How Sharies Leads the Way in Supportive Housing
Across the homeless services sector, the work of rebuilding lives is powered by women. In fact, women make up 77% of its workforce, serving as the backbone of programs that help people reclaim stability and dignity.
One of those leaders is Sharies Lizarra, Senior Director of Supportive Housing. Sharies has been with The Doe Fund for nearly 13 years and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Her dedication has helped transform countless lives, reflecting the essential and too often unrecognized role women play in driving change for people experiencing homelessness.
Sharies began her career with The Doe Fund on Ready, Willing & Able‘s workforce development team. As Child Support and Legal Referral Manager, she helped trainees with everything from resolving arrears to overcoming legal barriers to employment and housing. The role requires passion for helping people get a fresh start — something Sharies has in spades.
After a number of years, that passion took her from Ready, Willing & Able to the second pillar of The Doe Fund: affordable and supportive housing. Sharies became Program Director of A Better Place, The Doe Fund’s original supportive housing residence — which provided safe, stable homes with on-site social services to 28 people with histories of chronic homelessness and HIV/AIDS. From there, she moved to an even larger building: the 90-unit Muller Residences.
“Seeing someone achieve stability, reconnect with family, or pursue education or employment is incredibly rewarding,” Sharies said. “Those moments remind us why this work matters.”
Today, Sharies oversees four of the organization’s twelve supportive housing programs and helps ensure staff have the guidance and resources needed to support residents effectively.
“A big part of my work is supporting our teams so they can create safe, stable environments,” said Sharies. “When our teams are supported, they can help residents rebuild their lives and thrive.”
When asked why women make up so much of the homeless services sector, Sharies said, “Women bring resilience, empathy, and strong leadership to this work. It’s challenging at times, but it’s incredibly meaningful because you know you are helping people rebuild their lives.”
In a field that requires compassion, determination, and taking pride in helping others succeed, it’s no wonder why Sharies is such an effective leader.
