A Message from Companis Executive Director Gary Davis
I am writing to let you know that I will be stepping down as Executive Director at Companis, with my last day on December 31st. After thoughtful reflection, I want to celebrate the amazing journey we’ve shared and express my gratitude for the connections we’ve built.
Over the past 15 years, it has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve alongside you, the community of Companis volunteers, our nonprofit partners, and our supporters. Together, we’ve built deep and lasting relationships, strong programs and partnerships, and moments of joyful service that will always stay with me. As I prepare to step aside, I do so with deep gratitude and complete confidence in the Companis Board and staff who will guide this next chapter. Our mission is strong, our team is exceptional, and the work ahead is both inspiring and essential.
My association with Companis started as a volunteer placement in 2004. Then, I joined the staff in 2011 as Associate E.D., and through 15 years of relationship building, I leave the Executive Director role that began in 2014. Companis has been a central part of my life for more than two decades. Together, we’ve been through exciting change and growth:
- The Companis team made a record number of Companis placements in 2024, an impact that we are on our way to matching in 2025, results that more than tripled our placement results over the past 12 years.
- We strategically envisioned the expansion of our footprint and, in 2021, expanded our work into Snohomish County, opening an office in Everett in 2022 that is busier than ever today.
- We navigated the effects of the COVID pandemic by reimagining our volunteer support program and outreach efforts, with dedicated goals in equity and diversity, so that Companis, our volunteers, partner agencies, and donors reflect and serve the people who live in King and Snohomish counties.
New leadership within Companis
This year, we embarked on our first collaboration with the University of Washington School of Social Work, offering their students the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our most vulnerable neighbors at nonprofits throughout our region. This partnership, brought to life by Companis Associate Executive Director Jillian Harmon, exemplifies the kind of visionary leadership that will propel Companis forward for years to come, opening doors to new and exciting possibilities.
I’m also pleased to tell you that Chris Langeler joins Companis in the role of Interim E.D. on January 1st. Chris has a decade of experience with us, as a longtime partner agency leader, as our strategic planning consultant since 2019, and as a Companis placement.
Early in the transition, I will serve in an advisory capacity to help ensure a smooth handoff before completing my tenure. Chris and the dedicated staff of Jillian, Winston Wedge, and Meli Cervantes bring open hearts, brilliant minds, and a dedication to our volunteers that will ensure Companis continues strong.
Forever an advocate for Companis, with gratitude
What will I be doing? I am excited to return to my life’s passion as a journalist and storyteller, primarily in audio/multimedia production, and firmly rooted in this place I love, Washington State. With the challenges facing our region, nation, and world, my call is to ensure the voices and stories of those who are and risk being silenced are heard and shared widely. There’s a lot of work ahead for all of us to repair and reweave the torn social fabric of our community. This is why I’ve loved my time at Companis so much. Our work gets to the heart of that healing, repair, and resilience. As a storyteller, I will seek to do the same.
Thank you for your trust, your collaboration, and your belief in what this organization makes possible. I am deeply grateful to the outstanding people who make up the Companis staff, and the Board of Directors, led by President Anne Spangler. Their steadfast support, strategic guidance, and soulful advocacy for our mission are a fundamental underpinning of our success as the region’s premier volunteer match and support organization.
Finally, my gratitude is to you. Everything we do at Companis is collaborative and community-based. Your advocacy, support, and collective goodwill are the heartbeat of our work. It is from my grateful and full heart that I offer my thanks for the opportunity to have held the roles I have at Companis, and to continue, with you, to be an active supporter and advocate. Thank you.
Gary Davis (he/him) Executive Director
A Message from Companis Board President Anne Spangler
On behalf of the Companis Board of Directors, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Gary Davis for his 15 years of remarkable leadership. Under Gary’s guidance, Companis has become a cornerstone of support for nonprofits and volunteers across our region.
Gary leaves the organization in a place of strength, with a dedicated staff, a committed board, and a thriving community of Companis Volunteers. As we begin the search for our next Executive Director, we do so with immense appreciation for all that Gary has built and great excitement for the future of Companis.
Anne Spangler, Companis Board President