Our People

Meet the People Behind the Mission

Kate's House Foundation^® is led by people who believe recovery housing should be safe, structured, compassionate, and practical. Our team brings together leadership in shared housing operations, resident support, legal insight, staffing, project coordination, property management, and outcome-focused innovation.

Co-Founder

Frank Candelario

Shared Housing Operations, Real Estate Strategy & Investor Education

Frank leads shared housing logistics, investor education, real estate operations, and growth planning for Kate's House Foundation. He personally oversaw the remodel of all 8 homes and created the 41 parameters that define an ideal shared home, and he's a licensed real estate broker in Washington State and an expert in the strategic placement of recovery homes. Before recovery housing, he built a career in international marketing and branding, founded the first U.S. pickleball paddle company, and served as President of the USA Pickleball Association. He's helped hundreds of Frank and Sherri students choose the right homes and neighborhoods — turning vision into action toward the goal of 1,000 quality homes.

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Co-Founder

Dr. Sherri Candelario, Ph.D.

Research, Housing Law & Policy

Dr. Sherri Candelario holds a doctorate in pharmacology from the University of Washington School of Medicine and is a federally registered patent agent. A former biotechnology executive in Washington and California, she brings that rigor to housing law, research, and outcomes — gathering data on Kate's best practices and publishing study results that strengthen recovery housing. She was one of four founding board members of WAQRR, the Washington Alliance for Quality Recovery Residences, and served on its board for seven years. From 2022 to 2026 she co-chaired the Recovery Support Services Committee under Washington State's Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee (SURSAC), where the committee developed ideas that became new state law — including funding for new recovery homes and a property-tax exemption for accredited recovery homes.

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Mission Advocate

Kate

Housing Specialist

Kate is the reason Kate's House Foundation began, and remains a guiding voice in its mission. She supports residents, helps guide housing decisions, and helps lead the data studies that keep the work improving. Sherri's daughter and a certified medical assistant, Kate also serves as Head of Student Services — on the phone with thousands of Frank and Sherri students, helping them put the model into practice.

Operations

Yenilen

Director of Operations

Yenilen leads day-to-day operations — maintenance, contractor coordination, painting, volunteer coordination, and hands-on property improvement — and is taking on client intakes and connecting residents to services. A former resident and a skilled iron worker, cement mason, carpenter, and laborer, she brings real field experience and a deep personal understanding of the road our residents walk.

People & Systems

Errica Chesterfield

Head of People, Training & Organizational Development

Errica strengthens the organization through staff development, training, people systems, and day-to-day structure. Her leadership sharpens accountability, communication, and the internal systems that keep the homes and the team running well.

Property Management

Rob Cox

Property Manager

Rob is a former resident, a licensed contractor, and has been part of the mission since 2017. As Property Manager, he brings practical field knowledge, long-term commitment, and a deep, personal understanding of the work to the homes and the people they serve.