Since October of 2023, A Way Home Washington (AWHWA) Strategic Communications Director, Ben Sung Henry, has served as Interim Executive Director during Julie Patiño’s continuing leave. Thanks to the leadership of Ben and many others, AWHWA is now in a place to continue moving forward in our mission to reduce and ultimately end unaccompanied youth and young adult homelessness in Washington.
It is with great honor that we welcome Meriça Whitehall as the new interim Executive Director of A Way Home Washington, who has assumed the role effective Feb. 26.
Meriça is an experienced and human-centered leader who will partner with us to stabilize and sustain our growth, increase our visibility, strengthen our work, and further build our team. She brings more than 25 years of experience empowering teams, strengthening organizational operations, improving financial performance, and planning and implementing long-term strategy.
Most recently, Meriça served as YouthCare’s Interim COO and Hugo House’s Interim COO and Interim Executive Director. She also previously served as the Executive Director of Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Nebraska, where she spearheaded the creation of a 20-year master plan and completed development of new revenue streams, capital projects, and acquisitions.
Meriça earned an Executive Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University, where she taught frameworks for community engagement as a faculty member following completion of her degree.
Times of change may come and go, but the unshakeable soul of A Way Home Washington is its north-star constant, the fixed point our eyes never waver from — the moment when we’ll see safety and housing stability for every young person in this state. We are inspired to look around our community and see that light burning in your eyes too. Thank you for the passion and strength you all share with us and with each other.
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