I am honored to have joined Columbia Legal Services (CLS) as Interim Executive Director.
Through my prior work as a civil legal aid attorney and with Alliance for Equal Justice partners, including JustLead Washington and Seattle University School of Law, I have long admired CLS’s advocacy, its deeply committed staff and board, and its unique role in advancing justice across Washington. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my experience in leadership development and organizational strategy to the work ahead.
We enter this year at a critical time. Immigrant communities, incarcerated individuals, and workers across our state — particularly from Black, Indigenous, and brown communities — are facing intensified enforcement, reduced access to due process, and systems that too often operate without accountability. Strong, independent civil legal advocacy is essential to confront racialized systems of harm and protect the rights and dignity of the communities most impacted.
For 30 years, CLS has challenged unlawful policies and practices and strengthened legal protections for people most affected by structural racism, criminalization, and poverty. That history shapes how we meet today’s challenges.
In the year ahead, CLS is focused on three priorities: growing the impact of our advocacy and partnerships, strengthening our internal systems and organizational culture, and preparing the organization for its next phase of long-term leadership. This work ensures we can respond to urgent community needs while building the strength required for lasting sustainability.
As we mark this milestone year, we are reflecting on the decades of partnership and legal advocacy that have shaped CLS — and on how we continue evolving to meet today’s realities. In the coming months, we will assess our organizational health and strategic priorities, and we invite you to engage in that process. You will hear more soon about ways to share your ideas and support.
CLS remains steadfast in its commitment to strategic, community-rooted advocacy that advances dignity, equity, and collective power.
Thank you for walking with us in this next chapter.
Jennifer Werdell
Interim Executive Director
Columbia Legal Services
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