Yakima woman to lead Eastside's Hopelink

After combing through 140 applicants during a six-month nationwide search, Hopelink officials announced Tuesday they have a new president and CEO.

Marilyn Mason-Plunkett, CEO of Yakima-based People for People, will take over the reins for the Eastside's largest human-services agency starting Oct. 1.

Mason-Plunkett will replace Doreen Marchione, who retires at the end of the year after 15 years with Hopelink.

"I think it was her intelligence and her passion that set her apart," Marchione said. "They were looking for someone with the heart and the head for the job. She has both."

The advertised salary range for the position was $125,000 to $160,000 a year.

Both organizations have similar goals, Marchione said. Hopelink offers a broad range of social services including food banks; homeless and transitional housing; and eviction-prevention, utility-assistance, literacy and transportation programs.

People for People, which serves the Central Washington area, provides transportation for seniors and low-income people, as well as employment and job-training services. It is one of eight organizations designated by the state to operate the 2-1-1 information and referral call center for people in need of health and human services.

Mason-Plunkett said she is looking forward to working for an organization she has long admired.

"I have such a high regard for the work that Hopelink does, I thought it would be exciting to lead this organization," she said. "They have such a great variety of services that address the whole person."

Mason-Plunkett has led People For People since 2001.

Marchione will stay on full-time with Hopelink through mid-October while Mason-Plunkett transitions into the job. After that, Marchione plans to work part-time through the end of the year.

"This is a good time to turn the agency over to someone else," Marchione said. "And I'm comfortable that Marilyn will be the one I turn it over to."

Rachel Tuinstra: 206-515-5637 or rtuinstra@seattletimes.com