Sound Families Initiative is directed through a Steering Committee that recommends funding decisions, establishes policies and sets application review procedures for the program. All decisions made by this committee are advisory to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which makes final decisions on all funding awards.

The City of Seattle Office of Housing serves as the administrative partner of the program. This office supervises the day-to-day operations of the program; coordinates the application review process and provides staff support for the governing process.    

The Steering Committee is comprised of executive level staff from the seven public jurisdiction partners in the project: the City of Seattle, the City of Everett, the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Snohomish County, King County and the state of Washington. Also serving on the Steering Committee are representatives of other key partners, including the public housing authorities and representatives of private and public lending institutions. Not for profit organizations are also represented. The Steering Committee is co-chaired by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the City of Seattle.

A separate, project Review Committee meets regularly to examine applications for funding. This committee is comprised of senior housing underwriters from the partner government jurisdictions and from key public lending institutions. This committee prepares specific funding recommendations for the consideration of the Steering Committee.

Steering Committee

Katie Hong (co-chair)
Interim Director, Pacific Northwest programs
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Adrienne Quinn (co-chair)
Director
City of Seattle Office of Housing

The following officials represent the public partners that together with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation constitute the public-private partnership that is the Sound Families Initiative. The Steering Committee includes officials from Pierce County, City of Tacoma, King County, City of Seattle, City of Everett, Snohomish County and the State of Washington. Together with other members listed below, these officials regularly meet to establish policy for the operation of the program and to recommend specific projects for funding to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Tom Hilyard
Director
Pierce County Department of Community Services

Deanna Dawson
Executive Director
Snohomish County

Sadikifu Akina-James
Manager
King County Community Services Division

Dave Koenig
Manager
City of Everett Long Range Planning and Community Development

Stephen Buxbaum
Assistant Director
Washington Department of Commmunity Trade and Economic Development

The following Steering Committee members represent essential fields of expertise in housing, finance and social services.

Kim Herman
Executive Director
Washington State Housing Finance Commission

Cynthia Parker
Vice President
Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation

Bob Davis
Executive Director
Housing Authority of Snohomish County

Doreen Marchione
Executive Director
Hopelink

Paul Carlson
Northwest Regional Coordinator
Interagency Council on Homelessness

Betsy Lieberman
Executive Director
AIDS Housing of Washington

Jami Bodonyi
Research Manager
University of Washington, Northwest Institute for Children and Families (NICF)

Barbara Dingfield
Philanthropy Northwest