COA Accreditation Volunteer Spotlight: Francisco Javier Brizuela

Through COA Accreditation, a service of Social Current, we seek to empower organizations to implement best practice standards to improve service delivery and achieve better outcomes for individuals and communities. COA Accreditation provides a framework to help organizations manage resources, incorporate best practices, and strive for continuous improvement.

We believe there is rich expertise in our field, so we ground the COA Accreditation process in our human and social services community. Our volunteer peer reviewers conduct our site visits and finalize accreditation decisions.

We are proud to spotlight the latest Volunteer of the Quarter: Francisco Javier Brizuela.

About Francisco Javier Brizuela

Francisco J. Brizuela received his first COA Accreditation training in 1998 during his tenure with Catholic Charities of Miami, where he was the director of the child welfare division. He also served as an assistant professor at Graceland University and Miami Dade College, where he eventually advanced into the role of director of assessment and compliance. 

As a volunteer, Francisco was given the opportunity to train in the COA Accreditation process for U.S. military children and family services, including school age programs and family services. Serving as a COA Accreditation peer reviewer for military programs opened the doors of the Department of Defense for Francisco when he received an offer to work for the U.S. Department of the Army in 2011. Currently, Francisco serves as the chief of child and youth programs at Dover Air Force Base.

Q&A

What three traits define you?

Integrity, honesty, and gratefulness.

What are your strongest beliefs about the value of COA Accreditation?

The accreditation process is a peer review rather than an audit. It is an opportunity for us to “peel the onion” and help agencies unveil and share their best practices. 

What advice would you give someone interested in being a COA Accreditation volunteer?

Always be willing to learn, be humble and considerate to others.

What excites, surprises, and/or challenges you the most about the work you do as a COA Accreditation volunteer?

Being a COA Accreditation volunteer allows me to learn new things and validate the wonderful things agencies from the US and around the world do to change people’s lives.

What led you to become a COA Accreditation volunteer?

I fell in love with COA Accreditation while going through my first COA Accreditation process during my tenure with years in Catholic Charities of Miami in 1997.

Learn more about how to become a peer review volunteer and apply online.