

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.
Stephen Norman Executive Director King County Housing Authority
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 |