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Planting Seeds with Vicky Machado, Social Services Agency Supervisor

Celebrating 50 years of public service

a group of people pose for a photo in the Board Chambers.

Ernestine Victoria (Vicky) Machado immigrated to the U.S. from Portugal with her parents when she was 8 years old. She learned enough English by the age of 10 to translate for her mother. Her early life planted the seeds for a 50-year career with the County of Santa Clara Social Services Agency. 

I’m an immigrant and I witnessed the struggles that immigrants went through when my family moved here from Portugal. That led me to social work and motivated me to make a difference in the world,” said Machado. 

A person sits at a desk in an office. They are looking at their computer monitors.
Vicky Machado works in her office.

Machado earned her bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University (later earning a master’s degree in 1979) and immediately wanted to become a social worker. There weren’t any openings with the County at the time, so she began as an extra help Eligibility Worker in December 1973, and was hired as a full-time Eligibility Worker seven months later. In May 1977, she became a Social Worker II and in 1982, she began providing services

 to adults and children as a part of the multi-cultural unit.

“I got hired full-time as the Portuguese social worker and I was impressed with how much the County cared about this community,” said Machado. “I was in a multi-cultural unit that had many different speaking social workers, and our focus was on our community. I did intakes at the Portuguese Community Center, which I enjoyed.”

Machado then worked in the Department of Family and Children’s Services, where she provided child welfare case management services to families involved with the juvenile court. 

two people in an office setting talking to each other. there is a photo copier to the right of the photo.
Larry Merkur and Vicky Machado share a moment in the Department of Family and Children Services Office.

“Vicky’s strength and longevity in the social work field of child welfare is evident in how she exemplifies being anchored in the mission of giving children a future,” said Machado’s Supervisor, Larry Merkur. “The field is constantly ebbing and flowing with challenging tides of reinventing itself. Navigating those changes and remaining true to keeping children safe, and helping to pave a future for them, without being dragged out to sea by the tide of reinvention has been her mark on this field, and her legacy.”

“We’re always thrilled when we can help a family in crisis get back together,” said Machado. “It’s rewarding when parents learn how to take care of their children in a healthy way. The clients that do well often form strong relationships with their social worker.” 

During her 29 years as a social worker, Machado worked diligently to stay up-to-date on changes to federal and state laws and regulations. As a social worker, Machado was responsible for assessing and conveying to a judge the County’s recommendation for what was best for the welfare of a child in each unique situation. Machado was promoted to a supervisory role in 2008.

one adult and two children pose in front of a locomotive in a museum.
Vicky sits with two of her grandchildren at the Sacramento Train Museum

“The number of problems you see coming in can be overwhelming,” said Machado. “The tragedies you see take tolls emotionally. One of my first supervisors taught me that to survive, you have to adapt and detach when you go home, and then to jump back into it the next day.”   

In retirement, Machado plans to travel with her husband Joe, garden, and teach her grandkids how to play golf. Vicky is a founding member of the Portuguese Organization for Social Services and Opportunities and plans to stay active with that organization as well as perform child welfare advocacy at the local and state levels.

“Vicky embodies the spirit of what it means to be a social worker,” said Social Services Agency Director Daniel Little. “She has dedicated her career to caring for our community’s most vulnerable children and families. Vicky leads with compassion, empathy, tenacity, and professionalism and has been a role model for so many within our agency. We are extremely fortunate to have benefited from Vicky’s passion for social work.” 

For the next generation of social workers starting today, Machado wants to impart her 50 years of wisdom on those she supervises.

two people at a work cubicle. One person is seated looking at their computer, the other is looking over their shoulder.
Vicky works with a social worker she supervises on a case.

“I tell my workers we’re planting seeds of caring, and the most important thing is to understand where people come from and to be patient and to

 be kind,” said Machado. “It may take time because of how complicated it is, but in the long run, it’s rewarding work, and you can do it. As a social worker, it’s up to you to determine what a child needs, decide the best course of action and be adaptable when things change. There can be lots of things swirling around – it’s up to us to determine what’s best for this child.”

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