New Hope Housing Director To Retire After 30 Years

MOUNT VERNON, VA — New Hope Housing, a nonprofit that runs housing and shelter programs in Fairfax County, Arlington County, Alexandria, and Falls Church, announced the upcoming retirement of Executive Director Pam Michell. Her retirement will be effective Oct. 1, 2021.

Michell has provided leadership to New Hope Housing for 30 years after becoming executive director in November 1990. Under her leadership, New Hope Housing grew from a program of three shelters serving 100 people daily to three year-round shelters, three hypothermia shelters, seven permanent housing support programs and other support services serving around 450 people daily. In Fairfax County, it operates the Bailey's Shelter and Supportive Housing, Eleanor U. Kennedy Shelter, Mondloch House, a supportive housing program for people who have experienced homelessness, and more programs.

"It has been my great honor and privilege to lead an amazing staff and countless volunteers committed to ending homelessness in Northern Virginia," said Michell in a statement. "I am extraordinarily proud of the impact we have made in ensuring every man, woman and child in our community has a home and a bright future. I look forward to working closely with the board of directors and leadership team to position New Hope Housing for continued success in meeting the needs of the people we serve."

The nonprofit has won various awards under Michell's leadership, including Best Housing Organization in 2004 at the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference and Virginia’s Coalition to End Homelessness Housing First Award in 2015. Michell was named a 2005 Washingtonian of the Year, received the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s 2009 Gelman Rosenberg Freedman EXCEL Award for excellence in nonprofit leadership, was named the Leadership Fairfax Nonprofit Leader of the Year in 2013, and was named "Lady Fairfax" by then-Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova in 2019.

Denise Mackie-Smith, president of New Hope Housing's board of directors, thanked Michell for her leadership to help meet the needs of the community.

"Her passion and enthusiasm resulted in unparalleled growth and expansion of innovative housing solutions for one of our most vulnerable communities," said Mackie-Smith.

The board has started a process to name an interim executive director to serve while the board searches for a new permanent director.