Aracelly Bonilla has been named chief financial officer for La Causa, Inc., succeeding Sylvia Zapata, who served as the nonprofit’s CFO for 39 years.

Zapata’s leadership and financial acumen were critical to La Causa’s growth from a bilingual daycare center to the community resource it is today, nonprofit officials said this week.

Her last day with the organization will be April 19.

“Throughout her time with La Causa, Sylvia has played an extremely vital role in ensuring the financial health of this organization,” said La Causa chief executive officer Luis Ayala. “Her leadership and determination will be greatly missed.”

Zapata’s successor, Bonilla, comes from St. Joan Antida where she worked for five years as the private school’s director of finance and operations.

Founded in 1972, La Causa is one of the largest bilingual, multicultural agencies in southeastern Wisconsin, providing a broad range of family-centered programs, including education, early literacy, child abuse prevention, and human services. In addition to the La Causa Charter School, the nonprofit runs a crisis nursery and respite center, early education and care center, as well as various other social services programs for youth and adults.