CEO Message: Moving Forward as "One YWCA"

Here at YWCA, staff members are working hard to meet the needs of participants at this time of year: protecting unhoused women from the heat at Angeline's Day Center, providing learning opportunities for students, and preparing families for the next school year.

This year has brought some significant transitions to our association, from the retirement of Patricia Hayden after more than 35 years, to the upcoming conclusion of our three-year strategic direction in 2025. After months of discussion with senior staff across the agency about opportunities for our evolution and vision for the future, I'm excited to share some news with you.

I'm proud to announce that Jeanice Hardy has been named Chief Programs Officer and Mary Anne Dillon has been named Vice President of Programs, effective July 1. In these new leadership roles, both will provide oversight of all direct service programs across King County and Snohomish County.

This change reflects that YWCA is a single organization, operating more than two dozen locations from Everett to Auburn and serving more than 7,000 people annually. We are "One YWCA."

This approach will help streamline YWCA's continuum of services for participants and expand the availability of programs across the region. It builds on the work of our strategic direction to improve processes, increase staff resources, and ultimately strengthen our ability to move women, children, and families from surviving to thriving.

You'll hear more from me about "One YWCA" in the coming months as we move forward thoughtfully and strategically to implement changes within the organization.

I'm deeply grateful for your support of our mission and look forward to moving forward together toward the next phase of YWCA's evolution. 

With gratitude,
Maria Chavez-Wilcox, Chief Executive Officer