A Conversation with Program Manager Nyki McNamee

At Corrie’s House, the heart of our work is people — the individuals who show up every day to create safety, stability, and hope.

This month, we’re excited to introduce you to Nyki, our Program Manager. In this role, Nyki walks closely alongside both participants and staff, helping shape the daily environment where healing, trust, and growth can take root.

Her leadership, compassion, and lived understanding of this work continue to help build something truly meaningful within our home.

“Behavior is communication — when we respond with curiosity instead of control, connection begins.”

Some days involve responding to mental health crises or supporting staff through complex situations. Other days might include troubleshooting a broken toilet, reviewing documentation, or helping a team member think through how to respond to a participant in a trauma-informed way.

“It’s a constant balance between big-picture program development and immediate needs,” Nyki shares. “We’re building something while actively living it every single day.”

Because Corrie’s House is still in its early season, much of the work involves learning and adapting in real time. Every interaction helps shape a program designed around safety, dignity, and relationships rather than control.

Building Trust — One Moment at a Time

Working closely with participants has been both challenging and deeply meaningful. Early on, trust doesn’t always look the way people expect.

“Readiness doesn’t always show up as engagement or openness,” Nyki explains. “Sometimes it looks like resistance, silence, or pushing limits. Those moments are often youth testing whether this space is actually safe.”

Instead of demanding immediate change, the team focuses on consistency — showing up day after day, allowing participants to move at their own pace.

Trust, she says, isn’t built through perfect conversations but through dependable presence.

“I tell youth I don’t expect them to trust me right away. They deserve time to see whether I show up in trustworthy ways.”

Recently, a participant told Nyki their favorite thing about her was that she is honest and genuinely herself. For her, that moment mattered deeply.

“It felt earned.”

The Moments That Matter Most

While milestones are meaningful, Nyki says the most powerful moments are often the smallest ones.

A participant choosing to stay instead of run.
Opening up about something never shared before.
Advocating for themselves for the first time.

And sometimes, healing looks surprisingly ordinary.

It’s singing together in the car, preparing for holiday celebrations, early morning greetings before school, or laughing over terrible dance moves.

“Those everyday moments of connection and joy are what make this work so meaningful,” she says.

Seeing Behavior Through a Different Lens

One thing Nyki wishes more people understood about the youth served at Corrie’s House is simple but powerful:

“Their behaviors make sense.”

What can be labeled as defiance or difficulty is often communication shaped by trauma, survival, and unmet needs.

“Behavior is communication,” she explains. “When we slow down and respond with curiosity instead of control, we create space for connection and growth.”

Given the right environment, she says, young people consistently show remarkable resilience.

What Healing Really Looks Like

For Nyki, healing is not a straight line — and it looks different for everyone.

“It’s about having space to feel, to make choices, and to rebuild a sense of identity and control.”

Alongside her professional experience, Nyki also brings personal lived experience as a survivor of sex trafficking. That perspective deeply informs how she approaches leadership and care.

“I know what it feels like to receive services without having a voice,” she says. “So I prioritize making sure youth are heard and involved in decisions about their own care.”

Healing, she believes, includes restoring voice, dignity, and agency — often for the first time.

Looking Ahead with Hope
At the end of long days, one thing consistently brings a smile to Nyki’s face:

Knowing the youth are safe — even if only for today.

“Even if they left tomorrow, we would have planted seeds they wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

She also treasures moments when participants begin talking about future plans — fishing trips, activities, or dreams still taking shape.

“Being part of a youth restoring hope in their future makes all of it worth it.”

What Keeps Her Going
As the year unfolds, our focus remains on building upon this strong foundation to further deepen care and trust, expand programming, and continue to walk alongside each youth on their journey.

“There is so much opportunity ahead—not just for growth, but for lasting transformation.”