Board of Trustees

Children’s Home Society of Washington elects Highline College president, influential BIPOC community leader as new board member

Children’s Home Society of Washington elects Highline College president, influential BIPOC community leader as new board member

“Adding a leader to our Board of Trustees with a proven track record of long-standing community engagement and dedication to racial equity and social justice underscores CHSW’s commitment to making a difference in the lives of children and families in communities throughout Washington state, with an emphasis on communities of color – often hardest hit by crises afflicting the families we serve,” said Dave Newell, president and CEO of Children’s Home Society of Washington. “We are enthusiastic about deepening our diversity, equity and inclusion work throughout the state with the support of our engaged Board of Trustees and staff.”

Children’s Home Society of Washington Appoints Two New Board Members

Children’s Home Society of Washington
appoints two new board members

SEATTLE—Dec. 16, 2019—Children’s Home Society of Washington (CHSW) has added two new community leaders and industry experts to its Board of Trustees, bringing the board’s total size to 21 members.

“Adding these leaders to our board continues to underscore our commitment as an organization to making a difference in the lives of children and families in communities throughout Washington state,” said Andy MacDonald, board chair of CHSW. “We are enthusiastic about deepening our local connections in the communities we serve and reaching a diverse population with the help of our growing Board of Trustees."

“Our organization’s future can only benefit from the addition of these two exceptional individuals on our board,” said David Newell, president and CEO of CHSW. “It is an honor to collaborate with our new board members – Dr. Pamela Cress and Maria Berardo – as we continue to shape the next phase of our organization’s growth.”  

The following individuals have been appointed to the CHSW Board of Trustees:

About Maria Berardo
An Argentine native, Berardo immigrated to the United States over 15 years ago where her first full-time job in the states was with CHSW, working on a program then-called Healthy Start, coaching young parents to raise their kids. Berardo is a seasoned, strategic human resources professional with more than 25 years of experience managing end-to-end Human Resources functions in multinational companies spanning the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, India and Asia Pacific. Her current role is global senior director of HR and Operations for CloudMoyo in Bellevue. Her passion for serving multicultural families coupled with her extensive interpersonal professional experience resulted in a desire to participate in continuing to shape the future of CHSW as a board member. Berardo received a double Master in Business Administration from Cornell and Queens Universities, a master’s degree from University of Salvador and bachelor’s degree from University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

About Dr. Pamela Cress
As a Tennessean by birth, Dr. Cress exhibits the enthusiasm of a Walla Walla Valley native, developed over more than 30 years of residency, service, deep involvement and community impact in the region. Pam has served as a board commissioner for the Walla Walla City Housing Authority and as a board member for various companies including United Way Walla Walla, Walla Walla Rotary Club, Helpline and Blue Mountain Credit Union board. She has benefited Walla Walla County by acting as a member of the Substance Abuse Task Force, Chemical Dependency Board, Interagency Coordinating Council overseeing birth through age three services for children with developmental delays and/or disabilities, Homeless Coalition, and Food Bank Advisory Board. Her involvement with the Educational Service District No. 123 of Walla Walla has included surrogate parenting and membership on the Training Advisory Board. Her expansive community engagement and affinity for altruistic work led Pam to seek a seat on the CHSW board. Cress received her doctorate degree in the School of Education Leadership from Andrews University, Master in Social Work from Walla Walla University and Bachelor of Social Work from Walla Walla College. She is currently the associate vice president of academics for graduate studies at Walla Walla University.

For more information about CHSW, call (206) 695-3200 or visit www.childrenshomesociety.org.

Founded in 1896, Children’s Home Society of Washington is the oldest and largest statewide nonprofit children’s organization—serving more than 39,000 children and their families. Its mission is to develop healthy children, create strong families, build engaged communities, and speak and advocate for children.

CONTACT: Kristen Conte, Director, Marketing & Communications, Children’s Home Society of Washington, (206) 308-6752, Kristen.Conte@chs-wa.org

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