Kody Russell is the previous Executive Director of Kitsap Strong and he has over ten years of experience working with children and families in the child welfare system both with the Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) for over seven years and as a supervisor at Ryther Child Center in Seattle, a behavioral rehabilitation center for “Sexually Aggressive Youth”. He is one of 25 Washington State certified trainers in the ACEInterface NEAR sciences (neuroscience, epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences - ACEs, & resiliency) curriculum that challenges our understanding of human behavior and many of the social and health challenges we see in our community. This science has changed how Kody views the world and inspired him to focus his passion and energy on helping communities flourish! 

Kody received his Bachelors in Psychology from Seattle University in 2000 and a Master’s in Social Work from Eastern Washington University in 2014. He uses his education and lived experience working with children and families through the child welfare system to help community leaders understand the science of trauma, resiliency, and hope.