Gena M. Castro Rodriguez

Dr. Gena Castro Rodriguez is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, educator, and nationally recognized leader with more than three decades of experience in trauma-informed care, victim advocacy, mental health, and community wellness. Grounded in social justice and equity, her work expands culturally responsive services for survivors of violence and historically underserved communities.

Dr. Castro Rodriguez has held leadership roles including Executive Director of the National Alliance for Trauma Recovery Centers at UCSF, Chief of Victim Services for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, and Director of the Survivor Center at the Prosecutors Alliance.

She is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Practice for the Marriage and Family Therapy program at the University of San Francisco and Co-Director of USF’s Center for Counseling and Community Wellness. Her teaching, clinical leadership, and consulting advance innovative approaches to trauma recovery, mental health, victim advocacy, and systems change grounded in dignity, equity, and healing.

• Trauma informed care
• Interpersonal and community violence
• Criminal justice system responses and reform
• Gender responsive treatment

• Violent crime survivors
• Interpersonal violence
• Criminal and juvenile justice
• Trauma and community mental health

• MFT Traineeship Coordinator, Marriage & Family Therapy, MA (2025-present)
• Appointed by Governor Newsom to the California State Board of State and Community Corrections, Board Member (2025-present)
• Elected Board Member, National Organization for Victim Advocates (2025-present)
• Human Trafficking Expert Committee Member for the California Stop Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program (2016-present)

• California Institute for Integral Studies, PsyD in Clinical Psychology, 2014
• University of San Francisco, MA in Counseling Psychology, 2004
• California State University, Sacramento, BA in Psychology, 1992

• Executive Director, UCSF National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers (Aug. 2023 - March 2025)
• Director of the Survivor Resource and Policy Center, Prosecutors Alliance (June 2021 - June 2023)
• Chief of Services and Parallel Justice Programs, San Francisco District Attorney's Offices (Nov. 2014 - June 2021)

• End Violence Against Women International Champion of Change Award Winner (2020)
• Award for Excellence in Victims Services, San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, San Francisco (2018)
• Outstanding Advocate for Human Dignity & Freedom Award, National Council of Jewish Women, San Francisco (2018)
• Women’s History Month Honoree, San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2016)
• Certificate of Merit and Appreciation for Work in Domestic Violence, San Francisco Police Department (2015)

• De La Rue, L., Ortega, L. and Castro Rodriguez, G. (2023). We Are Humans Too: Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Victim Advocates. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology. 
• Castro Rodriguez, G. (2022). Survivor Voices. Prosecutors Alliance California. San Francisco. 
• Castro Rodriguez, G. (2020) Victim Impact Survey Report. San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, Victim Services Division.
• Bass, P. and Castro Rodriguez, G. (2018). Burnout: Pediatrician, Heal Thyself. Modern Medicine Network.Contemporary Pediatrics.