David W. Downing
David W. Downing (he/him), MS, LMHC, CMHS, joined YES as its Chief Operating Officer in 2006 and has been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since May 2020. David is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Child Mental Health Specialist with over 25 years of leadership in the non-profit sector. David holds a Certificate in Fundraising Management from the University of Washington and a Master’s degree in Psychology from Seattle Pacific University. David serves on several boards, including the Alliance of Eastside Agencies and the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) in Washington State. In addition, he has been nationally recognized by the Child Welfare League of America for his work and advocacy for youth in the child welfare system (Outstanding Direct Service Worker Award for the Western United States).
Over the years, David has been instrumental in the advancement of YES. In response to the changes in our community and the needs of children and youth, David led YES’ behavioral health services from a traditional supportive listening model to one grounded in evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). He has focused on removing barriers to behavioral health by developing strong partnerships with school districts, specifically increasing YES behavioral health support integration onsite in our schools, and working with his team to launch Open Access to provide walk-in treatment on demand.
Additionally, in response to a significant rise in the acuity of the psychiatric needs of youth, he oversaw the development and integration of psychiatric services adding psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and MD-level guidance on treatment.
Most recently, due to the COVID-19 health crisis, David led the transition of YES services to a TeleHealth virtual platform, helping to assure continued access and continuity of care.
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 Operating Officer in January 2023. 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).
Lisa Hay
Lisa Hay (she/her) is YES’ Chief Advancement Officer (CAO). She has over 40 years of diverse business experience in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. She has worked as a development professional for over 12 years and is passionate about helping some of the most vulnerable children, youth, and their families in our community. Beginning in 2009, she worked as the Director of Development for Seattle Children’s Home, then the Director of Development and later Vice President of Development and Marketing at Navos. In the for-profit sector, Lisa was a real estate business owner, and worked at Nordstrom for over 20 years, working her way up the ranks in buying, merchandising, strategic planning, and global sourcing and manufacturing of private-label brands. Lisa is a visionary and strategic executive known for driving long-term, sustainable growth.
Kristie Neklason
Kristie Neklason (she/her) was a clinical supervisor at YES for many years before becoming YES’ Director of School-Based Behavioral Health. She earned her master’s degree in counseling from Seattle University and is a Certified Chemical Dependency Professional. She has worked in the behavioral health field for more than 25 years, with a special focus on substance use and co-occurring disorders, and has specialized training in evidence-based practices such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
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.
Ray Nelson
As the Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Ray Nelson (he, him) is the administrator of YES’ grant funds and oversees the organization’s fiscal strategies, financial reporting, insurance contracting, and bookkeeping. Ray has more than 25 years of professional experience. Before joining YES in 2010, Ray was Chief Financial Officer for the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center in Seattle.
Kim Reid
Serving as Chief of Staff (COS) for Youth Eastside Services allows Kim Reid (she/her) to combine her strong administrative skillset with a deeply held desire to serve the community and belief in the importance of affordable and accessible behavioral health treatment options. Kim has a BA in Speech Communication from the University of Washington, Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation, Principles of Project Management certification, and, thanks to earlier years spent in the insurance industry, an Associate of Life and Health Claims (ALHC) designation. Before joining YES in 2012, Kim’s roles included office manager for a group of private practice mental health counselors and in the insurance/financial services industry, positions including business analyst, project manager, and life and health claims manager.
Marian Tillman
Marian Tillman (she/her) joined YES as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) in 2001. She has more than 25 years of human resource management experience in the nonprofit field. Her areas of expertise include labor relations and negotiations; risk management compliance; workers’ compensation and safety; wage, salary, and benefits administration; and personnel law. She is a graduate of Hunter College in New York City. Prior to joining YES, Marian was the HR Director for Mentor Health Northwest (now Sound Mental Health).
Monica Wang
Monica Wang (She/her), LMHCA, 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.
