Minneapolis mental health non-profit adds an exciting, guiding voice to its Leadership Team and sustains its equity and inclusion commitment as it expands access for kids and families.
MINNEAPOLIS, August 12 2024 — Washburn Center for Children has named Christine Smith, MA, as its new Director of Equity and Inclusion. With swelling demand and pressure on how mental health care is delivered, Washburn Center is strengthening its resolve and leadership to ensure sustainability in its 141st year of community-based service.
“Christine is a proven leader, program innovator and equity and inclusion practitioner,” says Craig Warren, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Washburn Center for Children. She brings strategic expertise, training in racialized healing and equity acumen as Washburn Center transforms youth mental health care for today and beyond. Her wealth of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors will enhance and guide the mission of Washburn Center.
“Many of our community’s children are experiencing mental health challenges. Unfortunately, these challenges are often steeper for children who hold marginalized identities. Christine’s leadership will deepen our capacity to maintain an inclusive culture that enables us to deliver culturally- responsive mental health care to every kid and family who need our services,” Warren continues. “The mental health care system desperately needs an equitable transformation to break down the barriers established by long-standing underinvestment. Those inequities must go so families get access to care that they deserve.”
“As a community member who has personally experienced services from Washburn, I have witnessed the healing that kids and families find here,” says Smith. “It’s a powerful turning point in my life to come back into the fold of this mission and support this work and how we disrupt the systems that keep kids from getting care. I already feel the energy building for what we can accomplish for communities and families.”
Most recently, Smith served as the Equity Director for the Penumbra Center for Racial Healing and is a co-founder of Alignment Global. She is a co-convener of Mill City Kids, a collaborative rooted in helping communities understand historical trauma, addressing barriers to inclusion and belonging and activating system reform. Her professional experience also includes serving and leading communities at People Serving People, Minnesota Department of Health. Minnesota Department of Human Services, and American Indian OIC.
Smith earned a master’s degree in Family Life Education from Concordia University and a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from Augsburg College. She also earned certificates in holistic health science, adverse childhood experiences and facilitation.
Smith is a native Minnesotan from the Rondo community in St. Paul. She is a proud descendant of Gaa-waabaabiganikaag (White Earth Nation) and George Bonga.
Washburn Center’s mission is strengthened by a growing Leadership Team.
With the addition of Christine Smith, the Leadership Team at Washburn Center continues to fortify and follow through on its commitment to the mission, values and goals of the agency.
Craig Warren was named to the CEO role in 2022 as the agency’s first BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) CEO in its history. The growth of BIPOC leadership is significant as the agency continues to offer culturally responsive care for children and families; of note, more than 55% of those served by Washburn Center identify as BIPOC. Smith partners with Warren, the Board of Trustees and senior leadership team in creating integrated equity and inclusion strategies and implementing initiatives to support the growth of Washburn Center’s mission. Smith’s experience in mission-based and values-based organizations sets her on a strong course for successful leadership and innovation at Washburn Center.