Over the first and second quarters of this year, our Philanthropy Team doubled in size. We would love to take this opportunity to introduce you to our newest team members, Sherene and Zoe. Please join us as we welcome them to the MHNW family.

Sherene Thomas

I’m the Corporate & Foundation Relations Manager at Mercy Housing Northwest, where I build and manage relationships with institutional funders to support resident services across the Pacific Northwest. I work closely with corporate and foundation partners to secure funding, coordinate volunteer engagement, and align shared goals that help advance housing equity in our communities.

Before joining Mercy Housing, I held leadership roles at Equal Justice Works and the DC Affordable Law Firm, where I led fundraising efforts, managed pro bono partnerships, and supported cross-sector initiatives focused on expanding access to justice.

I’m a proud alumna of Florida State University, with a J.D. and a Master of Public Administration. I bring a deep commitment to equity, community empowerment, and social impact to everything I do. As a recent transplant to Seattle, I’m excited to support Mercy Housing’s mission here in the Northwest and beyond.

Zoe Barker-Aderem

I’m the Major Gifts Manager at Mercy Housing Northwest. I’m also a strategist and connector, combining my skills as a playwright, facilitator, and fundraising leader to build capacity and spark meaningful collaboration.

I’ve led workshops in the performing arts for youth in foster care, creative writing classes for women incarcerated at the King County Jail, and parenting support groups for both queer and straight parents. On the event side, I’ve planned fundraisers for 30-600 people, including galas, luncheons, virtual benefits, a soul skate, and a host of smaller events.

After ten years of fundraising, I love the ask. There is nothing better than helping a good cause do good work in a way that centers the community. Over my career, I have raised funds to support building clean water and sanitation projects in Honduras, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Mozambique; creating artistic opportunities for youth in foster care; building communities of support and education for new parents; and providing trauma-informed yoga, meditation, and creative writing classes in jails and prisons.

I am proud to work with individual donors at Mercy Housing Northwest, where our team builds affordable housing and provides supportive services in the community where I grew up and beyond.