CONTACTS & FOUNDATION STAFF
ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Renée Cunningham began work as the Seattle Police Foundation
(SPF) Executive Director in 2003. She has been instrumental in the development
of the organization and its growth to-date. As the Director of SPF, Renée
is responsible for all strategic planning and oversight as well as day-to-day
operations of the organization, including the management of a 35-member
volunteer board of directors.
Renée began her public service career in 1995 as a VISTA Volunteer
at a Volunteers of America (VOA) teen homeless shelter in Spokane Washington,
working with homeless, at-risk, and gang-involved youth. There she was
promoted to the Manager of the Independent Living Program (ILP), which
included a pregnant and parenting teen home. During her time at VOA Renée
was responsible for growing the ILP program by more than 50%.
In 1998, Ms. Cunningham was introduced to the Seattle Police Department
(SPD) for the first time when she was hired as a research assistant for
the community-policing program, while at graduate school at the Evans
School of Public Affairs. She also worked for King County as an analyst
for the Juvenile Justice Operational Master Plan-a multi-year planning
process for the nationally recognized juvenile justice programming in
King County during this time.
In 2000, Renée was hired by the Seattle Police Department to work
in the Research and Grants Unit as a senior grant writer and researcher.
It was in that capacity that her experience in non-profit organizations
came into play in working with community leaders to begin the Seattle
Police Foundation.
Renée has a long history of volunteering in the community, including
tenure as a Steering Committee member of the Washington Coalition to
Abolish the Death Penalty, Instructor for the SPD Community Police Academy,
volunteer grant writer for various local organizations and volunteer
mediator for Northwest Institute for Restorative Justice. She is currently
a member of Seattle Rotary and serves on the International Committee.
A graduate of Whitworth College and the University of Washington, Ms.
Cunningham is married to husband Marcus. They live in West Seattle with
their daughter Claire and dog Elliott. They enjoy fly-fishing, x-country
skiing, all things outdoors and are both avid readers.
