Kelly Kinnison
Chief Executive Officer
The CEO is responsible for all operational and strategic goals of the agency, including fiscal management, Board and Committee relations, staff oversight, strong administrative leadership, and community relations and engagement.
Dr. Kinnison is a senior leader with 25 years of social services policy and research experience. Before arriving at KCRHA, Dr. Kinnison served as the Director of Family and Community Policy and Acting Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and SNAP Branch Chief at the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dr. Kinnison successfully led major projects on lived experience partnerships in federal government and founded HHS’ Equity Technical Assistance Center, which created tools and practices to implement equity decision making in HHS programs and policy. Her career has been focused on improving the coordination and integration of human services programs. Before working for the federal government, she was an evaluation consultant for community organizations working on violence prevention, youth-led evaluation, and mentoring. Dr. Kinnison holds a Ph.D. in community psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
William Towey
Associate Deputy, Strategy
The Associate Deputy of Strategy leads the agency’s system design, strategic planning, and cross-sector coordination to improve the effectiveness, equity, and accountability of the regional homelessness response.
William Towey brings more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of homelessness response, housing policy, data, and systems change. At KCRHA, he focuses on translating regional goals into clear strategies, aligning funding and interventions to evidence and outcomes, and strengthening coordination across local governments, service providers, philanthropy, and other public systems. His work emphasizes centering lived experience, improving system performance through data and analysis, and building durable, regionally aligned approaches to reducing unsheltered homelessness. William holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics and a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington.
Irwin Batara
Chief People Officer
The Chief People Officer leads KCRHA’s human resources operations, strategically integrating business workflows, IT, and facilities management with core Race and Social Justice (RSJ) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Irwin brings more than 25 years of mission-driven leadership and human resources, at organizations like SEIU 775, Neighborcare Health Centers, YWCA, International Community Health Services, and the Seattle Indian Health Board. In addition to his professional leadership, Irwin has spent years consulting on nonprofit equity issues and antiracism work. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University.
Tiffany Brooks
Interim Chief Business Officer
The Interim Chief Business Officer leads budgeting and financial planning, accounting, financial systems, compliance, and contracting to ensure strong fiscal stewardship, transparent operations, and sustainable business infrastructure that supports the agency’s mission.
Tiffany Brooks brings a strategic, steady, and people-centered approach to public-sector business leadership, grounded in transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. She is known for strengthening internal controls, advancing audit readiness, and building scalable systems that support complex, multi-jurisdictional funding environments. Tiffany values partnership, clear communication, and thoughtful problem-solving, and she is passionate about developing high-performing teams that feel supported, empowered, and connected to purpose. She believes strong collaboration across departments is essential to sustainable impact and leads with a philosophy rooted in clarity, trust, and shared ownership of results.
Lisa Edge
Chief of External Affairs
The Chief of External Affairs leads the Government Relations, Communications, and Planning divisions which is responsible for communicating with external stakeholders, leading outreach initiatives, and serving as the agency’s liaison between government and non-governmental organizations.
Lisa joined KCRHA in November 2022. She’s worked in the homelessness sector for more than a decade and is driven by the urgent need to bring our unhoused neighbors inside. She previously worked as the Communications Manager at Pallet, an Everett-based company building rapid response shelter villages across the country for people experiencing homelessness. Prior to Pallet, Lisa worked at non-profit organizations working towards addressing the homelessness crisis. She also brings her expertise of more than ten years as an award-winning journalist and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of South Carolina.
Katara Jordan
Senior Director, Ombuds Office
The Senior Director leads the Ombuds Office, which receives and documents community complaints, concerns, or feedback related to the King County homeless response system.
Katara joined the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) in December 2021. Prior to KCRHA, she spent a decade leading policy and advocacy for children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. She values learning from others, developing people’s strengths, and engaging in alternative dispute resolution. Katara previously served as Senior Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Building Changes and as an Equal Justice Works fellow and Staff Attorney at Columbia Legal Services. She also served as a member and co‑chair of the Office of Homeless Youth Advisory Committee from 2016 to 2021
With 15 years of experience in homelessness and related systems, Katara is committed to ensuring that community members, providers, and people experiencing homelessness have access to a fair process for sharing concerns and that feedback gathered by the Ombuds Office informs ongoing system improvement.
Katara holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, Columbia University, a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law.
Janelle Rothfolk
Senior Director of Research and Data
The Senior Director of Research and Data oversees the department responsible for maintaining the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), development and maintenance of the data infrastructure and data analytics needed to promote a high functioning homeless response system.
Janelle Rothfolk joined KCRHA in 2022 as the Data Asset Manager and has served as the Senior Director of Research and Data since 2024. In her tenure at KCRHA, she has transitioned HMIS governance to KCRHA, facilitated the development of the KCRHA data hub, redefined By Name List analysis, outreach and encampment data, and secured several grants to assist with various data products, maintained and improved the coordinated entry process and most notably, improved analytics around bed and unit inventory for the system. Janelle and her team have also led the Point in Time Count successfully in 2024 and 2026, improving the count to survey participants directly in a Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) model, gathering deeper insights on the unsheltered population across King County. Janelle has more than 15 years in direct service provision and management in King County homeless service providers and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of system change, data collection, system redesign and community development and engagement with populations experiencing homelessness in our region. Janelle holds a master’s degree in public administration & policy from Evergreen College in Olympia, WA.
Jeff Simms
Chief Program Officer
The Chief Program Officer oversees all grant-funded services and Continuum of Care functions at KCRHA, including strategy development, procurement, contract management and oversight, severe weather and emergency responses, Continuum of Care lead entity functions, and Coordinated Entry.
Jeff brings 17 years of experience in homelessness services and public sector administration. Prior to his current position, Jeff was the Senior Director for Policy at KCRHA and worked on a range of initiatives, including a state-funded effort to address homelessness encampments that achieved the greatest success rates in the nation. He worked for the Seattle City Council Central Staff for four years as the subject matter expert on homelessness, human services, public health, and housing. Prior to coming to Seattle, he worked at the Office of Management and Budget and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a variety of policy and budget positions. His career working to address homelessness began at Catholic Charities in Chicago. Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and a master’s degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago.
Taj Wallace
Chief of Staff to the CEO
The Chief of Staff to the CEO works closely with the CEO to develop strategic partnerships on behalf of the Office of the CEO, coordinate communications and projects, and handle executive-level responsibilities for the CEO, including stakeholder engagement, business strategy, and rhythm of business.
Known for her strong executive communication, thoughtful decision-making, and the ability to navigate ambiguity, Taj Wallace plays a critical role in fostering alignment, operational excellence, and advancing KCRHA’s mission. Her role focuses on cross-functional projects, improving stakeholder engagement, streamlining internal processes, and ensuring strategic priorities translate into measurable results. Taj joined KCRHA in 2022 after working for fifteen years as an administrative professional in the tech, transportation, and nonprofit sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University, Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University Global Campus and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration at the University of Washington.