Health Through Housing Advisory Committee

The HTH Advisory Committee is a 12-to-16-member group that advises the King County Executive and King County Council on current and future implementation of the HTH initiative. In addition to providing guidance, the committee is responsible for: 

• Reviewing the initiative’s performance data 
• Providing annual certification of the HTH Dashboard 
• Reporting annually to the King County Council and the community at large on the expenditures, accomplishments, and effectiveness of the HTH Initiative

In alignment with our commitment to center the voices of those most impacted by chronic homelessness, at least 50% of the HTH Advisory Committee is comprised of individuals who self-identify as having lived experience of homelessness. All committee members reside in King County and demonstrate a track record of allyship and advocacy for equitable, affordable, and supportive housing in our region. 

Recruitment 

When the Health Through Housing (HTH) Advisory Committee was established in 2022, King County launched a robust recruitment process to ensure diverse representation from communities across all regions of the county. Outreach efforts included public postings on the King County and Boards and Commissions websites, as well as direct communication with more than 50 community-based organizations, coalitions, boards, and committees focused on human services and housing.

In addition, King County solicited nominations and feedback on recruitment strategies from City Councils, City Managers, and Mayors throughout the region to further broaden engagement and representation.

As vacancies arise, King County continues to implement this comprehensive recruitment approach, reaching out to community organizations, regional coalitions, and local government leaders, to identify and appoint new members.

 All appointments to the HTH Advisory Committee are made by the King County Executive and require confirmation by the King County Council.

Advisory Committee Members

 Lena Bernal is a biracial single mother of five children. Drug free for nine years, Lena is building a housing support program for people experiencing housing instability, and volunteers as a certified support group facilitator for women in transitional housing.

 Avon Curtis is a single mother and founder of Arms Around You (AAY) - a reentry resource program. A Certified Manager of Housing through the National Center for Housing Management, Avon has over 20 years of experience in the field of Residential Management and Case Management.

Tulika Dugar lives in Bellevue and supports South Asian communities helping to heal survivors of domestic violence and housing instability. Tulika also volunteered at The Sophia Way, a nonprofit providing holistic resources for women experiencing homelessness.

Isadora Eads is an officer with the Washington Student Council on Reentry (WA SCoR), a community-based grassroots effort of currently and formerly incarcerated higher-ed students who are breaking down barriers and building access to reentry and resources. Isadora also served as an Advocacy Program Coordinator with a nonprofit in King County for young people experiencing housing insecurity.

 Marissa Fitzgerald was born and raised in Skyway. Marissa began her anti-poverty and anti-racist work nearly 10 years ago as a student at Washington State University. Marissa has a background in community and social services, program management, and policy analysis.

 Krystal Marx is a lifelong Washingtonian, out bisexual woman, and proud mother of four children. Krystal served on the Burien City Council from 2018 – 2021, where she was also Deputy Mayor for two years (2019 - 2022). Krystal is currently the Vice President of Business Operations for the Seattle Seawolves major league rugby team.

Sarah Stewart lives in Shoreline and has worked closely with the Housing Justice Project (HJP) and Washington Community Action Network (WashingtonCAN!) to advocate for and implement equitable changes to Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) policies and procedures. In 2020, she collaborated with the King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) on eviction-related processes and also served as a member of the King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP). 

Da’mont Vann is a Case Manager for PDA Co-Lead and works with individuals that are chronically homeless. Previously, Da’mont worked for the Thunderbird Treatment Center, Seattle Indian Health Board, and King County’s Healthcare for the Homeless Network.

Barbara Walker is a Kent resident and graduate of Seattle Central Colleges Social and Human Services program.