Martha Winnacker is an attorney and retired University of California administrator. Her interest in serving on Family Paths’ board grew directly out of her time as a public defender, when she represented parents and children in cases alleging child abuse and neglect. In that role, she encountered parents and children whose lives were profoundly constricted by poverty. The substance abuse and mental health issues that were frequently involved in bringing these families under court supervision were made intractable by the parents’ poverty and the lack of support and empathy available to them. Walking beside her clients and their families as they struggled to stay together made Martha passionate about the need for mental health services offered with respect and compassion. She is privileged to support the work of Family Paths’ gifted clinicians.