About Crisis Clinic
Mission Statement
We provide compassionate support and resources to empower those in crisis every hour of every day.
We do this by:
- Answering a volunteer-powered Crisis Line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- Strengthening individual resilience through crisis intervention, resources, and referrals.
- Raising awareness of and expanding access to community services.
- Showing respect, empathy and compassion to all.
- Training our community to prevent suicide among seniors, adults and youth.
- Offering inclusive volunteer opportunities to members of the community.
Vision:
Our Vision is a Community where everyone in crisis gets the help they need to survive and thrive.
Core Values:

Compassion
(empathy, respect, non-judgmental)

Resilience
(contribution)

Hope
(empowerment / heard and understood)
Crisis Clinic Staff

Zachary Duncan
Executive Director
Zach Duncan joined The Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties as it’s Executive Director in December of 2022. Zach Duncan has lived in the Olympia-area community for his entire life, and first started his journey with The Crisis Clinic as an intern with The Evergreen State College during his second year of undergraduate studies. Zach served a year as the Crisis Clinic’s AmeriCorps staff before leaving for graduate school in 2018 and eventually returning to the organization in 2022. Zach attended graduate school at University of Washington where he received his Master’s in Social Work and previously worked in the child welfare sector before returning to The Crisis Clinic as its new Executive Director.

Nora Hanson
Board of Directors Vice President and Treasurer

Michael Dennis
Volunteer & Training Coordinator
- California Institute of Integral Studies Ph.D. Anthropology of Social Change 2025
- The Evergreen State College M.P.A. Emphasis Nonprofit Management 2009
- The Evergreen State College B.A. Social-Political Science & Cultural Studies 2007
I was born in Washington, D.C., and adopted by a military family when I was 4. I traveled around the United States for several years. Still, I mostly grew up in California, and I moved to the PNW in 2001 to focus on college, community projects, and political advocacy. I love the moderate weather of the Pacific Northwest and have made this area my home for the foreseeable future.
For the past 15 years, I have been employed in the education and social service sectors. I worked for The Evergreen State College for four years as an Academic Computer Assistant, Academic Liaison, and Administrative Assistant. I volunteered for programs like Gateway Challenger, where I supported incarcerated youth. Additionally, I was a Residential Life Coordinator for the Converse International School of Languages (University of San Diego) and the EF program.
Since February 2023, I have been the Volunteer and Training Coordinator for the Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties. I love the flexibility of my position and the numerous ways I can support people during their times of crisis, increase our organization’s outreach to underserved communities, and provide volunteer and internship opportunities for future healthcare professionals.
Board Of Directors
- Aram Wheeler, President
- Nora Hanson, Vice President and Treasurer
- Kelly Franklin
- Ronald Fisher
- Ken Bailey