Janis Avery Named CEO of Treehouse

(June 22, 2010) SEATTLE, Wash. – Janis Avery has been named Chief Executive Officer of Treehouse effective immediately, the organization announced today.

 

The promotion recognizes Ms. Avery’s visionary leadership over the past 15 years and reflects the Board of Directors’ strong vote of confidence and respect. 

 

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am extremely pleased to announce that we have promoted Janis Avery to Chief Executive Officer in recognition of her exemplary leadership. The Board views Janis as a true partner in accomplishing the mission of Treehouse and meeting the educational and enrichment needs of our community’s foster youth,” said Judy Marczewski, board president. “We are hopeful that formalizing the role that Janis has played for so many years will empower her and Treehouse to continue leading the way in services for foster youth in our community.”

 

Janis Avery has served as Executive Director of Treehouse since 1995. Under her leadership, Treehouse has grown from serving 950 foster kids to over 5,000 foster kids annually. Programs have expanded to include innovative educational success programs including cutting-edge Educational Advocacy and College and Career Planning.  As a result of these expansions, the organization has grown from $450,000 to $6.5 million and from 10 staff to 60 staff. 

 

During her tenure, Ms. Avery has developed a reputation for partnering and collaborating across the community to provide both simple and complex resources foster youth need to have a normal childhood and become self-sufficient adults. Ms. Avery has worked tirelessly to raise awareness that foster children can and should succeed in school among state legislators, state agency leadership, community partners, families and youth. In part because of her leadership and advocacy, Washington is a national leader in education policy and practice to help foster youth achieve academic success. In 2010, she led the way on successfully advocating for an innovative public-private partnership with the State of Washington to ensure that foster youth continue to receive cutting-edge educational interventions despite severe State budget cuts. 

 

Ms. Avery has served on the Children Youth and Families Advisory Committee, the Children’s Alliance Public Policy Committee, and the Child Welfare Advocacy Committee. She is respected leader in improving educational outcomes for children in foster care and has co-chaired the statewide Educational Oversight Committee for Children and Youth in Foster Care.