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?
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Mackenzie Masilon— Customer Success, Senior
Previous Experience: Sexual Assault Hospital Advocate, Public Policy & Communications Coordinator
See Mackenzie's full background and connect with her on LinkedIn.
Tell us briefly about your background and experience in social services. How did your career evolve before joining ReloShare?
My journey into social services began during my undergraduate sociology program, when I became a sexual assault hospital advocate for the largest rape crisis center in the state. It was one of the most intense experiences of my life—being there for survivors in some of their most vulnerable moments, often during overnight and weekend shifts. After my internship ended, I moved into a paid role and continued doing that work for three years, which deeply shaped my understanding of advocacy and trauma.
Wanting to have a broader impact, I eventually transitioned to my state’s coalition against sexual assault and domestic violence. Over the years there, I wore a few different hats—first as the Rape Prevention Education Coordinator, working with educators across the state to bring prevention-focused programs into schools and communities. Later, I stepped into a public policy role, where I had the chance to write and advocate for legislation that strengthened rights and safety protections for survivors of gender-based violence. It was incredibly rewarding to help move those policies forward and see real change take shape.
While doing all of that, I also earned my Master’s in Social Work. Through my program, I gained experience in both hospice social work and therapy, which added another layer to how I support individuals navigating trauma and life transitions.
In February 2022, I joined ReloShare, and I’ve been helping build and expand hotel shelter programs across the country ever since. This role has been a natural next step for me—it combines my advocacy background, direct service experience, and passion for creating new ways to address complex social issues. I’m proud of the work we’re doing to create safer, more accessible options for people in crisis, and I remain deeply committed to building a more just and compassionate world.
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 combines both direct advocacy with survivors and broader systems-level work, which really shapes the way I approach program development. Having experience at both the micro and macro levels allows me to build thoughtful, effective programming for the agencies using Safe Stays. I understand what guests and clients need in those critical moments, and I also know what it takes for agencies to successfully integrate hotel shelter programs into their existing services. It’s that dual perspective that helps bridge the gap between immediate support and long-term, sustainable solutions.
How did using ReloShare’s products help you scale or launch your housing programs?
Thanks to ReloShare, I worked with seven nonprofits in San Francisco to use newly secured funds for 30-day stays in furnished corporate housing units. In the early months of the pandemic, when service demand was through the roof, ReloShare’s resourcefulness and 24/7 check-in support were invaluable. Through this program, we began allowing survivors to book units without needing to present ID at check-in, which evolved into what’s now known as “Alias Approved” in the Safe Stays system. Recently, I spoke with one of our partner nonprofits who reminded me of a client who would have been homeless if not for the corporate housing we provided during that crisis.
What made this project so unique was that our office—the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office—does not operate housing programs. We support victims, but we were not set up to provide housing or shelter services. Many of the domestic violence agencies we partnered with also didn’t have shelters; however, we knew survivors would seek help from whichever DV organization they trusted first. Our goal was to avoid sending them on a never-ending referral loop, especially during a time of immense upheaval. Meanwhile, traditional shelter providers were overwhelmed with social distancing protocols and heightened demand, plus concerns about what happened to clients at the end of their stay.
By leveraging ReloShare’s platform, these non-shelter agencies suddenly had the ability to become housing providers themselves. They could book corporate housing for their survivors directly and continue providing case management without handing them off to another agency. This continuity meant survivors didn’t have to retell their stories multiple times just to find safe housing. For me, it was an eye-opening lesson:
Given the right resources, agencies that don’t typically offer shelter can absolutely become effective housing providers—and often deliver more tailored, client-centered support in the process.
How does your specific experience directly inform the support and guidance you provide to ReloShare customers?
My experience has really helped me recognize the bigger picture, which is what led me to help create our Customer Success department in May 2023. As a macro social worker, I’m always thinking about how systems function and how they can work better. I quickly saw that what we’re doing at ReloShare is so much more than just offering a booking platform—we’re partnering with agencies of all sizes and helping them find solutions that truly fit their needs. I’m very solution-oriented, so I take the feedback we hear from our partners seriously, and I’m always looking for ways to improve our services, resources, and overall user experience.
From your perspective, what are some common gaps or overlooked challenges in emergency and transitional housing strategies? How can agencies address these proactively?
One challenge I’ve seen time and time again is how tough it can be for social service agencies to implement new types of services—especially something as different as hotel-based emergency housing. It’s a big shift from the traditional shelter model, and it requires creating entirely new policies, processes, and systems. That can feel overwhelming for agencies, especially when they’re already stretched thin. As a result, hotels are often overlooked as a viable solution, even though they can fill critical gaps. The needs of individuals in emergency housing are very different from those in transitional or permanent housing, and agencies really do need to approach each journey differently. But with limited funding and staff capacity, it’s hard to prioritize launching something new—sometimes there isn’t even someone available to manage the bookings. That’s exactly where tailored support and thoughtful design can make all the difference.
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 while working here was supporting an agency that had never provided direct housing services before. They joined the platform, secured funding, built out their internal processes and procedures, and eventually launched a statewide emergency hotel shelter program for their member agencies. I had the opportunity to walk alongside them from start to finish—helping them every step of the way. The best part? We ended up co-presenting at a national conference to share their journey. It was such a full-circle moment and a powerful reminder of what’s possible when the right support meets the right mission.
What unique perspective or strength do you bring to the team at ReloShare and to the customers who seek your guidance?
I tend to look at the world through both a big-picture and deeply personal lens, which helps me assess programming in a way that’s grounded, but also strategic. My background spans a little bit of everything—working directly with survivors, shaping policy and legislation, writing grants, and finding creative funding opportunities. I also bring with me experience from both rural and urban programs, which helps me understand the unique challenges and strengths of each. What really sets me apart is that I don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. I lean into my personal and professional experiences to meet each agency where they are, and the partners I work with know I’m committed to helping them build solutions that truly fit their needs—not just checking a box.
If an agency is hesitant or unsure about adopting new strategies or tools, what advice would you offer based on your past professional experiences?
If I could offer one piece of advice to agencies that are hesitant to try new approaches, it would be this:
The world is changing—and if we don’t evolve with it, we risk leaving survivors behind.
The traditional shelter model, which dates back to the 1970s, has served so many people and still plays an important role today. But the truth is, it doesn’t work for everyone. Not every survivor can access or feel safe in a shelter environment. Hotel-based emergency housing can be a game-changer—it uses infrastructure that already exists, often at a lower cost than running a 24/7 facility, and with more flexibility to meet people where they are. I know change can feel daunting, but I genuinely believe it’s necessary if we want to provide the most inclusive, survivor-centered services possible.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
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