Dear Community,
We are delighted to welcome Marcia Wright-Soika as FamilyWorks’ new Executive Director, effective July 8, 2020! Although our operations and services are not back to normal due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, we will offer opportunities for you to meet Marcia as she embarks as FamilyWorks new Executive Director in the months ahead. For now, please watch the following video introduction to meet Marcia Wright-Soika virtually:
The FamilyWorks Board of Directors empowered a Succession Committee to lead a rigorous search process with support from Valtas Group and in collaboration with staff. Marcia emerged as the ideal leader for FamilyWorks. She brings a broad range of skills, expertise, and strategic vision to the role, as well as a deep commitment to FamilyWorks’ vision and values. We are confident that under her leadership FamilyWorks will continue to connect individuals and families to nourishing food, essential resources, and a supportive community, so people can build resiliency to meet life’s challenges.
Marcia has served community throughout her career, deliberately stepping into the nonprofit sector after being inspired by the strength, resilience, and need of the local communities she covered as a journalist in Pennsylvania. Marcia has led several multi-faceted teams, building strong, productive, and enduring relationships with program participants, her staff and teammates, and mentors. Marcia has significant experience with strategic program design, philanthropy, and communications.
In her most recent role as Director of Philanthropy and Strategic Partnerships for Mercy Housing Northwest, she helped to lead the strategy that launched a new community resource center in South Seattle, inspired in part by the holistic family services offered at FamilyWorks. Marcia expanded Mercy Housing’s visibility in Seattle through community, corporate, and media partnerships and increased revenue for resident services programs in their affordable housing communities. She was also instrumental in ensuring Mercy Housing has the resources for emergency response during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Marcia has demonstrated her strong commitment to racial equity and justice throughout her career by leading racial equity work at each organization where she has served and reinvigorated YWCA Delaware’s vision and strategy for anti-racist work – a critical piece of its mission. Marcia is a highly respected leader in our community, serving on Seattle Women’s Commission and maintaining relationships with local policy makers and funders.
Marcia’s expertise and experience run deep, and the Board and staff are so pleased to begin this next phase of FamilyWorks story together. We share Marcia’s excitement about joining the FamilyWorks community.
“I am truly honored and thrilled that the Board has asked me to be FamilyWorks’ next Executive Director,” said Marcia Wright-Soika. “I’m looking forward to connecting with our volunteers, donors and participants that form this rich and vibrant community. We are going to need every single one of our voices as we steer through the coronavirus pandemic, which has really shown how important and vital FamilyWorks is to the community.”
Thank you for all that you have done to support FamilyWorks and our participants over the last several months. Your partnership has allowed FamilyWorks to nourish and empower families and individuals safely and effectively during this time and your support will continue to be critical in the time to come.
With gratitude,
Alessandra Pollock (Board President) and Clare Breidenich (Succession Committee Chair)