Building Changes prides itself on our role as a community connector that brings housing and education partners together to better serve children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness in Washington. We are thrilled to announce that two individuals with extensive experience supporting children and youth in their communities have recently joined our Practice Innovation team.
Kayla Blau is our new Senior Education Strategist. She will focus on strengthening all our education-related projects by providing training for school and district staff to improve support for students experiencing homelessness. She will also provide technical assistance for education and housing organizations across the state. As the lead for Building Changes’ School/Housing Network, she will bring together McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons to connect and discuss ways to amplify solutions affecting Washington’s diverse communities. She has a deep understanding of supporting children and youth experiencing homelessness through her background as a children’s advocate at a domestic violence shelter and as a McKinney-Vento specialist with Seattle Public Schools. “I know how siloed direct service work can be, so I’m excited to provide spaces and opportunities for school staff and youth service providers to collaborate, share resources, and problem-solve together,” she said.
Liam McEvilly is our new Senior Strategy Specialist, Education & Housing Grants. He will oversee grantmaking and technical assistance for the Homeless Student Stability Program (HSSP) and Washington Youth & Families Fund (WYFF) youth and young adult grantees. As a former HSSP grantee, he understands the strength of community-centric support and the challenges organizations may have to ensure support for students and families experiencing homelessness. For the past 12 years, he has committed his career to supporting youth in various ways, such as an HSSP coordinator for The REACH Center, an organization that aids youth in Pierce County. “As a youth service provider, I have wanted to know the causes of homelessness in school-aged children. In my new role, I’m excited to use data directly from WYFF and HSSP grantees to learn about the causes of youth homelessness and solutions that can be turned into policy,” he said.
We are excited for Kayla and Liam to join Building Changes as we continue to uplift equitable solutions for children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Their strong backgrounds in supporting youth in housing and education systems will expand the work of the Building Changes’ Practice Innovation team.
Visit Meet Our Team to learn more about our staff.
