Mike Heinisch has been Executive Director of Kent Youth and Family Services since 1999. He is a state Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor and a Children’s Mental Health Specialist. During his previous tenure at Highline West Seattle (now Navos) Mental Health Center as Director of the Children and Family Division, Mike developed the Highline Consortium, a collaboration of 18 agencies subcontracting with HWS for the provision of publicly funded (Medicaid) mental health service to children in King County. Mike also held several positions at Catholic Community Services, Program Manager of Family Counseling, Director of Children’s Hospital Alternative Program, and Foster Care Co-Director. 

With a Masters Degree in Counseling from Seattle University, Mike is a native of Wisconsin having relocated to Western Washington in 1979. He is currently in his second term as a board member of United Way King County and also serves on the board of Communities In Schools, Kent, founder of Executive Alliance, and has served on the board since 2000 and served two terms as Board President. Mike was appointed by the King County Executive and Council to serve on the MIDD Oversight Committee (MIDD stands for Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Funds of King County). He is the current Board President of South King County Council of Human Services and co-chair of the King County Alliance for Human Services. Mike and his wife, Gail, live in Burien and have one daughter, Katie.

Dee Ashmore has been the Administrative Manager of Kent Youth and Family Services since December of 1995. She was previously with United Way of King County for ten years working at the Good Neighbor Center in Renton after leaving her position as a flight attendant for 12 years.

Her children are graduates of Kentridge High School and during their elementary school years she spent time as a volunteer at Fairwood Elementary and as a Girl Scout leader for three years. She is a graduate of Renton High School and Peterson School of Business with a PHR certification. She and her husband Steve make their home in Fairwood and have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.

Cyoon McBride’s passion for working with youth and families started in 1996 when he began working  as a volunteer with AmeriCorps. Cyoon then worked for the City of Renton Parks and Recreation and then came to work with Kent Youth and Family Services. 

Cyoon graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in Seattle. He then attended the University of Washington, and gained additional training at Highline Community College in the Information Technology program which sparked a love of computers. This education, training, and his love of children led him to Kent Youth and Family Services; first as the Technology Lab Supervisor for the Outreach program which grew through his leadership. Throughout his years with KYFS, Cyoon has expanded his role to include After School Program Manager which includes both Outreach and Lighthouse programs as well as continuing to fulfill his responsibilities as IT Manager.

Juliette Sauvage has been the Substance Abuse Program Manager at Kent Youth and Family Services for 15 years.  In that time, the program has grown from serving less than 100 clients, ages 13 – 18 per year, to a full service outpatient youth treatment program serving  300 clients per year from all over the South King County area. Juliette is a certified chemical dependency counselor, completing her post-graduate addiction studies at Seattle University. Juliette has an extensive background working with troubled adolescents and their families at inpatient and outpatient adolescent treatment facilities in King and Snohomish Counties. Prior to working in the chemical dependency field, Juliette had a successful career teaching all ages of youth, from age 3 – 18. She has lifetime teaching credentials in Washington and California.

In addition to her passion for working with youth, Juliette is an accomplished artist and poet and dancer. She enjoys oil painting and is soon to publish a book of her poetry.

Dennis Ballinger has been a member of Kent Youth and Family Services since 1999. He began his career at Kent Youth and Family Services as a Chemical Dependency Counselor. He then took a position working as Functional Family Therapist, providing in-home family counseling to high risk youth and their families. In 2006, he took over as the Counseling Program Manager. Dennis possesses a Masters Degree in Psychology from Antioch University and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Children’s Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Professional and Chemical Dependence Professional Trainee.

Theresa LaRonde has been with Kent Youth and Family Services since 1991. She was born in Yukon Territories, Canada and relocated with her family to Washington when she was only six months old. Attending K-12 grade in the Highline School District Theresa calls South King County her home. 

In 1985 Theresa earned a Bachelors Degree from Eastern Washington University. She has been the Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program Center Director since 1999. In addition, she acted as the Outreach Program Manager coordinating the efforts of the public housing program for twelve years. In 2008, Theresa adopted two foster children, two and four years, who have been living with her since they were infants.

Laurie Peterson has been with Kent Youth and Family Services since 1996, serving as Teen Parent Program Manager since 1997. She received a Master of Science degree in Community Counseling from Seattle Pacific University in 1991 and has focused her professional career on serving youth and young adults through counseling, education, and program management.  

Laurie is actively involved in her community and is an avid skier, hiker, and sailor.