Title: Director of Development and Advocacy Workplace: Sussex County Habitat for Humanity Age: 35 Every day, Katie Millard works to ensure Delawareans have access to safe, decent and affordable housing. […]
Title: Director of Development and AdvocacyWorkplace: Sussex County Habitat for HumanityAge: 35Every day, Katie Millard works to ensure Delawareans have access to safe, decent and affordable housing. As Sussex County Habitat for Humanity’s director of development and advocacy, she brings resources into the county to build and repair homes for low-income residents.Millard has more than a decade of experience in the mortgage and housing industry, holds a master’s degree in public policy and management, and spent time in New Jersey and Pittsburgh before arriving in southern Delaware. In three years at SCHFH, she has raised nearly $4 million for the nonprofit’s programs.The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed her outlook on leadership, strategic partnership and non-profit sustainability. The challenges of the pandemic quickly became an opportunity to modernize SCHFH’s systems and image. Millard managed several projects to overhaul all technology for the organization, including building a new website and transitioning to new donor management software to improve digital fundraising. Her team was able to meet virtually no matter where they worked from, which improved communication and helped increase her department’s fundraising dollars.Outside of SCHFH, Millard also co-chairs the Sussex Housing Group, which organizes more than 40 nonprofit, for-profit, and public organizations to advocate for access to housing, and serves on the Delaware Community Foundation’s Grant Review Committee.In 2019, Millard took on a direct role in improving housing access: She helped build a house in the span of a week as part of Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Out of 1,500 volunteers and 21 homes, Millard was one of 20 people assigned to work directly alongside the former president and first lady.Outside of advocating for housing accessibility, Millard likes to run, travel and visit new places. She’s also a classically-trained violinist who has performed at the Lincoln Center in New York City.