New Leadership

Hope House of St. Croix Valley Announces New Leadership

January 17, 2023

STILLWATER, MN — The Board of Directors of Hope House of St. Croix Valley have named Audrey Harrell as the new Executive Director of Hope House of St. Croix Valley.

Harrell’s background in leadership, combined with an ardent passion for advocating for vulnerable populations, will help to further advance the mission of the organization that is celebrating their 32^nd anniversary this spring. “The Board of Directors is delighted to welcome Audrey Harrell as our fifth Executive Director,” says Board Chair, Casey vanderBent. “It is our hope and expectation that Audrey’s unique set of professional gifts, combined with her strong interpersonal skills, will be just what the organization needs as together we forge a new and stronger Hope House.”

Harrell will be responsible for providing overall supervision of daily operations of the organization – guiding and ensuring the success of the organization’s current program expansion and linking decisions to the strategic plan while looking for growth opportunities.

Throughout her career, Harrell has worked for multiple nonprofits and governmental agencies working with at-risk populations in a variety of program areas, to include, housing, prisoner re-entry, public/private schools, medical research, public health, domestic violence, federal government, population health, social & racial justice, in addition to, HIV/AIDS. Harrell has extensive experience in fundraising, management, DEI, program development/management, strategy development, and grant writing. She has transformed numerous organizations and communities, raising millions of dollars, creating innovative programs, enriching lives, and providing hope for a promising future of sustainable growth. 

“I am excited to be part of an organization with a legacy of providing compassionate care for more than 30 years. With the help of the board and staff, I look forward to building upon that legacy of excellence in care,” says Harrell.

Harrell is a collaborative leader with keen business instincts and commitment to success. Harrell’s calming spirit allows her to gain the confidence of those who work for and who have any interaction with her. This quality has built her a reputation as an articulate implementer of strategies that easily transform into action with top-line results. Inspiring loyal team members by modeling leadership along with a commitment to excellence to earn respect through open communication. Harrell’s unique advantage is her ability to be authentic and make deep connections with various audiences that establish trusting relationships, resulting in organizational change.

About Hope House of St. Croix Valley: At Hope House, we envision a future where all people have access to programs and services to live their best life. We bring our vision to life through our mission to provide people experiencing life-changing health challenges access to compassionate care that respects their dignity and choice. After 30 years of serving a diverse population of people living with HIV, Hope House is expanding operations beyond its flagship foster care program to include living-in-place services for individuals living and aging with HIV, individuals aging and who identify as LGBTQAI+, and our neighbors in friends in the communities we serve.