Los Angeles, CA – Upward Bound House, a nonprofit whose mission is to eliminate homelessness among families with children in Los Angeles, has named Kiara Payne as its new Director of Programs. Upward Bound House provides housing, supportive services, and advocacy, and operates programs in Santa Monica, Culver City, South Los Angeles and Compton.
Payne brings an extensive background in the social service industry, including in affordable housing property management and programs serving the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. Most recently, Payne served as Director of Programs at Ascencia, creating operational policies and procedures that allowed for continued and safe service delivery through the pandemic, working in collaboration with the City of Glendale, Homeless Services Division, the Department of Health Services, the Department of Public Health, and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable home and I am so excited to continue the fight against homelessness as the Director of Programs at Upward Bound House,” said Payne.
As Director of Programs, Payne provides strategic leadership on program content, implementation and evaluation of programs, as well as oversees program operation. In this role, Payne also serves as an Upward Bound House regional representative, establishing and maintaining partnerships to advance the organization’s mission.
“We are thrilled to announce Kiara Payne as our new Director of Programs. At Upward Bound House, we believe every family has the potential to succeed, and our team helps make that success a reality. Kiara, with her passion and experience, was the right person to fill such an important role for us,” said Executive Director, Christine Mirasy-Glasco.
The appointment of Payne follows a thorough recruitment process overseen by Young & Healthy in partnership with Envision Consulting—a minority-owned firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles, specializing in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration and executive leadership transitions.
See more of Envision Consulting's nonprofit executive search successful placements.