The Juneau chapter of St. Vincent de Paul, a global Catholic organization that provides housing support and many other services, will have a new executive director in July.
Dave Ringle, who has led the organization for the last five years, is stepping down as director. He plans to remain with the organization to help with strategic planning and major projects.
Jennifer Skinner will take over. She has a background in social work and spent two years as deputy director at St. Vincent de Paul.
In Juneau, the nonprofit runs a thrift store, a warming shelter for unhoused people in winter and provides more than 100 units of affordable housing to low-income residents and families.
Ringle joined the organization after he retired from a teaching career. He said teaching prepared him for the creativity and fast-thinking required for the work he has done, but he said Skinner has a different set of skills to bring to the table.
“I had to learn human resources. I had to learn finance. I had to learn housing,” Ringle said. “Jennifer comes in already knowing that, and she’s going to help with providing some stability and some structure.”
Ringle was hired as an interim director, with a timeline of about six months. He stayed on for five years. But now amid health issues, he says it’s time to let Skinner take over.
He said he joined the organization at a time of chaos and he’s spent the last two years working with Skinner to provide St. Vincent de Paul with a smooth and stable transition.
Ringle said he doesn’t want the organization’s mission to be waylaid by the search for a new director. He said St. Vincent de Paul will keep working to provide both immediate shelter needs and long term housing for Juneau’s unhoused community.
“Our goal is to continue that, to look at ways we can both care for the people who can’t find a place to live, but with a long term goal of fixing what is broken,” Ringle said. “And it’s not an either or.”
Skinner will start her role as executive director on July 1. Ringle said he plans to take a long bike ride before he comes back to help out.
