photo by: Submitted

Brenda Wahl

A local nonprofit that serves homeless families has tapped its director of operations to become the organization’s next executive director.

Family Promise of Lawrence has announced that Brenda Wahl became the organization’s new executive director, effective earlier this month. Wahl has been serving as the organization’s interim executive director since August when longtime executive director Dana Ortiz retired.

Wahl has worked for Family Promise for more than nine years and has served as the director of operations for the past several years, the organization said in a press release.

“In the years that I’ve had the privilege of working at Family Promise of Lawrence, I have seen families’ lives changed as they have done the hard work to get stabilized in housing,” Wahl said via a press release. “Housing instability is not going away for families, and I’m honored to be able to continue the work of FPL in this new position.”

Wahl takes on the new role as FPL is completing a major expansion in the community. As reported, the organization is renovating a former child daycare home at 200 Mt. Hope Court into a shelter that will provide temporary housing for about six families.

The board of FPL said it was glad to be able to find a new executive director who has such a strong understanding of the current projects and mission of the organization.

“After a decade of creative and committed service to Family Promise of Lawrence, we already know the gifts and talents that Ms. Wahl brings to the position,” Matthew Sturtevant, president of the FPL board, said via a release. “Yet we are thrilled to see how she will bring those gifts to bear in a new position of executive leadership.”

Family Promise, which is a national organization with more than 200 affiliates across the country, has been in Lawrence since 2008. It estimates it has provided more than 36,000 nights of shelter to more than 1,700 families in the Lawrence area since it began operations in the community.