Chief Executive Officer
Erika Hartman joined Safe Place for Youth in 2021 as the Chief Executive Officer, after 15 years in the non-profit sector supporting people experiencing homelessness and underserved youth. Hartman was formerly the Chief Program Officer of the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), a nationally recognized homeless services organization, located in the heart of Skid Row. During her tenure at DWC, Hartman led the unprecedented growth of programs, dramatically increasing the impact, budget size, number of staff and women served.
Hartman also led organizational DEI initiatives, and the prescriptive program model development of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s initiative to implement the recommendations of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s Ad Hoc Committees on Black People Experience Homelessness and Women Experiencing Homelessness. Hartman has also been actively involved in legislative advocacy, at a local and national level, testifying before Congress on the state of homelessness in Los Angeles, and serving as a State Captain for the National Alliance to End Homelessness.