Staff Profiles

WaTasha Barnes Griffin is the YWCA’s Chief Executive Officer. She has been with the YWCA since 2015.

As CEO, Barnes Griffin is responsible for being the advocate for the organization – out in the community talking about the YWCA’s work and being at any table where the issues of women and girls, and their economic empowerment and advancement, are being discussed.

Barnes Griffin said all her community work in recent years has been related to issues that impact women.

“The mission of the YWCA is to eliminate racism and empower women,” she said. “Both of those things are closely aligned with my personal mission, as well. For me, intentionality is important. Anything that I am involved with has to involve women, education or the advancement of women in their lives. ”

Barnes Griffin said her dream for the future of the YWCA is for it to continue to fulfill its mission – being a valuable resource for the community as it has been since 1911.

“We want to make sure our organization, and what we do, continues to serve and to lift and support women and children for another 100-plus years,” she said.

Dorica Watson is our Chief Program Officer.

Dorica comes to us a proud alumni Ivy Tech Community College, where she earned her degree in Human Services, and Ball State University, where she earned a degree in Social Work!

Accomplished in her field, she has earned many incredible achievements including: Ivy Tech Distinguished Alumnus, City of Muncie Citizenship awardee, Vivan Z. Conley awardee, Hope for Women Magazine – Women Who Empower, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Team Community Award, Social Worker of the Year Region #5, and the ATHENA International Leadership recipient.

In addition to all of her incredible professional achievements, she also has got a crazy sense of humor! While things that are typically funny to the majority don’t always make her laugh, she’s got the ability to insert humor into situations that will be sure to produce joy all around! Dorica says that her best work is done when she is asleep!

We are so happy to have Dorica on our team, bringing along her wealth of knowledge, experience, passion for empowering people, and odd sense of humor to help us continue the YWCA Mission of eliminating racism, and empowering women!

Kait Williams is the YWCA’s Program Director. She began at the YWCA as an intern in the summer of 2016 and then served as case manager before taking her current position.

As Program Director, Williams oversees the YWCA’s residential department and coordinates the programming for YWCA residents.

Programs offered by the YWCA cover a wide variety of topics including financial literacy, professional development, informational programming from the Muncie Housing authority, tobacco awareness/cessation, and Essential Discovery – providing some training in life skills, such as time management and relationship building.

Her dream for the future of the YWCA – having enough money to more easily sustain programs and be able to offer even more programming for residents.

Williams said her favorite part of her job is serving the women who live at the YWCA’s emergency shelter.

“We all switch out working the front desk. There’s always time to see the residents and get to know them. Every job in the building is helping them in some way or another,” she said. “I think that’s what I love about it most – that feeling and sense of accomplishment and knowing that you’re helping others.”

Keri Whalen is our new Marketing & Events Director. A fresh Ball State graduate, she completed her B.A. majoring in Public Relations with a concentration in Event Management, and a minor in German. More than anything in the world, she loves sharks, plants, true crime, and watching TV.

She chose the YWCA to work for an organization she could be proud of.

‘I whole heartedly support the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. Spreading this message is so important to creating a world where everyone can live openly, authentically, and comfortably. Living in a world filled with racism, sexism, bigotry, and hatred… isn’t really living.’

Leonard Tucker is the YWCA’s Facility Director. He has worked at the YWCA since 2004.

Tucker performs a variety of tasks, from making repairs, to cleaning, to covering the front desk. It’s a job he loves because it is different every day.

“I love the mechanical issues and the challenge of it – figuring out what the problem is and solving a problem,” Tucker said.

But the impact the YWCA has on individual lives is what Tucker feels most proud of.

“There are so many stories that come in and out of this building,” he said.  “Some of them are very touching. You learn that just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you’re not human. I think a lot of people, when they think of someone homeless, they don’t think of maybe a school teacher who went through a divorce and is down on her luck. They don’t think of a factory worker who lost their job and has three children to support and no husband. It’s every-day people we help.”