Mary Rose leaves a legacy of connection at Family Place

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026

For eight years, Mary Rose has been a steady presence in the lives of Vashon families, helping parents navigate the joys and challenges of raising young children while building a stronger, more connected community through Vashon Youth & Family Services’ (VYFS) Family Place program.

This summer, Mary is retiring from her role as director of Family Place, closing an important chapter in the program’s history and leaving behind a legacy of compassion, connection and service.

Mary joined VYFS in October 2017 as a family support specialist and quickly became a trusted advocate and friend to families with young children. In 2023, Mary stepped up as program director, bringing a vision for expanding bilingual support and more programming to address the unique needs of families and caregivers in our community.

Family Place now offers a wide range of free, bilingual services, including Parents as Teachers home visiting, developmental screenings, play groups, parent support groups, respite child care and family-centered programming.

Throughout her tenure, Mary’s work was guided by a simple but powerful belief: strong families are built through strong relationships. She worked tirelessly to create welcoming spaces where parents could find support, build confidence, deepen their understanding of child development, strengthen resilience and form meaningful connections with one another. Mary consistently led with warmth and empathy, nurturing the foundations that help children, parents and families thrive.

Mary’s commitment to listening to families helped shape new programs, from English conversation classes for immigrants to free respite child care for families with children 0-5, a group with limited child care options on Vashon. These initiatives reflect her dedication to keeping Family Place responsive to the community’s evolving needs.

Under Mary’s leadership, Family Place has grown into a vibrant community gathering place where caregivers find a sense of belonging and build supportive networks — a legacy that will continue for years to come.

As Mary begins retirement, colleagues and community members are celebrating not only her accomplishments but also the wisdom, kindness and encouragement she shared so generously with families and coworkers alike.

“Mary has brought so much heart, vision and connection to VYFS,” her colleagues shared in a tribute to her retirement. “You have been a steady, compassionate guide for families and a powerful champion for young children and parents.”

While Family Place says goodbye to a beloved leader, it is also welcoming a new director with deep roots in family support and early childhood care.

Katelyn Costley, a licensed midwife, nonprofit leader and co-founder of Vashon Island Midwifery, will assume leadership of Family Place. With more than a decade of experience supporting families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum care and early childhood, she brings deep expertise in parent education, program development, fundraising and community partnerships. Her experience walking alongside families during life’s most transformative moments — helping parents gain confidence, access resources and build strong support systems — aligns closely with the mission that has guided VYFS for 49 years.

As she begins her new role, Katelyn looks forward to building on the strong foundation Mary helped create while ensuring Family Place continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of island families.

Mary’s retirement marks the end of an extraordinary chapter, but the values she championed — connection, belonging, resilience and care — will continue to guide Family Place into the future.

VYFS extends its heartfelt gratitude to Mary Rose for her years of dedicated service and welcomes Katelyn Costley as the next leader of this essential community program.

Thanks to both women and a strong team, Family Place remains true to its mission: a place where families connect, learn and thrive.

To learn more about Family Place or VYFS, visit vyfs.org.

Tiffany Schira is the marketing communications manager for Vashon Youth & Family Services.