Roger Dowdy - Chief Operating Officer, Providence’s Well Being Trust

As SOUND marks 60 years of service to the community, we sat down with Board Chair Roger Dowdy to reflect on the organization’s legacy, its role today, and the opportunities ahead.

When you think about SOUND at this 60-year milestone, what stands out to you most?

I started my career in the early ’90s as a case manager at Community Psychiatric Clinic, which later became part of SOUND, so this work is deeply personal to me.

For any nonprofit to be doing this work — and to be doing it for 60 years — is remarkable. What stands out most is SOUND’s continued commitment to the community, especially to those who are most marginalized and often have nowhere else to turn.

When I think about SOUND then versus now, what I see is an organization that has continually evolved to meet the needs of the community, while never losing sight of that core dedication to care. Even in challenging times, SOUND has stayed focused on showing up for people.

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What do you wish more people understood about SOUND and its role in the community?

I think there are two important things. First, there’s a clear economic case for investing in behavioral health. When behavioral health or addiction recovery needs go unmet, it impacts communities, emergency services and healthcare systems in very real ways. Conversely, when behavioral health care is readily accessible, communities thrive.

Second, SOUND is doing far more than many people realize.  In addition to serving those with intellectual development disorder, the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as the unhoused population, the organization plays a significant role in building the future workforce. At any given time, SOUND is between 60-80 clinicians — from interns to professionals working toward licensure.

We simply don’t have enough behavioral health providers to meet the needs, and SOUND is helping to address that gap in a meaningful way.

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Looking ahead, what gives you the most confidence in SOUND’s future?

There’s a lot to be excited about. One major opportunity is how SOUND continues to show up within the broader behavioral health crisis continuum being built in King County. Whether that’s through programs like Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams or the broader “no wrong door” approach to care.

At the same time, there are important decisions about where SOUND can have the greatest impact and how to steward its resources responsibly as it grows. The shift toward Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) is also incredibly promising, as it creates a more sustainable financial model and expands access to care.

Most of all, I have a great deal of confidence in the leadership team. I’ve known SOUND’s CEO, Katrina Egner, for a long time and have tremendous respect for her and the entire organization. That’s reflected in the strength of the team, the culture they’ve built, and the increasing diversity that mirrors the communities SOUND serves.

As we look ahead, that combination of strong leadership, mission alignment, and thoughtful growth gives me a lot of confidence in what the next 60 years will bring – and our Board is incredibly excited about the possibilities.  

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