New Executive Director Named For Contra Costa Crisis Center

WALNUT CREEK, CA— Elaine Cortez Schroth has been named executive director of Contra Costa Crisis Center and assumes her role effective immediately, the organization announced Thursday.

The Contra Costa Crisis Center was established in 1963 and has a vital role in providing support, empowerment and connection to people facing emotional or psychological distress, offering multiple resources 24/7.

Schroth brings passion and dedication to her role, diving right in to focus on leveraging the center's extensive assets, which include:

• 988 - Individuals in crisis call 988 or text "HOPE" to 20121 for immediate assistance.
• 211 - Available in multiple languages, those who call 211 receive access to community services for disaster relief, COVID-19, taxes, housing, employment, utility, food, child development, and more.
• Community Outreach - The center provides a mobile on-site grief team to schools, businesses and communities following critical incidents, death and disaster.
• Leftovers Thrift Shop - Located at 2282 Olympic Blvd. in Walnut Creek, Leftovers Thrift Shop is an independent nonprofit and valued partner of Contra Costa Crisis Center. Leftovers of clothing, household items, books and more have generated $100,000 in annual donations for the Crisis Center.

Schroth’s immediate focus is to immerse herself in Crisis Center programs, day-to-day operations and initiatives. Her efforts will include engaging with the Center’s staff and volunteers.

As the public face of the Center to the outside community, Schroth looks forward to highlighting the Center's impacts and what it has achieved while also fostering stronger connections within the community.

Lesley Garcia, director of programs, emphasized the connection of mission and resources at the Center.

"The Crisis Center continues to support its Mission of keeping people alive and safe, helping them through crises, and providing or connecting them to culturally relevant resources through the 24-hour Crisis Line, 211 Information & Referral Line, Help Me Grow program, Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) Follow-Up Program and Grief Counseling Program," Garcia said. "We are excited to announce our new leadership of the recently hired Executive Director, Elaine Cortez Schroth, who will provide fresh energy, new perspective and additional connections with new partner agencies throughout Contra Costa County."

Schroth describes herself as a "proven and passionate liaison and civic advocate within the East Bay region on a state, local, regional and national level who is here to empower and advocate for the Contra Costa Crisis Center with key stakeholders on relevant services and essential programs."

Schroth has a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Davis. From 2017 to 2023, Schroth held leadership roles at Visit Concord, most recently as CEO and president. During her time with the tourism improvement district, her goal to open the Concord Visitor Center in Todos Santos Plaza became a reality.

Before that, Schroth served as the executive director of Leadership San Ramon Valley and was with the nonprofit organization for eight years. Just before joining the Contra Costa Crisis Center, she served the California State Assembly as representative for state Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.

Mark Dossa, chair of the board for the Contra Costa Crisis Center, expressed enthusiasm over Schroth’s appointment.

"I, as well as the entire Board of Directors, am very excited about the new leadership that Elaine Schroth will bring to the Contra Costa Crisis Center," Dossa said. "After six years of leadership under outgoing ED Tom Tamura, we are very pleased to have Elaine on board to bring new ideas and energy to the center. I’m confident that under Elaine’s leadership, the crisis center will continue to provide valuable services to the community."