New director coming to Arlington Heights-based Shelter Inc.

Patricia "Pat" Beck will step down as executive director of Arlington Heights-based Shelter Inc. on Friday, July 13, after more than 30 years with the nonprofit agency that provides emergency housing for children and adolescents.

Shelter Inc.'s board has appointed Carina H. Santa Maria, previously director of field education for Dominican University's School of Social Work, as the new executive director.

In a written statement released Tuesday, the board said Beck had made Shelter Inc. her life's work and is leaving a legacy of care and comfort for the children and families the agency has served in the Northwest suburbs.

"Pat's efforts over the course of many years helped build a sustainable organization enabling Shelter to weather many storms and be well positioned for the future," the statement reads.

Though new to Shelter Inc., Santa Maria lives in Arlington Heights with her husband and two sons. She is a founding member of the Arlington Heights community group Voices of Community, Acceptance and Love, whose mission is to bridge differences to created a supportive, connected community that celebrates its diversity and practices tolerance and acceptance.

At Dominican University, Santa Maria managed and coordinated internship experiences for master-level social work students. She also maintained relations with community organizations and served as a clinical instructor.

Before her work at Dominican, she was a community youth counselor for Memorial Health Care Systems, partnered with the sheriff's office in Broward County, Florida, on its juvenile diversion program, and served as the vice president of education and outreach at the Broward Human Trafficking Coalition.

She received her bachelor's degree in psychology and criminology from the University of Tampa in 2007 and earned a master's degree in social work from Dominican University in 2011.