Noah Warren

Fueled by his exposure to the impact of mental health and trauma on individuals and families, and the influence of an activist mother, Noah learned early on that he had a passion for helping people, and has spent the entirety of his professional career serving the most vulnerable populations in some capacity. After receiving his degree in Psychology and Sociology from UC Davis, he set out on a mission to provide direction and hope to young people in the foster care and juvenile justice system placed in out-of-home care. This led him on a path of nearly a decade of direct care at a group home and a residential treatment center with adolescents struggling with co-occurring disorders, family systems dysfunction, involvement in the juvenile justice system and multigenerational trauma. While there, Noah discovered that the program that had been in place long before him wasn’t serving the young men they were treating anymore, and was given full support from the CEO to re-write the program. Noah worked with residents, direct care staff—both new and old, the clinical team, a consultant, and other key stakeholders to develop a new, strengths-based approach that focused on skill building and empowerment, which almost immediately increased retention, improved treatment outcomes, reduced property damage and violence, and increased successful treatment completion.

In his time as Program Director, Noah developed an interest in the fundraising and operational aspects of the organization and transitioned into a consulting role, assisting with accreditation, fund development and capacity building. Through working with many organizations throughout California, he learned that with a commitment to changing lives, and the ability to create safe space and a culture of compassion, an aligned team can have a real impact on the world. It was along this journey that he crossed paths with a team of uniquely passionate and driven individuals looking to create something different for people – a place where people can rediscover their dreams and reignite their spark that may have dulled through the use of substances to escape… And he knew he had to be a part of this.

Noah joined Roots in 2015 (then UCSC), bringing his compassion, background in direct service and administration within treatment, personal experience with substance abuse, and innovation, and together built Roots Through Recovery. In the past year, Noah’s role has matured as he discovered a natural transfer of skills and love for business development. He continues to support the program development and helps drive innovation with the belief that sometimes things are only the way they are because no one has challenged them yet.