Executive Director, SAFE Family Justice Centers
Growing up as the youngest of five brothers, Marshall Hamilton learned early that families can be complicated. He grew up in a close-knit family whose story also included dysfunction and violence. Those experiences would eventually influence his career, although not in the way he expected.
He knew he wanted to help people and was drawn to social work, though he imagined that it might mean therapy, social services, or teaching. While completing his bachelor’s degree, an unexpected internship brought him to SAFE Family Justice Centers. What he found at SAFE FJC was less about having the right answer for someone and more about helping them find their own.
That idea stayed with him as his role evolved. Over time, taking on new challenges and stepping in where he could be useful led to increasing responsibility and, ultimately, his appointment as Executive Director.
Some of his favorite parts of the work are the ones that were never really part of the job description. Survivors he worked with early in his career still reach out years later to share where they are now. Kids and families he met through Riverside County PAL stayed connected long after their programs ended. For Marshall, getting to witness what happens after someone walks out the door has become one of the most meaningful parts of the work.
At 28, he is just six months older than the organization he leads. Founded by community members nearly three decades ago, SAFE FJC exists because people recognized a need and came together to respond. As he considers what comes next, he is interested in understanding what got SAFE FJC here and how that same spirit of community can move it forward.
His approach to leadership continues to evolve. One of the biggest lessons has been accepting that no one knows everything. He values asking questions, learning from people with different expertise, and creating opportunities for others to grow. He credits the mentors and leaders who invested in him with shaping the leader he is still becoming.
Today, SAFE FJC serves nearly 4,000 people each year through its three centers, providing more than 42,000 services last year. As funding for victim services continues to change, his focus is ensuring that the organization is sustainable and responsive to survivors and families. He wants SAFE FJC to be known not simply for a list of services, but as a place where someone can arrive in a complicated situation and find people willing to help navigate what comes next.
Outside of work, family occupies a significant part of his life. He remains close with his brothers and their families and shares guardianship of two teenage nieces. His family is large, sometimes complicated, and deeply important to him. A longtime Swiftie, he also makes space for creativity through painting and trying new projects. He self-published poetry when he was younger and believes adults could hold onto a little more of the wonder they had as kids.
Marshall has come to appreciate that he doesn’t need to have everything figured out. There is still plenty to learn, question, and discover about what comes next.
- Walk for Someone You Love: Walk of Hope Returns October 25th to Bring the Community Together Against Cancer - October 1, 2026
- EXECUTIVE PROFILE: Marshall Hamilton - October 1, 2026
- EXECUTIVE PROFILE: Romy Fazeli - August 31, 2026