We would like to congratulate the winner of our logo competition: Keara Wrightsman!

“I am a person with lived experience of chronic street homelessness. I was chronically street homeless for over ten years. When I became pregnant with my son I got into recovery and accepted RRH program. Two years later I bought a house. I began working in SSVF (supportive services for veteran families) and got my bachelor’s in psychology, master’s in business administration and nonprofit leadership, and got my LCDCIII coursework but did not take the state test. Two and half years ago I became the homeless continuum of care coordinator for strategies to end homelessness a UFA CoC. They created the role for a lived expert and I liaison for our People wit Lived Experience workgroup. An official workgroup of the CoC with a voting seat at the Clearinghouse Board. I am an “At Large” voting member of the National Coalition to End Homelessness. I was a speaker at the National Lived Experience Leadership Conference in November of 2025 to talk about creating lived experience groups and how to also incorporate leadership development. I created a tool kit for other communities and agencies to use to grow these groups. I was invited to COHHIO to speak at their annual conference but chose two people with lived expertise to speak in my place for their leadership development. In June, I was a speaker at the Healthcare for the Homeless Conferenced and Symposium in Orlando which is how I learned about this contest! I am a member of the National Healthcare for the Homeless. I spoke on medical stigma because while chronically street homeless I was hit by a car and spend a year in a nursing home. I was discharged to the streets in the snow one year later. I had developed osteomyelitis. I will also be in San Jose in September at the National Lived Experience Leadership conference with Homebases.

I am now almost at 12 years in recovery from heroin and other substances, a graduate degree holder, homeowner, a mother and a grandmother. I just sent my granddaughter whom I raise to kindergarten this morning and my son will enter middle school tomorrow. This is such an honor for me. I have devoted my life to homeless services, advocacy, etc.”