What a wonderful year it has been. As usual, it flies by quickly. I’ve had the good fortune of partnering with the United Way of King County for almost five months. I continue to be impressed by the team’s commitment to the community. We all believe in the value of  United Way to the community and want to secure the legacy of this great work for years to come.

One of the many things I enjoy about leadership is investments in people and culture. I am proud of our current series of training courses on a Culture of Care. We know the work and brand of the United Way of King County rests with the talented individuals who choose to share their gifts through this organization with the community.

Leadership is entrusted with the responsibility of making sure we create and cultivate a culture that genuinely and consistently nurtures our team members.

As we prepare for the next leader, I want to make sure that this organization is healthy in every way.

As we look ahead to the New Year, we are excited to continue our ParentChild+ program with hopes of scaling that work. We are seeing partners invest in the Our Neighbor Fund, which allows us to invest across our services in response to the pressing, current, and immediate needs of our community. Our board is preparing to search for the next president and CEO and has developed a thoughtful and intentional search process and partnership with a retained firm.

I take seriously my responsibility to best position this organization for its next leader. It is an imperative for me as we finish the year strong. We will carry this momentum into the next year. We will keep working to nurture an environment that will allow the next leader to say yes to an organization ready for the next iteration of leadership.

Thanks to everyone, staff, board, partners, investors, champions, and cheerleaders of United Way of King County. Please know I value and appreciate you. We are impactful because of you. We are valuable because of you. We are trusted because of you.

My hope is that each of you will take time over the holiday season to rest, renew, and enjoy time in whatever way brings you joy. We have greater work to do together.

I’m so honored to lead this beloved organization into 2026.