MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL, September 20, 2021 – Margaret King has been named the new senior director for single adult housing with Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing to single adults in the region.

King comes to Catholic Charities with an extensive history of leadership in large, complex organizations in the public and nonprofit sector that address homelessness and housing instability in both Seattle and in the Twin Cities.

Most recently, King worked for the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness and for the Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative on building responses to unsheltered homelessness, as well as on supporting the state’s COVID-19 response for people experiencing homelessness. Prior to this work, she project managed the development of the service navigation center to replace the largest homeless encampment in the Twin Cities.

Prior to this, King spent 25 years in Seattle, where she worked in various organizations serving people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. For 22 years she worked for Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) in Seattle, where she most recently served as director of housing programs, overseeing operations and program development for the organization’s comprehensive housing and emergency services to 9,000 chronically homeless adults annually. King also held clinical roles with a focus on mental health, chemical addiction, and harm-reduction strategies. She is recognized nationally as a leader at the forefront of establishing the Housing First movement.

“This is a pivotal moment for our community as we continue to confront a global pandemic during a homelessness and affordable housing crisis,” said Michael Goar, President and CEO of Catholic Charities. “Margaret brings a deep knowledge of issues related to homelessness and a demonstrated ability to build innovative and impactful programs. Her leadership will be invaluable in moving this critical work forward, supporting our most vulnerable neighbors and building a community where everyone has a chance to thrive. We’re thrilled she is joining our team.”

Assistant Commissioner and Executive Director of the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness, Cathy ten Broeke, worked with King and shared that she will be a strong leader, advancing Catholic Charities’ work in preventing and ending homelessness.

“Margaret is adept at navigating challenging situations and building collaborative relationships to respond,” ten Broeke said. “Margaret is highly respected in this field. She values deeply the expertise that people experiencing homelessness bring in designing solutions and will incorporate their perspectives in all aspects of her work. This work is her passion.”

Tracy Berglund, who serves as Catholic Charities’ senior division director for housing stability, recently announced her plans to retire from Catholic Charities in Summer 2022 after nearly 23 years with the organization. Berglund has overseen extensive efforts to create client-driven, trauma-informed responses to housing and homelessness needs in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, including the development of the Higher Ground Minneapolis, Dorothy Day Place, and Midway campuses, having served tens of thousands of Minnesotans during her tenure. Most recently, Berglund played a critical role in securing a site and funds to more than double Catholic Charities’ housing opportunities in downtown Minneapolis with the new Exodus Residence. Berglund will support King’s transition into her new role.

King has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She grew up in Minneapolis and currently lives with her son in St. Louis Park. She enjoys gardening and spending time with her new pandemic puppy and her large Minneapolis family.