Leadership

The MDC Board of Directors is composed of leaders in business, social services, non-profit organizations, and government. Their expertise helps establish our direction, assess our impact, and drive our vision of human beings exiting poverty.

The MDC programs are supported by grants from federal, state, and local government, and by contributions from private foundations, businesses, and individuals. 

Are you interested in becoming a board member?

Complete this interest form: Board Member Interest Form

Board of Directors

As an former instructor in the school of social work at Pacific Lutheran University, Connie has been on MDC’s board for the past three years. Her experience as a Tacoma City Council Member, State Legislator and Pierce County Council Member strengthens her vision for MDC as a leader in human services. Connie is inspired by MDC’s commitment to those in need. When not volunteering, Connie loves spending time with her sprawling family, enjoying her cabin by Mayfield Lake and playing golf.

Georgia has always worked in HealthCare to provide access to services that help improve patient outcomes and provide quality of care. She engaged with MDC to work with an organization that provides programs designed to help members of the community with resources and hope. Georgia is most proud of the expanded resources provided this year and MDC’s commitment to better serve the community.

Cynthia has been an integral part of the MDC family since October 2020. After a collaborative effort with the League of Women Voters and the University of Washington, Cynthia is an advocate for lifting the burden of poverty in our community and beyond. Now retired, Cynthia’s days are filled with volunteering, reading and traveling. She is honored to contribute to the impact MDC has in the community for those living with less.

A board member since 2022, Alexa believes in servant leadership and fulfills that through her involvement with MDC. As a Tacoma native, she is drawn to MDC for its reputation of unwavering service and dedication to Pierce County and is truly proud to serve alongside fellow community advocates. Alexa is currently a Business, Paralegal & Technology Pathway Specialist at Tacoma Community College, with nearly 15 years of higher education experience.

A board member at MDC for four years, Dr. Banks is an associate professor of criminal justice and former Washington State Patrol officer. His experience of poverty as a child in Illinois has driven him to make an impact. Dr. Banks strives to inspire resilience and resourcefulness among families experiencing homelessness. When he’s away from his desk, Dr. Banks enjoys weightlifting, hiking and traveling, embracing all of life’s adventures.

Kim has lived in Tacoma WA for 48years attending elementary through high school at Tacoma Public Schools where she raised three sons as a single parent, experiencing poverty and relying on community agencies such as MDC.
Kim obtained a bachelor’s degree in science and psychology with Pacific Lutheran University, a master’s in education, curriculum and design, early childhood education and equity diversity and social justice through Concordia Lutheran of Portland Or.
She has worked and served children and families for over 10 years in various settings including, behavioral health, early learning programs, a child welfare social worker and supervisor and currently as a parent representative social worker for Washington State Office of Public Defense.
Kim also volunteers with multiple community organizations such as IBJ (Institute for Black Justice) and Next Chapter housing program to reduce barriers such as homelessness, parenting education, job and employment, substance abuse and mental and behavioral health within the BIOPIC and low-income families within our community.

With over a decade of experience at Tacoma Community College, Sean stands as a dedicated Administrative Assistant to the Dean of Business, Paralegal & Technology. His commitment to academia extends back to The Evergreen State College, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with active involvement in the Community Fair Committee. Prior to that, Sean achieved an AAS in Human Services at Tacoma Community College, during which time he actively participated in Phi Theta Kappa and served as ASTCC Secretary/Student Government representative. Beyond his academic accomplishments, Sean embraces a personal mission of giving back to the community, driven by his journey in recovery. His passion for service underscores a life dedicated to both personal growth and contributing positively to the welfare of others.

Since joining MDC a year and a half ago, Thais has been inspired by the organization’s commitment to end poverty and support those battling addiction. For her, the MDC is doing more than just providing aid – we’re fostering hope and independence for our neighbors in recovery. Beyond volunteering, Thais serves as the Director of Engineering for The Northwest Seaport Alliance. She cherishes every moment she spends with her family.

A financial advisor by profession, Elwis has been with MDC since January 2020. Throughout his career in banking, he was driven to make a positive impact on society, and MDC provided the perfect platform to do so. Elwis is constantly inspired by the community he serves, leading with empathy and an open heart no matter the task. When he’s not volunteering with MDC, Elwis can be found coaching youth sports or barbecuing for his family and friends.

CC was raised in a proud Mexican family with eleven children and nurtured in an environment that taught the importance of family, inclusion, and service to others. She is a licensed Substance Use Disorder Professional, and recently retired after working in the field of substance use disorders and mental health for over 30 years. For the last 7 years, her employment focused on securing housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. She enjoys traveling, gardening, meditation, water aerobics, and spending time with friends and family.

Chanel Rhymes is the co-owner of Monarch Consulting LLC and the Director of Advocacy for the Northwest Community Bail Fund. Prior to joining the Northwest Community Bail fund, Chanel served as the Legislative Relations Manager for the Office of Corrections Ombuds during the 2020 legislative session. She was also the Court Program Analyst for the Washington Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission (MJC), executing the mission of ensuring that all courts in the state of Washington remain free of bias so that justice might be adjudicated in a neutral and fair manner. Chanel was raised in Tacoma, Washington, and received her BA from Evergreen State College with a focus in Law and Government Policy.

As an Admissions Coordinator at Caldera Care, Sophia has the privilege to work with the elderly population, leading a dedicated team in ensuring top-notch care. Her journey from Kenya to America in 2020 has been enriching, and she firmly believes in the power of serving others. 
Currently pursuing a degree in procurement and Logistics, with a special focus on strategic management, Sophia aims to enhance her skills in coordinating various industry aspects effectively. Complemented by a Diploma in business management, her understanding of the business side of healthcare is holistic.

Senior Leadership

Scott Schubert was previously the Executive Director of Housing and Homeless Services at the YMCA of Greater Seattle – the largest housing provider for young adults in Washington State. Scott joins MDC with strong ties to the Pierce and King County area with a diverse background in strategy, innovation, compliance and service delivery. Scott is a strong advocate for the LGBTQ and disabled communities and brings this lens into all aspects of his leadership. 

Scott began his social services career as a Program Coordinator and has since held roles at all levels in medium to large direct service non-profits. When applying for the CEO position, Scott was drawn to the long history MDC has in Pierce County addressing poverty, from immediate relief to advocating for systems change. Scott believes in the power of collective action to improve the health and well-being of people experiencing poverty and is excited to lead MDC to greater impact. 

With ten years of fundraising experience, Timm is committed to philanthropy and stewarding relationships that create sustainable and positive impact in the Puget Sound community.

Fascinated by the power of communication, his personal mission is to unite people behind issues that move us forward together. Whether it’s promoting independent and creative passions, engaging philanthropic stakeholders, or crafting strategic mission narratives, Timm strives to bring out the best in organizations and people. He believes the non-profit sector is a vehicle in which communities can exercise self-reliance efficiently and effectively.

 

Melissa Fenswick’s previous position was at Kitsap Humane Society as their Director of Finance and Human Resources from 2018-2023.  Prior to the Humane Society Melissa worked as the Accounting and Human Resource Manager/Director for several different nonprofit nursing homes and assisted livings in Hawaii and Washington state.  Melissa started her career in accounting in California during the Silicon Valley boom supporting several different tech R&D companies.

Nonprofits has always been her passion especially human services and within weeks of deciding to make the leap back into human services the Controller position at MDC became available.  Melissa wants to be part of MDC’s mission to help support individuals towards life changing growth, through MDC’s myriad of programs. She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this amazing agency’s legacy.

Care with compassion is my motto as the Director of Housing & Care Management. I have been with MDC since 2000. I started as an on-call Licensed Practical Nurse, while working in the Withdrawal Management Center (Tacoma Detoxification Center). I held this position for several years, moving from on-call to Lead nurse to Program Manager in 2013. In 2017 I accepted the position of  Director of Care Management and later adding the Housing Division. I am a firm believer that Housing is Healthcare and you cannot have one without the other, if we hope to end homelessness. I am a Wife, a Mother, a Grandmother, a Veteran and Master in Taekwondo. My personal satisfaction comes when others succeed.

Kurt believes in the power of technology to better serve our community. He began his career at MDC in 2001, providing direct service to participants, and has since served in multiple management and leadership roles. He later transitioned to IT and has been in his current role for over 10 years. In addition to overseeing information and computer systems, Kurt contributes to project management, business analysis, process improvement, and organizational compliance. He enjoys continuous learning and growth, regularly taking online classes and in-progress on multiple books.  To keep centered and balanced, he enjoys meditation and in 2023 became a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher. 

 

Denise Wells has served her community through MDC since 2014.  She graduated from UW-Tacoma in 2005 with her Bachelor of Business Administration – Accounting and has worked in the Accounting and Finance field since 2005. Prior to this, Denise was a proud member of the United States Army for 8 years and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant who served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm before her exit in 1998. Denise transitioned to the Director of Compliance role mid-year 2023. Her lifelong objective has been and is to serve others and make their lives just a little bit better. MDC is a Community Action Agency and serves the community with Pride and Duty.  This keeps Denise solidly committed to MDC’s goals and objectives to serve this community.