After nearly five years with Pierce County Community Connections, Helen Howell’s last day as director of that department will be Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Howell will be transitioning to her new role as Executive Director of Building Changes, an organization that transforms the way communities work to reduce homelessness and address the needs of those struggling to remain housed. Community Connections works closely with Building Changes so Howell will continue to be a partner with Pierce County

“It’s been quite a journey. Throughout my tenure and in the midst of a lot of change, we’ve continued to ensure that we deliver quality services to our clients,” said Howell. “I just want to thank our staff for remaining focused on the mission of providing important services to individuals and families in need in Pierce County to improve their quality of life and to promote self-sufficiency.”

Community Connections has undergone extensive changes over the last five years – reorganization, functional alignment implementation, creation of centralized work units, and the launch of cross-divisional initiatives to name a few – and Howell points to the department’s ability to remain focused on the mission despite these changes as a crowning achievement.

“I gave Helen a tough job by consolidating two large programs: Human Services with Community Services. She rose to the challenge by finding efficiencies, stabilizing the financial side of operations and creating new strategies for delivery of services,” said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. “I’m so proud of the work she’s done and Pierce County will forever be grateful for her contributions. We always hate to lose good people, but I take comfort in knowing she’ll be continuing her work with Building Changes and still working closely with the county.”