CHN welcomed seven new members to its Board of Directors this week as well as one new Board officer. The new members represent a variety of issues reflected in the human needs community, ranging from anti-poverty efforts to labor, affordable housing, immigration, LGBTQ rights, and domestic violence. All CHN Board members work for organizations that are CHN members. They will officially assume their new roles on Jan. 1, 2019.

The position of Vice Chair of the Board will be assumed by current CHN Board Member Corrine Yu, beginning in January. In Corrine’s work as Senior Program Director, Special Projects, at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, she is responsible for seeking and developing new program opportunities; coordinating policy development on priority issues within the coalition and devising coalition-based strategies; and assisting in the day-to-day management of the policy department. CHN staff have worked closely with Corrine, currently on a campaign to get an accurate Census count, and on multiple anti-poverty efforts over the years.

Corrine is replacing Steve Savner as Vice Chair. Steve is leaving his position as Director of Public Policy at the Center for Community Change, where he has helped to lead efforts to promote economic equity and opportunity in communities nationwide.  CHN has greatly benefited from his coalition-building help.

Joining the CHN Board of Directors for the first time are:

Christine Meléndez Ashley, Deputy Director of Government Relations at Bread for the World. Christine joined Bread for the World in 2009 and provides organizational leadership on domestic hunger, nutrition assistance, and child nutrition issues by developing and implementing policy and legislative strategy.

Melissa Boteach, who in January will become Vice President of Childcare/Early Learning & Income Security at the National Women’s Law Center. Melissa has served as Senior Vice President of the Poverty to Prosperity Program at the Center for American Progress.

Tyrone Hanley, Policy Counsel, National Center for Lesbian Rights. Tyrone focuses on the criminalization of queer/trans sexuality and those living with HIV and LGBTQ poverty. Prior to arriving at NCLR, Tyrone worked as HIV Prevention Manager at SMYAL, a D.C.-area LGBTQ youth organization.

LaQuita Honeysucker, Legislative Director of the Legislative and Political Action Department of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. In this role, she advances the union’s legislative and regulatory priorities and works with elected officials at every level of government to support the issues that matter most to UFCW’s 1.3 million hard-working members and their families.

Latifa Lyles, Vice President of External Relations of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. President Obama appointed Latifa as Director of the Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor, where she served until 2017. She brings to the Network a wealth of experience in leadership, development, and communications.

Sarah Mickelson, Senior Director of Public Policy, National Low Income Housing Coalition.  Sarah previously worked with Enterprise Community Partners as a Senior Analyst. In that role, she focused on building congressional support for federal affordable housing and community development appropriations, including funding for programs administered by HUD and USDA.

Jackie Vimo, Policy Analyst, Economic Justice Program, National Immigration Law Center. Jackie has worked for more than two decades on a broad range of issues, including public health, HIV/AIDS, worker rights, access to higher education, immigrant rights, and anti-poverty policy.