LavaMaeˣ Names New CEO
Kris Kepler, CEO of LavaMaeˣ
Kris Kepler, former chief program and strategy officer, will lead the nonprofit accelerator in its next stage of expansion
San Francisco, CA (October 8, 2020)—Mobile hygiene pioneer LavaMaeˣ has named Kris Kepler, its former chief program and strategy officer, CEO effective September 1. Since January 2020, she has led innovation of LavaMaeˣ products and services and shaped overall strategy and planning. Kepler replaces founder and former CEO Doniece Sandoval, who remains as an advisor and spokesperson.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead this team to our next level of impact as we empower others to bring LavaMaeˣ-designed programs to their communities,” Kepler said. “Taking critical services to the street, where the unhoused need them most, with the utmost level of care and compassion, is crucial to restoring dignity—regardless of race, class or status.”
Guiding innovation through rebranding and pandemic response
Kepler played a key role in guiding the organization through a rebranding and pivot from providing mobile hygiene services to acting as a nonprofit accelerator model with the mission of building a worldwide network of mobile hygiene providers. LavaMaeˣ, formerly Lava Mae, launched in January 2020. Since then, in response to the pandemic, Kepler has led the development of a DIY handwashing station and the LavaMaeˣ Clean Hands for All initiative to help stop the spread of COVID-19 among the unhoused.
With the organization’s pivot, Sandoval felt it was time for new a leader. She had been at the helm for seven years, and LavaMaeˣ needed someone with different experiences and competencies to strengthen its systems and programs so that it can reach its full potential. “To be able to promote from within brings me great satisfaction,” Sandoval said. “A deep understanding of our work, philosophy of Radical Hospitality® and organizational culture will be critical to success. Kris has all of these in spades.”
“Kris is a strong leader and visionary with an impressive track record leading organizations through transitions and unexpected pivots,” said Stacy Miller Azcarate, co-chair of the LavaMaeˣ board. “She has built an outstanding team, and I’m confident Kris will usher LavaMaeˣ into its next phase of growth and beyond, to create a global network of communities with LavaMaeˣ-designed programs that serve 100,000 people moving through homelessness by 2024.”
Accelerating the spread of Radical Hospitality
Kepler, who led the creation of LavaMaeˣ’s open-source DIY toolkit for service replicators as well as its training programs, brings an eye for innovation to serving a population that is seldom offered a good user experience. When she joined LavaMaeˣ in 2017 as director of programs and impact, she brought with her 20 years of experience as a strategist and creator of user-centered services, products and interactive experiences for Fortune 500 companies.
“We’re focused now on harnessing the collective power of the replicator network to increase access to hygiene for the unhoused and spread Radical Hospitality—our approach of meeting people, wherever they are, with extraordinary care,” Kepler said. “The goal is to build knowledge, share information and resources, and connect like-minded community members with one another. This work truly takes a village, and we’re committed to fostering collaboration and partnering with communities to bring hygiene and galvanize action around homelessness.”
About LavaMaeˣ
LavaMaeˣ is a nonprofit accelerator building a worldwide network of providers who take critical services to the street, where the unhoused need them most. With an approach rooted in Radical Hospitality®—meeting people, wherever they are, with extraordinary care—LavaMaeˣ is changing the way the world sees and serves our unhoused neighbors, and helps restore dignity, rekindle optimism and fuel a sense of opportunity for the unhoused. Since its launch, the organization has trained, directly advised or inspired more than 203 programs in 170 communities in 12 countries to create mobile hygiene services based on LavaMaeˣ-designed programs.
Media contact
Anya Khalamayzer, Thinkshift Communications
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