Degale Cooper: Chief Executive Officer
Seattle, WA — Degale Cooper has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of YouthCare, an agency that works to end youth homelessness. With over 30 years of experience meeting the needs of children and families in the Puget Sound region, Cooper has a steadfast belief in young people and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Since 2018, she has served as YouthCare’s Chief Program Officer, overseeing a continuum of care for youth and young adults spanning 15 program locations throughout Seattle and King County. Prior to YouthCare, Cooper held leadership positions at the YWCA, Youth Eastside Services, Treehouse, and the Mockingbird Society.
YouthCare was founded in 1974 as one of the first runaway and homeless youth shelters on the West Coast. The goal was to help homeless youth find safety today and build stability for tomorrow. This passionate vision continues to drive YouthCare every day. For nearly 50 years, YouthCare has defined best practices, developed programs and policies that are a national standard for excellence, and ensured that young people experiencing homelessness have the hope, skills, and self-confidence needed to thrive.
YouthCare serves more than 1,500 young people every year with a comprehensive portfolio of housing, education and employment services. Recognizing that BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth disproportionately experience homelessness, YouthCare works to address systemic injustices in partnership with BIPOC and LGBTQ+-led organizations within the communities it serves. For more information, visit https://youthcare.org/
