Founder and Executive Director at Alexandia House

Judy Vaughan, csj is currently the Founding Director of Alexandria House where she lives and works. Founded in 1996, Alexandria House is thirty-year-old transitional residence and neighborhood center for families in need.  Judy has spent more than forty-five years in program development, administration, board collaboration and fund-raising for national and community-based organizations. She is currently working with other women to create the Community Collaboration LA – a community-based home focused on providing mental health and wellness services and activities for frontline workers in social services, who themselves have dealt with traumatic experiences in their own lives.

Before returning to Los Angeles in 1996, Judy served as Project Coordinator for Women for Guatemala, a solidarity organization committed to raising awareness about human rights abuses in Guatemala and to offering financial support for women’s efforts in Guatemala. From 1986 – 1992 she was National Coordinator for the National Assembly of Religious Women, a Catholic feminist organization committed to working for justice in church and society. During this time and to the present, Judy has co-facilitated over 100 “Multicultural Look at Racism” workshops throughout the United States. She was Director of House of Ruth in East Los Angeles from 1982 to 1986. In addition, Judy has served as a college educator in California, including being adjunct faculty in the Education Department at Mount St. Mary’s College. 

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Religious Social Ethics from the University of Chicago (1982), an M.A. in Sociology from San Diego State University (1971) and a B.A. in Sociology (Magna Cum Laude) from Mount St. Mary’s College (1968). 

Judy is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Los Angeles and co-parents a daughter who came into her life at four days old . . . and now is 27 years old.