Cathy Senderling-McDonald was named Executive Director of CWDA effective January 1, 2021 – following the retirement of long-time Executive Director Frank Mecca.

In this role, she leads the association staff in working with the CWDA Board of Directors and partner organizations to promote legislative, budget and policy changes that improve human services programs and the delivery of those services.

Cathy served as the Deputy Executive Director from 2010 through 2020. She joined CWDA in 2000 as the association’s legislative advocate and later became senior legislative advocate until her promotion to deputy executive director.

Prior to joining CWDA, she served as the California Senate Budget Committee consultant for social services programs and a fiscal and policy analyst for the California Legislative Analyst’s Office. She has a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia, and an M.S. in Public Policy and Management from the Heinz College of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Cathy is a past member of the National Association of Counties (NACo) Board of Directors and a Past President of the National Association of County Human Services Agencies (NACHSA). She continues to serve on the NACHSA Board of Directors and currently is a Vice Chair of the Aging Subcommittee of the NACo Human Services and Education Steering Committee, of which she is a longtime member.