Board of Directors & Staff

Diana McClaskey

Executive Director (since March 2002)
(509) 249-0390 (office) • (509) 469-0203 (fax)

Ms. McClaskey reached sobriety in October 2001 and has been the Resident Manager at the Clean House Apartments, the Lamplighter, the Sommerset and Pear Tree Place. After serving as Deputy Director for 20 years, Diana became Executive Director in October of 2021. She is a certified LIHTC Compliance Specialist and manages all NSH accounts payable and receivable. Most recently, Ms. McClaskey managed the lease-up of the Bicycle Apartments. As Next Step Housing’s new Director, she supervises all management, maintenance and case management staff, all leasing, rent collection, and compliance.

Connie Cleary

Deputy Director (since January 2005)
(509) 457-8771 (office) • (509) 457-0173 (fax)

Ms. Cleary achieved sobriety in 2003 and began working for NSH in 2005. She became a Resident Manager in 2006. She was promoted to NSH Asset Manager in 2007 overseeing all property management of the NHS portfolio. Ms. Cleary is a veteran and a certified Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) Specialist. Ms. Cleary has managed three major capital renovations at the Clean House, the Lamplighter and the Sommerset Apartments managing all on-site maintenance staff as well as subcontractors and inspections. She is currently the Resident Manager of the Sommerset Apartments as also acts as the On-Site Case Manager for previously homeless and disabled households. She has dedicated her life to NSH and the people who benefit from the agency's supportive housing.

Keith Erickson

Maintenance Superintendent (since January 2010)
(509) 594-6242 (cell)

Mr. Erickson attained sobriety in 2007 and has been working for NSH since 2010. He was promoted to Maintenance Superintendent in 2018 and has managed major capital renovations at the Sommerset and Lamplighter Apartments. He also supervised construction of the Bicycle Apartments in 2020. Mr. Erickson supervises all maintenance and inspections for the NSH portfolio as well as staff. He is very active in the Yakima Narcotics Anonymous community. Keith says, “Working with people in recovery is really a dream come true for me. I love that I am on staff at Next Step. Being of service to my community helps keep me clean and sober.”

Rigoberto Dominguez

Lead Case Manager (since April 2013)
(509) 301-1603 (cell)

Mr. Dominguez attained sobriety in 2001 and originally came to NSH as a resident in 2010. In 2012, he began working for NSH as a People 4 People intern through their Parents Work First Program. He was hired as a Case Manager to work with homeless veterans at Pear Tree Place III in 2013 and was promoted to Lead Case Manager in 2021. He received his Associates of Applied Science in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Yakima Valley Community College in 2012 and completed his Bachelor of Science in Religion in 2012. Mr. Dominguez is bilingual and bicultural and has also worked for Yakima Memorial Hospital as a Chaplin focused on hospice and end of life care services. He sat on the hospital’s Ethics Committee and Critical Incidents Team and is currently on the Board of Directors for Triumph Treatment Services.

Josh Shay

Maintenance Specialist (since January 2019)

Mr. Shay attained sobriety in 2010 and joined the NSH Maintenance Team after working as the Yakima Superior Court Community Service Supervisor. He worked with a range of Drug Court clients who helped the elderly with yard work and painted over graffiti throughout the City. More recently, he was also the Yakima County Juvenile Justice Restorative Community Service Leader where he coordinated young people doing community service at the Union Gospel Mission kitchen as well as cleaning up Yakima parks, lakes and streams.

Hope Lange

Property Manager (since February 2020)
(509) 301-4317

Ms. Lange attained sobriety in 2016 and joined the NSH team in 2020. She previously worked as a Young Adult Housing Case Manager at Catholic Charities after enjoying 23 years as an Registered Nurse. In 2017, she earned her B.A. in Business and Marketing. She serves on the Board of Directors for Rod’s House, a local resource center for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Hope is also very active in the Yakima Alcoholic Anonymous community and is the Property Manager for the Lamplighter Apartments and Pear Tree Place I, II, and III.

Crystal Cleary

Property Manager (since September 2020)
(509) 594-6053

Ms. Cleary first worked for NSH in 2009 assisting with the major remodel of the Sommerset Apartments. She later became the Resident Manager of the Clean House and Lamplighter Apartments. In 2017, she left NSH to work as a Merchandiser at Home Depot and later became the Manager of Customer Service at Office Depot. NSH rehired Ms. Cleary in 2020 as the Property Manager of the Bicycle Apartments. Her customer service and information technology experience have been a welcome addition to the NSH team.

Kristopher Erickson

Maintenance Intern (Since June 2022)

After graduating from Davis High, Kris was hired full-time to support portfolio maintenance. He regularly goes above and beyond his duties and is a welcome addition to the team.

John Mifsud

Executive Director Emeritus (since June 1995)

After celebrating 26 years as Executive Director of NSH, John retired in September 2021. The Board of Directors named him Executive Director Emeritus. Mr. Mifsud developed the entire NSH portfolio of seven multifamily properties valued at over $40,000,000 that, over his tenure, has served over 1,500 individuals and families with children. His career includes over 45 years of program design and implementation as well as property management and development in the private, non-profit and public sectors. A long-term housing advocate for people with special needs, Mr. Mifsud developed the first affordable, independent clean and sober housing units for families with children in the State of Washington. Prior to NSH, he managed portfolios of 800+ units in four states including commercial properties and tax credit developments. A Certified Families for Self-Sufficiency Specialist, Mr. Mifsud has also designed and supervised on-site case management services for a diversity of special needs populations in Washington. For his last 22 years with NSH, he has mentored and trained the new Executive Director, Diana McClaskey. He continues to serve as an Executive Consultant on an as-needed basis.

Alegria & Company, PS, is a certified public accounting firm licensed in the State of Washington with offices in Yakima, Prosser and Ellensburg. Alegria has been serving nonprofit organizations for nearly 70 years and manages NSH’s financial reporting and accounting including accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll. Additionally, Alegria manages annual audit preparation and tax returns. Danelle Kindell is the Senior Accountant assigned to the account. Brian Newhouse, CPA, is the partner in charge of all services provided to NSH.