Kerrie C. Blackburn, MSW
Social Work • Housing Systems • Child Welfare • Family Reunification • Community Leadership
I help connect direct practice, program leadership, and systems change to strengthen housing stability and family well-being. My work draws on more than 19 years of experience supporting individuals, families, and communities across Washington.
Explore my background and work
Professional experience
Explore my work in housing leadership, child welfare, teaching, shelter services, and veterinary settings.
Areas of expertise
Explore housing systems, family reunification, program leadership, and community-based practice.
Professional & community work
Read about the Tenants Union, Covenant Creatures, Reunification Day planning, and legislative advocacy.
Practice areas: Housing & housing systems · Child welfare & family reunification · Program leadership
Experience grounded in people and systems
Housing stability
Housing access, supportive housing, houseless services, and resource navigation. I bring a practical understanding of the barriers people face and the programs and partnerships that can help address them.
Child welfare & reunification
Family advocacy, safety and reunification planning, and housing-related consultation in dependency and shelter care cases. My work centers on helping families navigate complex systems and build stability.
Program leadership
Staff supervision, grant-funded program oversight, compliance, and affordable housing operations. I connect organizational accountability with the realities of frontline service.
Community partnerships
Collaboration across agencies, public systems, and community organizations. I work toward coordinated, trauma-informed services that respond to both individual needs and broader barriers.
Current work
Housing Program Leadership
As Housing Program Supervisor with the Community Action Council of Lewis, Mason, and Thurston Counties, I supervise 10 housing case managers across three counties. My work includes oversight of four housing programs and eight funding sources, support for affordable housing portfolio operations and compliance, and collaboration with partners across the South Sound region.
Child Welfare & Housing Consultant
Through my independent consulting work, I provide subject matter expertise, court reports, declarations, safety and reunification planning, and expert testimony concerning housing barriers in child welfare dependency and shelter care cases.
A career shaped by practice and lived experience
My experience includes work as a contracted social worker with the Washington State Office of Public Defense’s Parents Representation Program, a Child Protective Services Investigator with DCYF, and a case manager in nonprofit family shelter and supportive housing programs.
My own experience with housing instability during my transition out of high school helped shape my commitment to this work. It continues to inform how I approach access, dignity, and the practical challenges families face.
Across these roles, I have focused on connecting people with resources while helping organizations and systems respond more effectively to the ever-changing world around us. I hold a master’s degree in Social Work and bachelor’s degrees in Social Work and Women’s & Gender Studies from Eastern Washington University.
Commitment beyond the workplace
My community involvement includes service with the Tenants Union of Washington State and volunteer work with Covenant Creatures in Olympia, WA. These efforts reflect my commitment to housing justice, community access, and support for people facing financial and systemic barriers.
My professional and community work is rooted in a shared goal: making services more accessible and helping people and families move toward greater stability.
Let’s connect
For professional connections, collaboration, or inquiries about my experience in housing and child welfare, connect with me on LinkedIn.
