your why"-James Rodríguez 

 Personal Statement

The following is my (short) biography of the honor I have been part of the armed forces, early childhood education/Head Start programs, public health and prevention programs, child welfare agencies, and my service journey. My biography is still yet to be entirely written. My desire for all individuals, especially Latinos, African Americans, my First Nation brothers, and sisters, never lose sight of your vision and the influence of helping others see their power, thus cultivating empowerment.

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I remain at your service... Me quedo a su servicio,

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW
President & Chief Executive Officer
Fathers and Families Coalition of America

The biographical sketch of Dr. James C. Rodriguez, MSW, is a breadth of life experience opportunities and is influenced by collaboration with others whose passion instilled the impact for James to strive for excellence. He is blessed with a beautiful family, including his children Antonio(wife-Cassandra) and their children. James has two amazing daughters, Amber Rodríguez-Young, LMSW (husband - Daric Young), and his youngest, Jazmín Rodríguez (they will always be his princesses). James' grandson Ariston and granddaughter Adalena Rodríguez. 

James Rodríguez has been very fortunate to serve to help others in several professional nexuses. He started to serve others at 17 years old and enlisted in the United States Army as a Combat Medic. He retired with meritorious honors after serving more than 20 years in the Armed Forces as a combat and peacetime veteran (active duty/reserves), where he was the Director of the Mental Health/Substance Abuse Program, Combat Medic, and Law Enforcement with his 21-year commitment to serving the United States through the Armed Forces.

Rodríguez's first professional position after leaving active duty for a decade led him to Pinal Gila Community Child Services, Inc. Head Start. James led the development of six exceptional statewide models to support low-income individuals and families to find pathways to success. Moreover, he created the first fatherhood program funded by TANF and a statewide model for young fathers.

In 1996, he created one of the nation's first fatherhood models through TANF, awarded by the State of Arizona Department of Economic Security. In 2022, he created the Strengthening Families Through Nurturing Leadership model funded by the State of California Office of Child Abuse Prevention Father Engagement grant for Orange and Los Angeles Counties, awarded with collaborating and lead applicant, The Raise Foundation. The two are just small examples of continuous commitment to creating opportunities with and for others. 

James cultivated the vision to form a group of service providers in Arizona to improve children's and families live with one of the nation's first Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Fatherhood Grants that served over 5000 young parents annually for a decade through the power of collaboration. Through the key to coalition development, James authored grants that amassed well over forty million in grant funding to support the needs of low-income families and communities designed to provide effective services to in-risk individuals.

Besides, James has served as Principal Investigator for nationally awarded grants he designed as an example by the U.S. Office of Refugees and Relocation USDHHS for the Somali Association of Arizona, Center for Disease Control – Capacity Building Programs, South Region, National Hispanic HIV/AIDS prevention, as Senior Researcher/Consultant for the Oregon Center for Applied Science: National Institute of Mental Health Hispanic/Latino and African American national community for the Parent Depression Research project. James served as a Senior Researcher for Arizona State University's Hispanic Family Research project.

His vision to healthy champion families through increased professional development led to supportive curricula. Teaching is a professional passion of James, as well as curriculum development. The passion has led to programs in rural communities, tribal nations, and inner-city, and the first Caribbean fatherhood and families' conference in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Africa, and Australia to support professional development to people from over ninety nations as a global platform. The vision of FFCA has extended into many contributions to social justice and public policy efforts. Expanding professionals' skills, knowledge, and leadership support, focusing on Latinos and others with a bilingual added experience, is a new blueprint blended with James' purpose in service with others.

Dr. Rodríguez has been so blessed to have hundreds of recognitions for his professional service.

• The Presidential Lifetime Call to Service Recipient – Office of the President of the United States of America – Hon. President Barack Obama
• Congressional Certificate of Honor – U.S. House of Representatives 18th Congressional District of Texas, Sheila Jackson-Lee
• Proclamation of Leadership U.S. House of Representatives 35th Congressional District of California, Maxine Waters
• Congressional Certificate of Recognition, U.S. House of Representatives 33rd Congressional District of California, Diane E. Watson
• Congressional Certificate of Recognition, U.S. House of Representatives 13th Congressional District of California, Barbara Lee.
• A Points of Light Recipient for working with youth in gangs while serving active duty in the Armed Forces. 
• 100 Black Men of America's Phoenix Chapter for developing programs and mentoring young men/boys
• Humbled by Qutekcak Native Tribe, an Alaskan Tribe's Ceremonial proclamation  

Professor Rodríguez established 20 human development courses for Mesa Community College in Arizona and served as a Professor for MCC and State Director for Cornell University's Family Worker Development Credential and Faculty at Mesa Community College. Professor Rodríguez developed 13 courses (Family Preservation) as a Professor at Central Arizona College. James has served as Professor in Social Work at the University of Southern California and Arizona State University School of Social Work - College of Public Service and Community Solutions as a member of the faculty to focus on teaching aspiring social workers the foundations of social work as well as how policy impacts services for children and families.

As a professional social worker, forming the Fathers and Families Coalition of America is one of the high points of the journey of Dr. James C. Rodriguez, MSW. As a clinical social worker, he has roles as a certified substance abuse counselor, crisis intervention therapist, individual, child, and family clinician, and certified executive coach. The founding of an international conference with regional institutes has provided professional development and parent education sessions to tens of thousands, bringing people together from over fifty nations.

The passion for creating a curriculum also has allowed James to create two specialty credential programs. In 2021, he made the OAR Leadership Institute ℠ (Manual I Am Going Anyway™), a professional and leadership development training in January 2021 with over 300 graduates as of 2022. The Advanced Practitioner Credential Course ℠ (Unlocking Unlimited Possibilities™ 8th Edition) is recognized as competency-based professional development accomplished in a focused field of practice that has supported over 10000 professionals as part of the commitment to the continuous improvement of professionals in services of children, families, and communities.