Meet Our Team
We are a diverse, passionate group of individuals working as a team and united by a shared commitment to equitable solutions to homelessness.
Staff
Katherine Bicknell
Communications Specialist
Katherine Bicknell manages communications efforts with a focus on digital/social media strategy.
Kayla Blau
Senior Education Strategist
Kayla Blau, MSW, leads Building Changes’ work in education and student homelessness.
Atlas Fernandez
Manager, Community Capacity Building & Grantmaking
Atlas Fernandez manages grantmaking and capacity building within the organization's housing crisis and health areas of work.
Dimitri Groce
Director of Practice Innovation
Dimitri Groce, MSW, oversees the Practice Innovation team and leads programmatic strategy development and implementation related to housing, education, and health.
Julius Henrichsen
Youth & Young Adult Diversion Portfolio Specialist
Julius coordinates project implementation, training, peer learning, and outreach efforts for the Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP) and the Homelessness Prevention & Diversion Fund (HPDF).
Kyle Lane
Development Officer
Kyle Lane manages efforts to raise funds in support of the organization's mission through individual and institutional giving.
Liam McEvilly
Senior Strategy Specialist, Education & Housing Grants
Liam McEvilly leads grantmaking and capacity building efforts with a focus on Homeless Student Stability Program and Washington Youth & Families Fund grantees.
Betsy Naymon
Senior Research Associate
Betsy Naymon leads research, evaluation, and data analysis projects, with a focus on education systems and student homelessness.
Devin Noel-Endres
Senior Research Associate
Devin Noel-Endres leads research, evaluation, and data analysis projects, with a focus on youth and young adult homelessness.
mandy park
Director of Operations
mandy park oversees internal operations and board relations, while also tracking Building Changes' programmatic workplans and strategic direction.
Jaclyn Pueyo
Director of Finance
Jaclyn Pueyo oversees all accounting activities for Building Changes and also helps guide strategic financial decisions.
Bree Quatacker
Senior Contracts & Grants Manager
Bree Quatacker supports Building Changes' technical grantmaking strategy, leads administration of incoming and outgoing contracts and database management, and provides risk assessment and advisement.
Mehret Tekle-Awarun
Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships
Mehret Tekle-Awarun oversees programmatic initiatives and partnerships in support of Building Changes’ 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. She leads the directors and their teams in Practice Innovation, Research & Evaluation, Policy & Advocacy, and Communications. Mehret serves as the “dot connector” aligning information, opportunities, operations, and workflow across our housing crisis, education, and health project areas.
Miranda Vargas
Senior Health Strategy Specialist
Miranda Vargas, MPH, leads Building Changes' work in health, focusing on developing strategies to meet the health and housing needs of children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness.
Fabian Vasquez
Grants and Institutional Engagement Officer
Fabian Vasquez leads grant writing and manages institutional fundraising to support the organization's strategic goals.
Manami Wakuta
Staff Accountant
Manami Wakuta maintains and supports internal controls associated with cash receipts, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and other accounting processes.
Tasha West-Baker
Director of People & Culture
Tasha West-Baker oversees and guides Building Changes' employee relations and race equity initiatives.
Kalyn Y.
Director of Research & Evaluation
Kalyn Y., MPH, oversees Research and Evaluation, including research, evaluation, and data analysis for housing and health projects, with a focus on the Washington Youth & Families Fund.
Aaron Yared
Director of Policy & Advocacy
Aaron Yared, MA, JD, oversees Building Changes' policy and advocacy work, including developing and advancing a state legislative agenda that supports the organization's strategic goals.
Daniel Narváez Zavala
Executive Director
Daniel Narváez Zavala, JD, MA, oversees all aspects of Building Changes' operations and leads the organization's efforts to advance equitable responses to homelessness. Prior to assuming the role of executive director, Daniel served as director of policy and strategic communications.
Board of Directors
J. Wesley Saint Clair
President
Retired, King County Superior Court Judge
Rogers Weed
Immediate Past President, Interim Treasurer
Managing Director, Clobotics Corporation
He/Him/His
David Wertheimer
Secretary
Retired, Director of Community & Civic Engagement, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
He/Him/His
Chad Swaney
Curriculum Developer, WA Cares Fund
He/Him/His
Michael Brown
Chief Architect of Civic Commons, The Seattle Foundation
He/Him/His
Rhonda Hauff
CEO, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
She/Her/Hers
Tracy Hilliard
Director, ORS Impact
Diane Lee
Senior Manager, Amazon
Lupe Mares-Rojas
Executive Director, Communities In Schools of Benton-Franklin
She/Her/Ella
Malena Fairlight Pinkham
Attorney, Northwest Justice Project Foreclosure Prevention Unit
Erica Wiley
Director of Development, Weld Seattle