Laura Hitchcock, JD
Laura Hitchcock, JD, (she/her) is the Chief Executive Officer, and over the last 30 years has achieved dynamic results as a CEO and consultant to nonprofit organizations, and senior manager/policy leader in local government agencies. Laura is passionate about supporting youth behavioral health and feels that we must do more to address what younger generations need from their elders.
She previously served as interim CEO at YES, and of three youth and children-serving organizations. Beginning in 2019, in the face of challenging headwinds, she and her consulting partner were asked to facilitate “Brave Commitments” – a coalition of youth-focused human services providers in King County, including Youth Eastside Services as a member, to re-envision how providers could better work together, strongly advocate for, and strengthen their services.
An attorney by training, she brings deep analytical, research, and policy skills as CEO, including system-level thinking, with seven years working in the public health field, where she received national recognition for a unique approach to converting law and policy provisions into comparative longitudinal data to assess correlations between policy and public health outcomes, and a deep knowledge in health policy, especially during behavioral health integration under the Affordable Care Act.
When not busy working, she loves the outdoors, travelling and spending time with her husband and young adults, sampling good food and good music. She is a native of the Pacific Northwest, and graduate of Pomona College and the University of Oregon School of Law.
Jackie Bui
Jackie Bui, (she/her) MSW, MHP, CMHS, & EMMHS, joined YES in 1996, serving in many roles, including the Director of Community Services and Inclusion, before becoming the Chief of School Programs & Community Impact in 2026, overseeing our expanding School-Based program and integration of schools, community and agency-based services. Prior, she also served as COO from 2023-2026. Jackie holds a Master of Social Work Degree from the University of Washington, where she concentrated on Children, Youth, and Families. She is a certified Child Mental Health Specialist and Ethnic Minority Mental Health Specialist (for Latino and Asian Pacific Islander populations) with more than 20 years of experience. She is bicultural and bilingual, Vietnamese. Her therapeutic approaches are interactive, client-centered, strengths-based, and tailored to the client’s needs, utilizing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and Motivational Interviewing techniques. Jackie is trained in Trauma-Focus Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Promoting First Relationship (PFR), and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
Christina Church-Closovschi
Christina Church-Closovschi (she/her) is the Director of Quality Services & Healthcare Integration. She has over 20 years of professional experience in the behavioral health care field. Christina oversees the YES administration team, information & technology systems, billing (Medicaid, insurance & self-pay), health care integration, quality programs and compliance. Christina previously owned a small business, provided consulting services for community-based and private behavioral health practices as well as worked for Mentor Health Northwest (now Sound Mental Health).
Justin Daigneault
Justin Daigneault (they/them or he/him), MS, LMHC, CN, started at YES in 2015 as a mental health counselor for youth and families and a co-facilitator of BGLAD, YES’s LGBTQ+ youth group. They are a Child Mental Health Specialist and a Gender & Sexuality Mental Health Specialist and have background and training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and other Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy approaches. Their work at YES has expanded to include roles as a Clinical Supervisor (since 2019), Intern Program Manager (since 2018), BGLAD Group Coordinator (2016), and a member of the YES Diversity Advisory Team (since 2016).
Debbi Halela
Debbi Halela (she/her) is YES’ Director of Behavioral Health Services. Debbie is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Child Mental Health Specialist with 25 years of experience. She has specialized in providing therapy for teen survivors of sexual abuse and clients who engage in self-injurious behavior. Debbie is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
Ben Henry
Ben Henry (he/him) is the Senior Director of Communications at YES, where he leads communications strategy, storytelling, brand, and public engagement. He brings more than 25 years of experience in journalism, advocacy, communications, and nonprofit leadership, with a career focused on using stories to connect people, strengthen communities, and advance meaningful change. At YES, Ben leads efforts to tell the stories of young people, families, staff, and communities across East King County, helping people understand both the urgency of the youth behavioral health crisis and the impact of meeting it with accessible, compassionate care. He holds a Master of Public Administration and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. Outside of work, Ben is a dad of three and a singer, songwriter, and guitarist with the Seattle rock band Theory of Change.
Sierra Mision
Sierra Mision (she/her) is the Deputy of School-Based Behavioral Health at YES. She specializes in clinical leadership, integrated behavioral health systems, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention. Sierra is passionate about community mental health and its ability to bring people together around conversations about intergenerational healing and well-being. At YES, she helps lead school-based behavioral health services, expanding access to mental health support for young people in their schools and communities. Outside of work, Sierra enjoys reading thesauruses and atlases for fun and traveling.
Tina Morales
Tina Morales (she, her, ella) has been in the nonprofit sector for nearly three decades and is now the Community-Based Program Manager. In her 20-plus years at YES, she has served as program coordinator for Latino H.E.A.T. (Hispanos En Acción Together) and Mamas Unidas. As co-coordinator for the Latino Student Union, a Coalition of Eastside Latine student leaders, among many other collaborations, she is fulfilling her passion for serving her community. In 2009, Tina began her work as a Chemical Dependency Professional (SUDP). She prides herself in providing bilingual and bicultural services to transform, build compassion and heal. She credits her success to thanks to her family, determination, cultural heroes, and YES Latino youth and families who have inspired and built an enduring season of cultural traditions on the Eastside that bring the community together and remind one that culture heals.
Her commitment to collaboration, cultural youth development, and community organizing principles has fostered the development of YES’ Latine programming, which spans two school districts, has created youth and parent leaders, and forged strong ties with many other agencies in the nonprofit and governmental spheres. Tina is proud of YES’ history, past and current leadership, and how YES -Community-Based Programs and counseling services create a prosperous and hopeful future for youth and families.
Kevin Parker
Kevin Parker is the Vice President of Development at YES, bringing more than 25 years of fundraising experience in major and principal gifts, capital campaigns, and revenue growth. He specializes in donor strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, and has extensive experience partnering with boards and executive leaders to advance mission-driven goals. At YES, Kevin leads efforts to build the philanthropic support needed to expand access to behavioral health services for children, youth, and families across East King County. Outside of work, Kevin has climbed the Space Needle and touched the red light at the top.
Kim Reid
Serving as the Chief of Staff & Director of Human Resources for YES, Kim Reid (she/her) brings a strong administrative background and a deep commitment to supporting both staff and the community. She believes that a healthy, well-supported workforce is essential to delivering accessible, high-quality behavioral health services.
Kim holds a BA in Speech Communication from the University of Washington, along with a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation and a Principles of Project Management certification. She also earned an Associate of Life and Health Claims (ALHC) designation during her earlier career in the insurance industry.
Before joining YES in 2012, Kim served as an office manager for a group of private practice mental health counselors and held roles in the insurance and financial services industry, including business analyst, project manager, and life and health claims manager.
Monica Wang
Monica Wang, LMHCA, (she/her) is a Youth and Family Therapist and Open Access Coordinator at YES with a passion for helping youth from multicultural backgrounds. She received her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Columbia in 2018 and has been a part of the YES team since then. She takes a person-centered and strength-based approach to therapy, which is complemented by her cultural sensitivity. Monica is trained in evidence-based treatment, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
As a bicultural and bilingual therapist fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Monica is uniquely equipped to provide therapy to individuals from diverse backgrounds. She has been committed to raising awareness about mental health issues affecting youth by participating in various outreach programs. She is dedicated to educating parents and community members about the importance of mental health and the resources available to support young people. She finds the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment where her clients can freely explore their thoughts and emotions without fear of judgment.
