John Sanfilippo, MA, has been involved with child welfare services and programs in California since 1999.  He worked for over twenty-five years with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in a wide range of fiscal and policy areas involving key federal and state child welfare reform efforts.  

His subject matter expertise toward child welfare financing, foster care rates and eligibility requirements for public assistance programs has focused on improving benefits and supportive services to children and families involved with child welfare.  His inclusive leadership style leverages stakeholder and local social service organizations perspectives to produce evidence-based public policy.  This approach enabled John to help guide changes and implementation of critical programs such as: Extended Foster Care, Approved Relative Caregivers, and Federal/State Kin-GAP.  As Bureau Chief at CDSS to implement Continuum of Care Reform efforts, John co-led the transformation of a new foster care rate structure and the transition of Group Homes to Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs.  Beginning as a Staff Analyst and promoting to state agency lead on Federal Title IV-E Audits, John was an integral part of California’s successfully passing all six federal audits during his tenure.  

As Part-Time Instructor for the University of California at Davis, John currently develops curriculum and provides trainings to county welfare department leadership and staff for Fiscal Essentials (Foster Care) under Continuing and Professional Education.   

Prior to joining CDSS, John served overseas in the U.S. Air Force and completed his MA in Political Science with the University of San Francisco.