Safe Children Coalition promotes VP to Chief Legal Officer

Child welfare organization Safe Children Coalition (SCC) has recently promoted Sarah Hawk, Esq., from Vice President of Programs to Chief Legal Officer (CLO). In her new role, Hawk will be responsible for providing strategic legal guidance, ensuring regulatory compliance, and minimizing organizational risk. She was elevated to this new post due to her deep expertise in child welfare law, commitment to ethical conduct, and collaborative approach to leadership.

Hawk will oversee the agency’s response to records requests and act as intermediary with insurance carriers on active claims. She will also be responsible for assuring programs and departments meet established outcomes, comply with related federal, state and local laws and rules, and fulfill all contractual requirements.

Hawk, who began her tenure with Safe Children Coalition in January of 2024, has spent her entire career as an attorney in the child welfare realm: she came to Safe Children Coalition after a decade with Children’s Legal Services, Department of Children & Families, where the bulk of her work was within Circuit 12 (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties); her final pre-SCC role was serving as managing attorney for one of the largest Children’s Legal Services offices for the state: Florida’s Circuit 13 (Hillsborough County). Prior to that, she was an attorney with the Guardian ad Litem Program for Circuit 12.

In addition to her child welfare-focused career path, Hawk has noted that “child welfare practice is in my blood.” Her father is a career civil servant who spent the majority of his career in child welfare. Additionally, her parents were foster parents for years, providing Hawk with valuable personal insight into the process and experience of fostering. She interned with Children’s Legal Services and the Guardian Ad Litem Program when she was 18 years old and also volunteered for SCC’s Angels program – which provides holiday gifts for children in foster care and other vulnerable children in Circuit 12 – for many years through college and law school.

“I have always had a passion for child welfare and I am excited to have the opportunity to further that mission in a more proactive manner, from the operations side of the system,” said Hawk.

Hawk earned her law degree from the Stetson University College of Law and her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida.

“Since coming to Safe Children Coalition, Sarah has proven herself to be a results-driven and positive leader who is team-focused and dedicated to the highest ethical standards,” said SCC President and CEO Brena Slater. “With her entire career spent in the child welfare realm and her many achievements since her tenure began at our organization, we are confident she will continue to be an asset as we work to protect at-risk children and strengthen families throughout our service area.”

Safe Children Coalition works to protect children and youth, and strengthen families in Florida's Circuit 12. In 2024, the organization served over 9,300 children and families through its foster care, adoption, and prevention and diversion programs.

For more information, visit sccfl.org.

About Safe Children Coalition, Inc.
Safe Children Coalition, Inc. (SCC) serves as the lead agency for community-based care for Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. SCC is a collaboration between local community agencies who provide services to children and families in need. SCC is committed to protecting children and youth, strengthening families, and building community. The core functions provided by SCC include child welfare case management, foster care, adoption, independent living, prevention, diversion, quality management, and support services. Visit sccfl.org or call 941-371-4799.