Shayna Weldon begins on July 7, 2026
Key to Change is pleased to announce the appointment of Shayna Weldon as its first Director of Operations & Chief of Staff. Beginning July 7, 2026, Shayna will join the organization’s executive leadership team, serving as a strategic partner to Executive Director & Founder Dr. Quinton Morris while providing leadership across operations, human resources, financial coordination, governance, organizational systems, and strategic initiatives.
Shayna brings extensive experience at the intersection of higher education, nonprofit leadership, and the arts. Throughout her career, she has partnered with executive leaders and boards to strengthen organizations, develop sustainable systems, and translate ambitious ideas into meaningful results. Most recently, she served in operational and administrative leadership roles at Cornish College of the Arts, where she advanced from Executive Assistant to Director of Operations & Strategic Initiatives. During her tenure, she played an integral role in supporting Cornish through its historic integration with Seattle University, helping coordinate complex operational, governance, facilities, and strategic initiatives during one of the institution’s most significant periods of transformation.
Her commitment to serving young people has remained a constant throughout her professional journey. Shayna began her career supporting survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking while working alongside at-risk youth and first-generation college students. She later helped establish a youth literacy program in Iowa before continuing her work in higher education, where she remained dedicated to expanding educational opportunity and student success. Those experiences, combined with her thoughtful leadership style and systems-oriented approach, made her an exceptional fit for Key to Change as the organization enters its next chapter.
For nearly a decade, Key to Change has worked to remove barriers to high-quality music education while inspiring underserved students through world-class violin and viola instruction and supporting their development as self-aware leaders. What began as a small community initiative has grown into one of the region’s leading youth music education organizations, serving hundreds of students and families while building meaningful partnerships with schools, universities, arts organizations, and community leaders throughout the Pacific Northwest.
As the organization has grown, so too has its responsibility to build the leadership capacity necessary to support its mission. The creation of the Director of Operations & Chief of Staff position represents a significant investment in Key to Change’s future and reflects the organization’s commitment to strengthening the systems, people, and infrastructure that will allow it to serve even more students and families in the years ahead.
“One of the greatest privileges of founding Key to Change has been watching it grow beyond what I ever imagined,” said Dr. Quinton Morris, Executive Director & Founder. “Every season of growth has challenged us to think differently about how we lead, how we serve our students, and how we prepare for the future. Creating this position represents one of the most important investments we have made in our organization’s long-term success because every decision we make ultimately comes back to one question: How can we create more opportunities for young people to realize their potential? Throughout the interview process, Shayna left a strong impression on both our staff and me. Her experience in the arts and higher education, her strategic thinking, operational expertise, and collaborative leadership style convinced us that she is the right person to help strengthen our organization as we continue expanding our impact. I am excited to welcome her to Key to Change and look forward to building this next chapter together.”
“Throughout my career, I have been drawn to organizations that help people discover possibilities they may not yet see for themselves,” said Weldon. “I’ve always believed that music and the arts meet us where we are and often give us exactly what we need: confidence, belonging, discipline, expression, or simply a sense that we are part of something larger than ourselves. Key to Change is clearly committed not only to providing exceptional music instruction, but also to developing self-aware leaders and expanding access to opportunities that have not always been available to every student. As someone whose work has long centered on youth development and mission-driven organizations, I am honored to join a team so deeply invested in its students, families, and community. I look forward to helping strengthen the systems, relationships, and organizational foundation that will allow Key to Change to continue transforming the lives of students and families for years to come.”
Outside of her professional work, Shayna volunteers with crisis communication and incident response teams, writes under a pen name, and manages a photography studio as a creative outlet. She enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest and believes that some of life’s greatest adventures begin by choosing a destination and embracing the journey.
As Key to Change approaches its tenth anniversary, the appointment of its first Director of Operations & Chief of Staff represents more than the addition of a new member of the executive leadership team. It reflects the organization’s continued commitment to thoughtful growth, operational excellence, and investing in the people and systems that will sustain its mission for generations to come. By strengthening its organizational foundation today, Key to Change is creating even greater opportunities for the students and families whose lives will continue to be transformed through the power of music tomorrow.
