AMESSAGEFROMTHECEO
OnApril6IsteppedintotheroleofCEOat theWCA,andIcouldn’tbemorehonored orexcited.
Toleadanorganizationwithsuchalongstandinglegacyofpurpose,leadership,and communityimpactisbothhumblingand deeplymeaningful.I’mincrediblygratefulto theBoardofDirectorsfortheirtrust,andto themanyleaders,staff,andsupporterswhohavebuiltsuchastrongand compassionatefoundation.
IespeciallywanttorecognizeBeaBlack,whoseleadershipoverthepast 18yearshasshapedWCAintothevitalorganizationitistoday.
Workingalongsideherhasshownmewhattrueleadershiplookslike, groundedinpurpose,compassion,andadeepcommitmenttohelping individualsreclaimtheirsenseofself-worthandpossibility.Iampleased thatBeawillcontinuetosupportourorganizationthroughthenext2 monthsinanexecutiveadvisorrole,enablingustoapproachthisperiod oftransitionwithbothstrengthandgrace.
AsIbeginthisnextchapter,I’mespeciallylookingforwardto connectingwithourdedicatedteammembersandthebroader community.ThereareseveralopportunitiesinAprilandMaytomeet directlywithmethroughourcommunityconnectionsessions,for whichyoucanRSVPhere:
April28:TelayaWineCo.,4.00pm
April29:A’tavola,8.30am
April30:A’tavola,10.00am
May13:A’tavola,8.30am
May14:TelayaWineCo.,4.00pm
IamalsoexcitedinApriltorecognizeourdedicatedvolunteersatour volunteerappreciationeventonApril21st.BetweenApril2025and April2026,ourvolunteersvolunteered7500hourswhichisthe equivalentof3.6fulltimestaffmembers.Withoutthemwecouldnot dotheworkthatwedotoalloweveryonetothriveinsafe,healthy relationships.
IwillalsobeoutinourcommunityonApril29,partcipaitinginseveral eventsforDenimDay,whichispartofSexualAssaultAwareness month.Moreinformationonhowtoparticipateinthismonth’s awarenessactivitiescanbefoundinthefollowingpages.
Ilookforwardtoconnectingwithyouall,cheerstothedaysahead!
L , CEO
TheBoardofDirectorsoftheWomen’sandChildren’sAlliance(WCA) announcedthatLauraHonn,adedicatedmemberoftheWCA’sexecutive leadershipteamforsixyears,hasbeennamedtheorganization’snewCEO. LaurawillbesucceedingBeaBlack,whoannouncedherretirementin2025after servingasWCACEOfor18years.
ThisdecisionwasmadethoughtfullybytheWCAExecutiveCommittee,with deepcarefortheWCA’smission,itsstaff,andthefuture.Laurahasservedmost recentlyasDirectorofRevenueandOutreach,aswellassupportingtheagency’s client-facingcommunityservicesteams.Hercommitmenttoprovidingsafety, healingandfreedomfromdomesticabuseandsexualassaulthasshownupin herworkeverydayforthelastsixyears.
“Afteranextensiveandthoughtfulsearch,wearethrilledtowelcomeLaura HonnasWCA’snextChiefExecutiveOfficer,”saidJessFlynn,presidentofthe WCABoardofDirectorsandamemberoftheCEOsearchcommittee.“Laura hasspentsixyearsasakeymemberofourExecutiveLeadershipTeam helpingbuildthestrategies,relationships,andresourcesthatsustainthis organization’smissioneveryday.Asfundinglandscapesshiftandthedemand forourservicesgrows,weneededaCEOwithboththevisionandthe groundingtoleadthroughthatcomplexity,andweareconfidentLauraisthat person.Wealsowanttohonortheextraordinary18-yearlegacyofBeaBlack, whoseleadershiphasmadeWCAtherespected,resilientorganizationitis today.”
Laura’scommitmenttohumanservices-basedleadershipbeganintheUnited Kingdom18yearsagoasOperationsManagerforyouthprotectiveservicesat theSalfordFoundation,whereshegainedexperienceindomesticviolenceand sexualassaultwork.UponmovingtotheUnitedStatesin2015,shecontinued toexpandheroperationalleadershipexperienceasCampusDirectorofLakeof theWoodsandGreenwoodsSummerCamps.In2020,LaurajoinedtheWCA asPhilanthropyManager.ShehasalsoservedasAssociateBoardMemberof LincolnParkCommunityShelterinChicago,andmorerecentlyasPast PresidentoftheWildHeartsIdahoBoardofDirectors.In2024,Laurawasa recipientoftheIdahoBusinessReview’sAccomplishedUnder40Award.
“IamdelightedthattheWCABoardofDirectorsselectedLauraHonnasthe WCA’snewCEO,”saidBeaBlack,whowillstepintotheroleofExecutive Advisorduringthetransitionprocess.“HavingworkedwithLauraforthepast sixyears,Iknowsheispassionateaboutourworkandiscommittedtoensuring afutureforourorganizationandteamthatwillresultinexpandedopportunities forserviceandadvancementforteammembers.Herresilienceandproblem solvingskillsareexceptionalandsocritical,particularlyfornon-profits.The challengeswefacethesedaysareusuallyunexpectedandcomewithoutwarning. Beingabletopivotandadaptareabilitiesthatshehasdemonstratedfromvery earlyoninhertenureattheorganization.Herbackground,familiaritywiththe WCA’swork,aswellascommitmenttoourstaffandcommunity,makehera greatchoicefortheWCA.IlookforwardtocelebratingthesuccessoftheWCA underherleadershipintheyearstocome.”
LaurawillofficiallybeginhertenureasCEOonApril6,2026,atwhichtimeshe andBeawillcontinuetoworkcloselytoensureasmoothtransition.Formore onBea’sretirement,visitwcaboise.org/beablacklegacy.
BEABLACKAWARDEDWITHKEYTO THECITYOFBOISE
BoiseMayorLaurenMcLeanpresentedtheKeytotheCitytoretiring WCACEOBeaBlackonWednesday,honoringBlack’stireless commitmenttoservingthecommunity’smostvulnerablepopulations fornearlytwodecades.
MayorMcLeanwasintroducedbyincomingWCACEOLauraHonn, whostressedthatBlack’scommitmenttotheWCAhasleft“an extraordinaryfoundation”fortheWCAtobuilduponinitsnext chapter.“Shehasshownmethatourworkisnotonlyaboutproviding safety,”Honnexplained,“butabouthelpingindividualsreclaimtheir senseofself-worthandpossibility.”
Theawardwaspresentedasasurpriseattheendoftheorganization’s annualluncheonwhichcelebrateswomenwhoexcelintheirfieldsof industryandbusiness.
“It’sveryrarethatIfindmyselfspeechless,”Blackadmittedtotheroom ofnearly700longtimesupportersoftheWCA,“allIcansayisanything Ihavedoneintheselast18years…isbecauseofthegoodworksof others.”
Beaisleavingalegacyofleadershipondomesticviolenceissuesandwill remaincommittedtohelpingthecommunityinotherways.Sheis excitedtojoinherhusbandinretirementandtospendmoretimewith hergrowingnumberofgrandchildren.
“KeepingthisasurprisefromBeawas,frankly,ambitious her investigativeskillsrivaltheFBI,”saidBreannaYoung,Philanthropy Manager,“butallofthecarefulcoordinationandsecretplanningwas absolutelyworthit,justtomakesureshefeltasdeeplyappreciated, celebrated,andlovedasshetrulyis.”
DENIMDAYISAPRIL29TH!
Joinmillionsofpeopleacrosstheworldwhowillwearjeanswitha purpose,supportsurvivors,andeducatethemselvesandothers aboutallformsofsexualviolence.
DenimDayisrecognizedonthelastWednesdayinAprilduring SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth.Thecampaignbeganin1999 afterarulingbytheItalianSupremeCourttooverturnarape convictionbecausethejusticesfeltthatsincethevictimwaswearing tightjeansshemusthavehelpedthepersonwhorapedherremove them,therebyimplyingconsent.
Followingthereversal,thewomenintheItalian Parliamentcametoworkwearingjeansinsolidarity withthevictim.
Sincethen,whatstartedasalocaleventtobring awarenesstovictimblaminganddestructivemyths thatsurroundsexualviolencehasgrownintoa worldwidemovement.
NEWSTAFFSPOTLIGHT
MynameisKaylaLeicester,andIserveas thenewResidentialServicesManager withtheWomen'sandChildren'sAlliance. OriginallyfromWyoming,IrelocatedtoIdahothreeyearsagoand earnedmyMaster'sdegreeinManagementandLeadershipinMay 2025.Inmyrole,Ioverseeresidentialprogrammingandam committedtofosteringatrauma-informed,supportiveenvironment forbothclientsandstaff.Iampassionateaboutbuildingstrongteams, promotingacultureoftrust,andensuringeveryindividualfeelssafe, valued,andempoweredontheirpathtowardshealingandstability.
CORPORATEPILLARNEWS
InFebruarywehostedourannualJourneysinMotherhoodConference celebratingthenurturersinourcommunitybyprovidingspeakers,breakout sessions,lunch,andopportunitiestonetwork.ThankyoutoourSponsorsfor supportingthiseventandprovidingsuchgreatresourcestotheattendees!
Sincelastquarterwe’vegainedtwonewCorporatePillars:pleasewelcome FrontierCreditUnionandWater,Civil,andEnvironmental,Inc.tothe Program!Weareexcitedforwhatthesepartnershipswilllooklikeoverthe courseofthenextyear.
AnenormousshoutouttoRegenceBlueShieldforbeingHonoraryTWIN Chair!TheyhostedalovelyTWINReceptionwhere2026TWINsand ForeverTWINsgottonetworkandmingle.
Our2026TributetoWomen&IndustryAwardsLuncheonsaw41 participatingorganizationsnominate51leadersinourcommunity,andwe hostedover700attendees!ThankyoutoallourCorporatePillarsfor nominatingsuchamazingwomenandcongratulationstothisyear’sHonorees! -LindsayGreene, CorporatePartnershipCoordinator
VOLUNTEERCORNER
Volunteershelpexpandwhatispossibleinallofourprograms.Wecurrentlyhave volunteersinCourtAdvocacy,Childcare,stockingshelterwithneededitems,making calls,assistinginthelobby,eventsandmore!Wecouldnotdothisworkwithoutthe incrediblesupportofourvolunteers.
“IvolunteerbecauseIhaveexperiencedwhatdomesticabusecandoinmyfamily. Encounteringsomeonewhoreallyneedsarehelpandbeingabletogivethem encouragementmeanstheworldtome.”-WCACoreVolunteer
“Somedaysareharderthanothersinthecourtroom.Sometimestherulingsdon'tturnout asyou'dexpect.Whenthathappens,sittingwiththepetitionerandreviewingtheirnext stepsisrealwork.Helpingwithsafetyplans,gettingthemlegalaid,orjustbeinganearand ashoulderissomeaningfultome.IreallyfeelinalignmentwiththeWCA'smissionwhen I'mhelping.”-WCACourtAdvocateVolunteer
Volunteerscontributed7,500hourstotheWCAfromApril2025April2026.That’stheequivalentof3.6fulltimestaffmembers!
PiecesofHopeishappeningnow!
JoinStinkerforameaningfulfundraisertosupportvictimsofabuse.Every donation,everyshare,andeveryconversationhelpsbringhope,healing,andreal changetothosewhoneeditmost.
We’rehonoredtopartnerwithincredibleorganizationsdoinglife-changingwork:
•WCA
•NampaFamilyJusticeCenter
•AdvocatesAgainstFamilyViolence(AAFV)
•RoseAdvocates
•FamilyServiceAlliance
•TheAdvocates
•YWCA
•RiseUp2Thrive(RU2T)
Beapiec in supporti
NEWSTAFFSPOTLIGHT
Hi,mynameisJulieBakerandIamthe newCaseManagementManageratWCA. IjuststartedonFebruary2 andIamso gladtobehere! nd
IrecentlymovedtoBoisefromTexasandI loveithere.Ireallyenjoytheseasonsandall thepossibilitiesforoutdooractivitiesyear round.Italsoprovidesnewopportunities forphotography,oneofmyhobbies.
WhilelivinginTexasIworkedatanon-profitfor30years.Mostofthat workwascasemanagement,workingwithtransitionagedyouthaging outofthefostercaresystem.IworkedwiththeFosterCare TransitionServicesfor20years.Weassistedthemwithsecuring housing,employment,furtheringtheireducation,aswellasanything elsetheywantedtoworkonusingaclient-centered,strength-based program.
IloveworkingattheWCA!Onmyfirstdayitfeltlikehome.I’m workingonfamiliarizingmyselfwithhoweverythingworksaswellas buildingacaseload.I’mreallylookingforwardtoworkingwithmy clientsandhelpingthemfindsafety,healingandsuccessfromdomestic violenceandsexualassault.IhaveagreatteamtoworkwithandI’m happytobehereduringsomeexcitingchangesandgrowthforthe agency.
