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Sam Cobbs
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Sam Cobbs
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Sam Cobbs
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President, Tipping Point Community
Cal State East Bay
B.A., Psychology (1999)
M.S., Counseling (2006)
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After joining Tipping Point Community as chief program officer in 2018, Cobbs was promoted to president in January 2019 and then to CEO in November 2019. Tipping Point fights poverty in the Bay Area and has pledged more than $100 million to educate, employ, house and support those in need.
Under his leadership as CEO, First Place for Youth grew from a grassroots organization into one of the country's largest providers of housing and services for former foster youth. Cobbs garnered support from national funders and testified before the House of Representatives in favor of extending foster care for emancipating youth.
At Larkin Street Youth Services, Cobbs opened San Francisco's first emergency shelter for young adults and assisted in the design and implementation of two innovative housing programs for youth: Ellis Street Apartments, San Francisco's first permanent supportive housing program for youth and Larkin Extended Aftercare for Supportive Emancipation.
Having experienced poverty and homelessness himself, Cobbs's education and career paths are personal; as a child, his family struggled to make ends meet and even faced being rejected for public assistance. He has empathy and understanding for the people and communities he serves.
Cobbs received the Children and Family Fellowship from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the 2010 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award, and the Red Cross Community Hero Award. He has also served in leadership positions at Juma Ventures and the Boys & Girls Club of Oakland and is a board member at New Profit.
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