Back
Home Team

Passionate people working for a unified purpose.

Meet Akin President and CEO, 
Dave Newell.

In January 2024, Childhaven and Children’s Home Society of Washington merged to become Akin. Dave became the first president and CEO of Akin at that time.

Dave joined the leadership team of Children’s Home Society of Washington in June 2019. At that time, he also joined the board of directors of the Children’s Home Society of America.

Prior to Children’s Home Society of Washington, Dave served as president and CEO at Promise Ship (2010-2019), in various senior executive roles at EMQ Families First (2006-2010) and as executive director at Denali Family Services…

In January 2024, Childhaven and Children’s Home Society of Washington merged to become Akin. Dave became the first president and CEO of Akin at that time.

Dave joined the leadership team of Children’s Home Society of Washington in June 2019. At that time, he also joined the board of directors of the Children’s Home Society of America.

Prior to Children’s Home Society of Washington, Dave served as president and CEO at Promise Ship (2010-2019), in various senior executive roles at EMQ Families First (2006-2010) and as executive director at Denali Family Services (1999-2006).

Dave currently serves on the boards of the Children’s Home Society of America and the Washington Association for Children and Families. In 2012 and 2014, Dave was appointed by Governor Heineman to serve on the Nebraska Children’s Commission (NCC). In 2016, Governor Ricketts reappointed Dave to the NCC, and in November 2016, he was elected as its vice chair and chair in July 2017. In May 2013, Dave was selected to join the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) Children and Family Fellowship. In Alaska, Dave was the chair of the Alaska Behavioral Health Association (2002-2005).

Dave received his Certificate of Nonprofit Management and his Master of Social work degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and his Bachelor of Science degree in education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He is also an alumnus of the Alaska Humanities Forum’s Leadership Anchorage program. Dave has served on the boards of directors for the Alaska Behavioral Health Association, Family Focused Treatment Association, and Voice for Adoption. Dave is a member of the AECF Children and Family Fellowship and National Association of Social Workers Academy of Certified Social Workers.

Read MoreRead Less

Akin Board of Trustees

Secretary
Sherilee Coffey
Director of Creative Operations, Coffey Communications
Vice Chair
Blake Marks-Dias
Co-Managing Partner,


Corr Cronin LLP
Chair
Rod Kaseguma
Retired, Attorney
Treasurer
Andy MacDonald
Retired, ECG Management Consultants
President and CEO, Akin
Dave Newell
Foundation Board Secretary
Kristie Garrett
Vice President & Advisor,

EP Wealth Advisors
Foundation Board Treasurer
Roy Koegen
Retired, Attorney,
KutaRock LLP
Foundation Board President
Bareq Peshtaz
Senior Vice President,


Morgan Stanley
Foundation Board Vice President
Daniel Smith
Regional Manager,

Community Health Plan
Abdi Ahmed
Educator
Tom Ambrey
Tom Ambrey
Curt Anderson
CFO, Icertis
Gini Beck
Professional Coach
Genevieve Caruncho-Simpson

Chief Transformation & Innovation Officer, Community Health Plan of WA
John Cottrell
Daddy Can Do It Too
Derel Finch
Pulmonologist, Swedish Health Services
Abby Grant
Pediatrician, Harborview Pediatric Clinic
Quentin Hubbard
Client Service Associate, Columbia Pacific Wealth Management
Barbara Jirsa
Owner, A La CART Arts Consulting
Shayla Kern
Early Head Start Policy Council Co-Chair, Student at Walla Walla University
David Lawrence
Community Volunteer
Paulette Lemon
SVP Retail Banking, HomeStreet Bank
Albert Lirhus
Retired, Attorney, Lirhus Keckemet Annest PLLC
Joan Matheson
Retired, Seattle Education Association
Dave Mentz
Community Volunteer
Dan Merlino
Retired, Principal, ECG Management Consultants
John Mosby
President, Highline Community Collegec
Gayle Murdock
Managing Director, 360 Connections International
Tom Oldfield
Attorney, Oldfield & Helsdon PLLC
Mike Rodden
Attorney, Cascade Asset Management Company
Anthony Washington
CEO, Thoughts Cost LLC

Leadership Team

Vice President of Family Community and Well-Being
Kelli Bohanon
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Knox Duncan
Senior Vice President of People and Culture
Jeff Galipeaux
Senior Vice President of Development
Jason Keen
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Impact
Janica Lockhart
Executive Director/Vice President of the Center for Early Relational Health
Meg McNulty
Vice President of Early Learning
Meagan Anderson-Pira
Senior Vice President of Finance
Marlena Torres
Vice President of Behavioral Health
Andy Tucker

Family Support and Directors

Walla Walla
Shawniene Bingham
Wenatchee/North Central WA
Kris Collier
Spokane
Nick Flett
Statewide
Sam Pike
Director of Family Support
Vancouver/SW WA
Reuben Cottingham
Statewide
Karlee Calvin
Senior Director of Early Learning

In becoming Akin, we are seizing an opportunity to create a wholly new organization and magnify our impact so that all children and families can thrive in the communities they call home.