At ReloShare, we understand the complex realities that social service providers face every day. That’s why we've assembled a team of industry experts—former shelter directors, nonprofit leaders, policy advocates, cybersecurity specialists, gender-based violence experts, and direct-service professionals—who have been exactly where Reloshare’s users are today.
In each installment of this series, you'll meet one of our team members, hear about their experiences, and learn actionable insights to enhance your community's emergency and transitional housing strategies. Best of all, Reloshare’s expertise is available to you free of charge as a Safe Stays or Grove customer.
Ready to rethink how your community approaches emergency housing?
→ Schedule a free consultation with our team of experts today.
Kia Whittier— Customer Success Onboarding Associate
Previous Experience: See Kia's full background and connect with her on LinkedIn.
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Tell us briefly about your background and experience in social services. How did your career evolve before joining ReloShare?
Before joining ReloShare, I spent over a decade in the gender-based violence field, working across a wide range of roles—from youth and legal advocacy to coalition organizing, systems change, and statewide technical assistance. My career began in direct service, supporting survivors navigating housing instability, legal systems, and institutional barriers. Over time, I moved into program development and outreach, leading initiatives focused on underserved populations and providing culturally specific, trauma-informed support. I’ve also served in leadership roles on nonprofit boards and national advocacy efforts. Throughout all of it, my work has centered on equity, accessibility, and building sustainable, survivor-centered solutions—values that continue to guide my approach at ReloShare today.
What specific areas (e.g., cybersecurity, gender-based violence, shelter management) did your previous work focus on, and why is this work critical to improving emergency housing programs?
My background includes legal advocacy, youth services, coalition building, program development for marginalized communities, and statewide training and technical assistance. Much of my work has focused on supporting survivors of violence, incarcerated youth, undocumented individuals, and other communities often excluded from traditional services. I’ve helped agencies build culturally responsive programming, strengthen policies and procedures, and navigate funding and compliance challenges. This work is critical to improving emergency housing because these programs can’t be one-size-fits-all.
Real transformation comes when we center equity, choice, and community-rooted approaches in housing strategies—and that starts with understanding the barriers people face and building programs that remove them.
How does your specific experience directly inform the support and guidance you provide to ReloShare customers?
I bring a strong lens of systems navigation and program development to my role. I understand the pressure that agency staff are under, especially when clients are in crisis and time is limited. Because I’ve been in their shoes, I know how demanding and under-resourced this work can be. That perspective helps me create processes that are not only comprehensive but also flexible and supportive. Whether a customer is just launching a hotel-shelter program or refining an existing one, I use my experience to help them think through program design, risk management, and client-centered practices. The onboarding journey isn’t just about learning a platform—it’s about getting meaningful support to do this work more effectively and sustainably.
From your perspective, what are some common gaps or overlooked challenges in emergency and transitional housing strategies? How can agencies address these proactively?
One common challenge is program readiness—many agencies are expected to rapidly respond to emergency housing needs without adequate time, funding, or infrastructure to build out an effective program. This includes gaps in policies and procedures, a lack of crisis protocols, and staff burnout. Agencies can proactively address this by investing in planning: mapping out workflows, creating strong intake processes, defining staff roles and building cross-functional teams early, engaging hotels as partners (not just vendors), and leaning on experts for guidance. We’re here to support those foundational pieces and take some of the burden off their plates.
What has been your most impactful experience at ReloShare in applying your experience to help social service agencies?
One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had was supporting an agency that already had a hotel-shelter program but was struggling after several serious incidents involving guests. The agency was at a crossroads—frustrated and unsure how to move forward safely. Together, we reviewed their existing policies and procedures and had honest conversations about risk mitigation, crisis response, and how to better prepare guests for hotel stays. We co-created updates to their internal protocols, refined their client expectations, and introduced preventative strategies to reduce future harm. It was powerful to see the shift from feeling reactive to feeling in control again—and knowing their clients would benefit from a more stable and supportive system. That kind of impact is why I do this work.
What unique perspective or strength do you bring to the team at ReloShare and to the customers who seek your guidance?
I bring an understanding of what it’s like to be on the other side of the screen—navigating impossible choices, long waitlists, limited options, and clients in crisis. That lived experience helps me meet our customers with empathy and clarity. I also bring structure—I love building processes and systems that make things easier for everyone involved. My goal is always to demystify complexity and support agencies in building sustainable, mission-aligned programs.
If an agency is hesitant or unsure about adopting new strategies or tools, what advice would you offer based on your past professional experiences?
Change in this field can feel overwhelming, especially when time and capacity are limited. I’d remind them that
innovation doesn’t always mean overhauling everything—it can be as simple as making one process more trauma-informed or adding a new resource to the toolkit.
If a new tool like Safe Stays can reduce barriers for one survivor, one family, or one case manager, it’s worth exploring. I also encourage agencies to take advantage of the support offered—this isn’t something they have to figure out alone. Our team has walked in their shoes, and we’re here to partner with them, not pressure them.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
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