PiPE’s mission is to partner with houseless, street-dependent, and marginalized survivors to reduce harm, provide opportunities to heal from trauma, fight systemic oppression and build lasting connections for our community.
Meet Our Board
Riley works as a Civil Rights Investigator for the Washington State Human Rights Commission, enforcing Washington’s anti-discrimination laws. Riley is a graduate of the Evergreen State College with a focus on journalism and political science. Because of his strong belief in equity, social justice, and an egalitarian social safety net, Riley is active in his union, and is a dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America. A long-time Olympia resident and ally to the houseless, LGBTQIA+ community, and other marginalized groups, Riley got involved with PiPE as a way to directly advocate for social justice in the community.
Riley Wessels
Board Member
He/Him
Eve Griggs is a survivor of the International Adoption Industry, adopted to the U.S. in 1982 from South Korea. She’s an Evergreen Alumni, graduating with a B.A. in Humanities with a focus in Music Performance and Political Economics. Post undergrad she worked in various restaurants in downtown Olympia, following her passion for culinary arts. Her time working in Olympia restaurants over 20 years gave her many opportunities to connect with housing insecure and houseless folks. With an intention to retire out of kitchens, she pursued an accounting degree. After attaining a Masters in Accountancy she has taken a deliberate (slow) pivot into the Finance space and is now a Bookkeeper with Bon Appetit Management Company at St. Martin’s University food services. She is
inspired by the mission of PiPE, its crucial role in our Community, and looks forward to collaborating and offering her skills in the financial realm and with a nurturing approach as enabled by her love to feed the people in all the many capacities that this transpires.
Eve Griggs
Board Treasurer
She/Her
johnny atlas is a writer who began publishing queer anarchist zines in his twenties through a global network of underground activists and artists. His writing is still mostly xeroxed, but recent work was published in new words {press} a trans* & gender - expansive poetry press; as well as in Ós Pressan an Icelandic multilingual literary journal. atlas studied Black Feminist Theory and The Politics of Revolution for his undergrad at The Evergreen State College; and Experimental Literature and Writing for his graduate studies at Goddard college. His epic student loans will likely never be paid off. During the pandemic atlas left New Moon Cooperative--where he worked on & off for seventeen years as a cook--and transitioned into being a bookseller at Orca Books Cooperative. atlas has long been a comrade to friends on the streets. While yet to experience being houseless himself, he is a survivor of many things that often lead to being houseless or incarcerated, which led him to become an abolitionist. When not shelving books or hiking with his dog, atlas sits on the Education Committee for Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network working to end the Korean War and fight imperialism.
johnny atlas
Board Member
He/Him
Damiana Youngblood credits all the Land, Indigenous, Black, Elders, Youth, Transgender and differently abled People who have raised him over the 30+ years of his life. He is for the People who are for the People. Through experience, they know that going the long way around is often safer and more sustainable. Dom is an advocate for the analogue. They study Dynamic Systems Change and commit their life to building transformative systems that support humanity in ending and healing from ancestral cycles of violence and abuse. Dom is almost always doing work of some kind. As a past participant of PiPE, Dom brings a unique perspective to the organization. He continues training in street outreach and crisis management, loves learning, and refuses to accept doom and disrepair as a destination. On their resting days, you can find Dom traveling, playing guitar, making art, medicining, and enjoying the company of the Beloved in community.
Damiana Youngblood
Board Member
He/Him
Board Member Summary
The Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that the organization is well-managed and financially responsible. The Board is the governing body of the organization and is responsible for establishing the mission and goals for the organization so everything runs smoothly as a whole. In addition, the Board sets the organization’s policies which provide the parameters for the agency’s work.
General Responsibilities
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Organization Management: To ensure the organization is responsibly managed (in accordance with the organization’s by-laws and policies) and is compliant with legal and contract requirements.
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Fund Raising: To ensure that the organization has the resources it needs to pursue its goals. In order to fulfill this responsibility, Board Members must determine how the organization will raise funds, participate in fundraising events, donate money, recruit and solicit donors, and identify potential funding sources.
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Budget Management: To ensure that the resources of the organization are raised and spent in a responsible manner. Board Members must help create and approve the agency budget, set financial policy, acquire adequate insurance, and arrange for an annual financial audit.
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Hiring: To work with HR and staff to hire appropriate Executive Directors and other staff, as PiPE needs, to make sure PiPE continues to run smoothly.
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Supervising: to supervise the Executive Directors with support from HR
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Representative: To serve as the organization’s representatives in the community.
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Determine Priorities: To fulfil other responsibilities, Board Members must establish the organization’s strategic plan and long term goals. In addition, the Board must evaluate the organization’s progress towards its goals.
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Recruitment: To evaluate and assess Board composition, identify and recruit potential Board Members.
Your Individual Responsibilities
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Personal Commitment: It is expected that you make a personal commitment to PiPE’s mission when participating in Board activities.
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Time Commitment: Board members are initially elected to serve a two-year term and may serve up to three consecutive terms. Board members are expected to:
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Attend monthly board meetings
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Participate in any committee meetings that you are on
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Advocate for PiPE and promote its programs and activities. Participate in PiPE’s events and training as appropriate to their time and availability.
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Spend two to four hours a month reviewing papers and keeping up to date on emails.
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Transparency: You are expected to bring forward any conflicts of interest as they arise.
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Program oversight: It is expected that you stay informed about the goings-on of the organization, including reading the financial and program reports.
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Financial review: Ensure maintenance of sound financial records, operation within budgetary constraints and compliance with legal and regulatory standards
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Fundraising: Board members are encouraged to make an annual monetary contribution to the organization at a level they deem meaningful. Board members may support staff efforts to solicit funds from a variety of sources and ensure that the organization has the resources to accomplish its work.
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Events: It is expected of you to attend and participate in any special events the organization puts on.
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Training Events: You are to attend Board training events in order to participate in continuing education.
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Team Building: It is expected that you work with the Board and Staff to strive towards the goals of the organization as a whole.
Join Our Board
​Serving on our board can be a rewarding way for you to get involved in your community and lend your skills to building a world free of violence
with houseless and street-dependent people in Olympia.
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Still have questions or just want to sit in on a Board Meeting to get a feel for things? Call for meeting location and time. If you are interested in attending
please contact us at (360) 357-4472 or email info@pipeolympia.org