May 20, 2021 – Alexandria, VA. New Hope Housing (NHH), announced today that Pam Michell is retiring as executive director following a long and stellar career in public service. Her retirement date is set for Oct. 1, 2021.
Michell began her career as executive director of NHH on Nov. 5, 1990. Her philosophy of hope, hospitality, dignity, and respect has served as the foundation for assisting thousands of men, women and children in need of housing solutions.
Under Michell’s leadership, NHH has grown from a program of three shelters serving roughly 100 people a day to a continuum of services that include three year-round shelters, three hypothermia shelters, seven permanent supportive housing programs and a host of support services serving approximately 450 people a day in Fairfax County, Falls Church, Alexandria, and Arlington County.
NHH has received numerous awards under Michell’s guidance. These awards include Best Housing Organization in 2004 at the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference, was recognized as one of five finalists in The Washington Post 2009 Excellence in Nonprofit Management Award program, and received Virginia’s Coalition to End Homelessness Housing First Award in 2015.
Michell was named a 2005 Washingtonian of the Year, received the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s 2009 Gelman Rosenberg Freedman EXCEL Award for excellence in nonprofit leadership, and was named the Leadership Fairfax Nonprofit Leader of the Year in 2013. She was also named “Lady Fairfax” by Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova in 2019.
“It has been my great honor and privilege to lead an amazing staff and countless volunteers committed to ending homelessness in Northern Virginia” stated Michell. “I am extraordinarily proud of the impact we have made in ensuring every man, woman and child in our community has a home and a bright future. I look forward to working closely with the board of directors and leadership team to position New Hope Housing for continued success in meeting the needs of the people we serve.”
Michell also said she is confident NHH will continue to operate effectively while carrying out its mission as NHH prepares to move forward.
Denise Mackie-Smith, president of the board of directors, said, “On behalf of the board of directors, we want to thank Pam for her extraordinary leadership, service and dedication to meeting the needs of our local community. Her passion and enthusiasm resulted in unparalleled growth and expansion of innovative housing solutions for one of our most vulnerable communities.” Mackie-Smith also shared that the board has begun a thorough process to select an interim executive director, to ensure NHH continues to carry out its mission to end homelessness while the board engages in a broad and deliberate search for a new permanent director. She has every confidence NHH will continue its excellent service to residents during this period of transition.
Click here for downloadable press release: https://newhopprd.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/For-Release-Pam-Michell-Retires-from-New-Hope-Housing-After-30-Years.pdf