Joe Buehrle

Joe Buehrle is an accomplished nonprofit executive with over 20 years of experience leading systems-change initiatives across child abuse prevention, social justice, and community health. As a mission-driven leader, Joe brings deep expertise in strategic planning, multi-sector collaboration, and sustainable organizational growth, with a proven track record of advancing equity, resilience, and impact at scale.

As Home Start’s new Chief Executive Officer, Joe brings a widely recognized reputation for an authentic, inclusive leadership style and visionary approach to nonprofit management. Prior to his CEO appointment, he served as Vice President of Strategy and Development at SAY San Diego, where he championed organizational strategy, sustainable growth, guided agency-wide equity and inclusion initiatives, and consistently helped annually secure millions in new multi-year government contracts and private philanthropy.

Joe is the founding Board Chair of Zero8hundred, a regional military transition support network, and previously chaired the San Diego Nonprofit Association. He has also held numerous leadership and advisory roles with statewide and national organizations focused on family support, prevention, and social equity.  He currently serves on the board of the California Coalition for Youth.

Joe earned his Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in Community Organization, Social Systems, and Management.

In his free time, Joe enjoys Saturday morning Mission Trails hikes with his family and their dog Roxy, checking out new restaurants with friends, and volunteering for the kids’ elementary school dads’ group.