Hopelink, a nonprofit organization serving people in need in north and east King County, has hired Lauren Thomas as its new Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer, effective March 29, 2010.

Thomas has 25 years of experience in not-for-profit financial management. Prior to Hopelink, she was Chief Operating Officer for eight years at Wellspring Family Services, a Seattle agency addressing homelessness and offering domestic violence intervention, counseling and children’s emotional development services.

Thomas started her not-for-profit management career at the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a Professional in Human Resources with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Montana. Thomas was named a CFO of the Year finalist by the Puget Sound Business Journal in 2007, and received the Not-for-Profit Conference Chair Award in 2005 and President’s Award in 2003 from the Washington Society of CPAs.

Thomas has lived on the Eastside since 1981. She resides in Bothell, Washington, with her husband Lance and two teenage sons.