Chief Program Officer Patricia Hayden Retires From YWCA

Patricia Hayden was the first person to serve in the position of Chief Program Officer at YWCA. As a member of the Executive Leadership team, she was the highest-ranking African American woman working within the organization for over 20 years. 

Joining the staff in 1988 as the Branch Director of East Cherry, Hayden drove significant growth of programming for youth, women, and families in Central District. As Regional Director of Specialized Services, she became the first director to oversee multiple King County sites and was responsible for expanding YWCA programming focused on the African American community across the region. 

An effective change agent, Hayden was instrumental in the development of the organization’s Race and Social Justice Initiative, its annual Stand Against Racism event in Seattle, and the rollout of data-driven racial equity work planning across the agency.

Her mission-driven leadership has guided YWCA and other nonprofit organizations in Seattle to breakthrough levels of impact, effectiveness, and growth. She was appointed Co-Chair of the City of Seattle’s Gender Equity in Pay Task Force from 2013 to 2016 and helped develop solutions to pay inequities in the city government. She also served as Co-Chair of the Seattle Human Services Coalition for 22 years and led collective advocacy that helped establish the largest revenue sources for human services funding in the region, which has grown from $16 million to over $220 million annually.

Hayden received multiple awards while working at YWCA, including the King County Alliance Leadership Award, City of Seattle Human Services Department Award for Innovative Programs, and Tabor 100 Crystal Eagle Award for Community Leadership. 

Read this farewell message for more details about Patricia Hayden’s accomplishments at YWCA.

Long-time YWCA employee, Jeanice Hardy, has been named to the position of Acting Chief Program Officer. Hardy has worked closely with Hayden for more than 26 years and brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to the role. She is responsible for supporting this transition, maintaining programmatic oversight in King County, and ensuring continued delivery of YWCA’s high-quality community services.