Mary Tipps Smith joins Tacoma Area Youth for Christ as Executive Director, bringing more than 18 years of executive leadership in faith-based nonprofits, public service, and healthcare. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Options Pregnancy Clinic in Olympia, where she led the ministry through significant growth, strengthened financial sustainability, expanded community partnerships, and earned national medical accreditation.

Earlier in her career, Mary served with San Diego Youth for Christ’s Teen Parent Program. That experience helped shape her passion for walking alongside young people with the hope of Christ.

Mary holds an MBA from Louisiana State University and a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Penn State University, and she is board certified in public health. She is passionate about building healthy organizations, developing leaders, and helping ministries thrive so they can have an even greater impact on individual lives, families, and the Kingdom.

Mary and her husband, Tony, an environmental planner with the State of Washington, live in Lacey with their family. They have five children (four flying free, one still in the nest) and enjoy spending time with family and friends, exploring farmers markets, cooking and baking, laughing at funny movies, dancing in their kitchen (where no one but the kids judges their lack of skill and embarrassing enthusiasm), and adventuring together on the weekends. Above all, they love serving the Lord and are excited to become part of the Tacoma YFC family.