CEO of KCRHA resigns

Kelly Kinnison, Ph.D.

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) Chief Executive Officer Kelly Kinnison, Ph.D., submitted her letter of resignation, which was accepted by the agency’s Governing Board.

Dr. Kinnison was hired as permanent CEO following a national search in 2024. She was the agency's fifth CEO and previously served as the Director of Family and Community Policy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“I was asked to assess and rebuild a young organization that had significant challenges,” Kinnison said.

“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, including surfacing structural issues in our finance department and contributing to the path forward for a more accountable homelessness response system.”

During her tenure, Kinnison helped stabilize the agency following significant leadership turnover and strengthened its core operations. Her work included improving system coordination, stabilizing provider operations, strengthening severe weather response, and improving alignment with regional partners.

Dr. Kinnison’s resignation is effective November 16, 2026. The Governing Board’s co-chairs, King County Executive Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, will make an Executive leadership recommendation to the board.

Following a forensic evaluation that identified historical deficiencies in the agency’s internal controls and financial systems, the City of Seattle and King County announced a plan to stabilize, right size and reset the agency. 

This includes transitioning administration of locally funded homelessness service contracts back to King County and the City of Seattle beginning in January 2027.

Dr. Kinnison’s departure from the agency reflects the significant changes to the agency’s mission, purpose, and service scope that moving back contracts to King County and the City of Seattle will entail. Dr. Kinnison offered her resignation in recognition of these pending organizational changes.