San Diego City Wire

A San Diego County probation supervisor has been honored with the California Probation Employee of the Year award. Yvonne Salgado, a special projects supervisor for Youth Development and Community Support Services, received this recognition from the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), which represents all 58 counties in the state.

Salgado was initially awarded the Southern Region Employee of the Year along with four other regional winners. She was then selected as the overall winner among these recipients at CPOC's annual awards ceremony held earlier this month.

Chief Probation Officer for San Diego County, Tamika Nelson, praised Salgado's leadership and dedication: “A true leader, Yvonne encourages excellence from her staff, fosters a culture of learning, and is dedicated to advancing the core values of our Probation Department.” Nelson added that Salgado's work has had a transformative impact on both County Probation and the broader California probation profession.

Salgado led efforts to incorporate an ICWA Node in the Probation case management system to note if a child was affected by the Child Welfare Act. This involved implementing policy and procedures in collaboration with Tribal Star and working with county staff on technological aspects.

Additionally, she worked with community partners to create a comprehensive Community Resource Directory for program referrals. Salgado also organized a virtual resource fair where community partners could present their programs and engage with participants. The directory now includes ICWA partners as well.

Tulare County Probation Chief Kelly Vernon, president of CPOC, commended Salgado: “Officer Salgado exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated and forward-thinking leader,” he said. Her collaborative approach serves as a model for probation work across California.