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La Casa Hogar Announces New Executive Director: Official Press Release

YAKIMA, WA –La Casa Hogar announces Magaly Solis as their new Executive Director. Ms. Solis will move into the Executive Director role at La Casa on October 4th, 2021. Ms. Solis has been the Citizenship Program Manager for the last 7 years. Laura Armstrong, current executive director for the last six and a half years, will step aside on October 1, 2021.  La Casa announced in early May of this year that Ms. Armstrong would be stepping aside and that this executive transition is part of an organizational strategy and long-term goal of having representative leadership— that organizational leaders represent the community La Casa serves, immigrant Latina women.

This announcement comes after a five-month process led by the Transition Team and Board of Directors. The Transition Team was formed this spring, and consisted of six existing staff members, two board members, and four volunteers and students at La Casa Hogar. As an extension of the mission, the Board chose to conduct an internal search process. La Casa develops and cultivates leadership from within; the majority of staff members began as La Casa clients.

Magaly Solis brings a background and passion for education; she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Heritage University in 2007.  At La Casa Hogar, for the last 7 years, she has honed her professional skills in leadership development, program and non-profit management, fundraising, and understanding of systemic change.  Ms. Solis, the proud daughter of farmworker parents, is a first-generation immigrant and DACA recipient. She has lived in the Yakima Valley for over 20 years. Ms. Solis originally began with La Casa Hogar as a volunteer in 2013. She quickly moved into an employee role as the Wapato and Citizenship Program Coordinator. Two years later, she was promoted to the Citizenship Program Manager and has significantly expanded the program. Under her leadership, the number of adult students receiving Citizenship classes increased by 56%, program revenue increased by 97%, and over 1,300 people became U.S. citizens. Ms. Solis has successfully led her team and a group of community partners to pursue a strategic vision to increased access to quality citizenship education and citizenship legal services for immigrants across Central Washington.

Eva Chavez, La Casa Hogar’s Board Chair, and the entire Board of Directors wish to congratulate Magaly Solis and also the entire Transition Team for their hard work in this process: “Ms. Solis embodies the values that drive La Casa Hogar. She is committed to leading with authenticity, compassion, empathy, resiliency, relationships and to continue upholding La Casa’s values and centering our students’ voices.” As Executive Director, Ms. Solis will work closely with La Casa’s team and board to ensure that La Casa continues to pursue its mission and adapts to the many challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue conecting and partnering with our community.

“We celebrate her new leadership role and this milestone. Magaly is a strong leader, thoughtful, strategic, driven, passionate, mission oriented, caring, loving and much more. I know she will bring all of these attributes to lead our organization the best that she can in collaboration with our team, students, and board members,” shares La Casa Hogar’s Board Chair, Eva Chavez.

“I am excited for the opportunity to serve my community as Executive Director and to continue to be part of a great organization that has transformed many lives, including my life,” shares Ms. Solis. Virtual opportunities to meet Ms. Solis will be forthcoming. Celebrate past and future leadership by investing in La Casa Hogar at www.lacasahogar.org.

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