Law has always been a calling for Joanne Franciscus and so has been helping people in need. Those two ions intersect perfectly at the Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD), where Franciscus was recently named chief executive officer and executive director.
In her new role, Franciscus leads a staff of more than 228 people committed to protecting the rights of vulnerable and underserved communities. The nonprofit is the largest poverty law firm in San Diego County and has been serving local residents for over 100 years.
LASSD’s free services cover practice areas such as tenant protection, fair housing, immigration, health, consumer protection, taxpayer rights, education rights, Social Security benefits, family law and more. The agency s the whole person, helping prevent homelessness and ensuring clients have access to food, income, and other essential services, including health care.
Education and outreach are a key part of that work. After the recent devastating flooding in San Diego, LASSD quickly mobilized to provide help and critical information to tenants impacted by the disaster.
That kind of difference-making is what led Franciscus to LASSD 11 years ago. Her desire to serve marginalized communities came in part from an ethos she learned as a young girl.
“My mother worked in special education, and I saw how hard she worked to ensure that students – particularly those from inner-city neighborhoods – were treated fairly by the school system,” Franciscus said. “We weren’t wealthy by any means, but she always went above and beyond to help people and she instilled in us that we all had something we could contribute – whether it be time, money or special skills. For me, it’s the law.”
Franciscus, who has a law degree from University of San Diego School of Law, started her career in private practice. Though the work was meaningful, a public policy fellowship for a nonprofit that ed human-trafficking victims sparked a desire to do more.
“It was a transformative experience,” she said. “I knew that I wanted to do public interest work and I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit, ideally for one that did direct client services as well as other types of advocacy work in order to have the most impact.”
When she saw that LASSD was seeking an attorney in its housing unit, she jumped in with both feet. Over the past decade, Franciscus has held a variety of roles at the agency, including senior attorney, managing attorney and, most recently, chief operating officer.
Now, as CEO, she is following in the footsteps of LASSD’s long-time CEO and executive director Greg Knoll, who died in August, a month before he was set to retire. Knoll led the organization for 50 years and was part of the team that chose Franciscus to succeed him.
“I was so honored and humbled by his trust and the board’s trust in me,” Franciscus said. She called Knoll an “incredible leader who accomplished some truly remarkable things throughout his career. He poured his heart and soul into this organization. Having his vote of confidence meant the world to me.”
Franciscus said her focus now is moving the agency forward by finding innovative ways to make justice more accessible and improve lives.
Joanna Fox, president-elect of LASSD’s board of directors and the owner of Fox Law APC said Franciscus “will continue Greg Knoll’s legacy and modernize LASSD in order to tackle the issues facing LASSD’s clients today.”
“No one is more qualified to lead LASSD into the future than Joanne,” Fox said. “Her commitment and experience are unmatched and will serve the clients of LASSD and the San Diego community.”
Franciscus’ goals include:
- Strengthening LASSD to make sure it’s growing in a way that’s efficient and sustainable, with diversified sources of funding
- Boosting staff recruitment and retention to foster the next generation of leaders
- Evaluating the emerging needs of the community and figuring out how to best meet those needs
- Fine-tuning LASSD services through an equity lens to make sure they are as effective as possible and reaching the people who need them most
A big part of that work is getting the word out so people can access the help they need. LASSD has a toll free hotline –1-877-534-2524 – along with three offices throughout the county, and walk-in clinics at several local courthouses.
For more information, visit lassd.org.
