Jen Euell will begin as executive director in January 2023.
YWCA Missoula’s Board of Directors has selected Jen Euell as the organization’s next executive director. Longtime YWCA Missoula director, Cindy Weese, will retire once Euell assumes her position in January 2023.
Euell’s deep commitment to gender equity and passion for women-led change is evident in her experience and achievements. Euell has spent more than 25 years working toward equity for Montana women and girls, including over a decade at YWCA Missoula, where she held numerous staff and volunteer roles. Euell’s experience as an advocate in the domestic violence shelter inspired her to co-create the GUTS! (Girls Using Their Strengths) program—designed to help young women build their self-confidence, identity, and peer support systems—at Women’s Voices for the Earth, in 2000. Euell brought GUTS! to the YWCA in 2007.
“I am thrilled with the Board’s decision,” said Cindy Weese. “I have known and worked with Jen for years, and I am confident in her ability to usher YWCA Missoula into its second century of service to the community. She is a passionate and visionary leader who believes that real change is possible.”
Euell currently serves as director of the Student Advocacy Resource Center (SARC) at the University of Montana. Previously, she was the program director of the Women’s Foundation of Montana. Euell holds masters’ degrees in Social Work and Environmental Studies from the University of Montana.
“It is my privilege to join the long line of strong, visionary women to work toward the YWCA mission of empowering women and eliminating racism,” said Euell. “I believe now is the perfect time to build a culture of care at the organization, advance policy changes to benefit the most marginalized populations, and expand our prevention work to address root causes of harm and inequity. I truly can’t wait to see what comes next.”