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Children's Alliance Executive Director Dr. Stephan Blanford. (Image: Courtesy of Children's Alliance)

Executive Director of Children’s Alliance will step down this year

Dr. Stephan Blanford will pass the torch in summer 2025

The statewide Children’s Alliance, one of Washington’s leading child advocacy organizations, has announced its executive director will step down this summer.

In a blog post announcing the change, Children’s Alliance Board Chair Stephanie Thorpe called Dr. Stephan Blanford’s decision to move on “bittersweet” news. Blanford has led the organization since June 2020. 

The right time

Following the announcement, Blanford said that his departure is not necessary news in-house. When he accepted the position, he estimated he’d stay with the organization for five years.

“With my fifth anniversary coming in late June, the time arrived to begin assessing where we are as an organization and where I am professionally,” he said. “The organization [is] in a powerful position to fight for behavioral health care access and progressive revenue during the current legislative session, [so] I opted to announce a summer departure.” He added that the early announcement will allow the alliance to conduct a nationwide search for his replacement.

Thorpe praised Blanford’s contribution to the Children’s Alliance and the children of Washington.

“There are no words to express how grateful we are for the hard work, commitment, vision, and leadership Stephan has provided over the past five years,” Thorpe said. “He joined us at the height of the pandemic and managed us through that. He has worked to build our financial position to the strongest it has ever been. He has been a strong, statewide voice raising concern about our children’s behavioral health.” 

Big wins for Washington kids

Led by Blanford, Children’s Alliance worked with advocacy partners to push for the passage of the Fair Start for Kids Act. He continues to be an important source of information for children’s advocates in other states as they seek to implement similar legislation. He also led the organization’s advocacy to retain the state’s capital gains tax, a critical funding source for Washington’s early learning initiatives and programs. Blanford was the chief spokesperson for No on Initiative 2109which fought the repeal of the tax.

On February 11, Blanford will once again lead parents, kids, educators, and others to meet lawmakers and rally on the Capitol steps during Have A Heart for Kids Day, the organization’s annual advocacy day in Olympia.

Throughout his tenure, Blanford has been dedicated to racial equity and has expressed passion for ensuring the 1.7 million children in the state have their needs met. That work will continue to be central to the 7,000-member Children’s Alliance through its staff, board, and volunteer efforts, Thorpe said. Blanford’s tenure will overlap with that of the next executive director to ensure a smooth transition. 

“Our commitment to racial equity and undoing institutionalized racism is ongoing,” Thorpe said. 

What’s next?

Before joining Children’s Alliance, Blanford was a father, researcher, children’s advocate, and owner of Lighthouse Consulting, which provided equity-based research, evaluation, and consultation services to help school districts and community-based nonprofit organizations improve services to students, families, and communities in Washington. He served on the Seattle School Board from 2013-2017. In 2022, the Evergreen Chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators awarded him the Billy Frank Jr. Race and Social Justice Award for “leadership in transforming society.” 

Thorpe says the organization is planning an “official send-off” for Blanford during the annual Children’s Alliance Voices for Children fundraiser in the spring.

“I plan to overlap with the new executive director,” he said “and then to take a well-earned rest before resuming my social justice advocacy.”

Read more:

Progress made, but far more to do for kids

Children’s Alliance to 2025 legislature: Take bold action

KIDS COUNT 2024: WA must do better for kids

About the Author

Cheryl Murfin

Cheryl Murfin is managing editor at Seattle's Child. She is also a certified doula, lactation educator for NestingInstinctsSeattle.com and a certified AWA writing workshop facilitator at Compasswriters.com.