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City appoints executive directors for housing, homelessness initiatives

SAVANNAH (Dec. 5) – The City of Savannah is pleased to announce the appointment of two new leaders to help guide the City’s work in housing and homelessness through partnership with Housing Savannah, Inc. and the Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH). Effective Oct. 24, Laura Lane McKinnon is serving as the executive director of Housing Savannah, and starting today, Stephanie Kaple has taken the helm as executive director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

“The City of Savannah is excited to have leaders on board of Laura and Stephanie’s caliber to help guide these key functions as we work with partners to optimize our efforts in housing and homelessness,” said City Manager Joseph A. Melder. “Their leadership will pay dividends for our community for years to come and will ensure the effectiveness of these two organizations that have been established to coordinate our housing and homelessness initiatives.”

Laura Lane McKinnon has been a noted leader in the non-profit arena in Savannah for more than 20 years. She has worked in a variety of sectors – including historic preservation, higher education, homelessness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and end-of-life healthcare. McKinnon has extensive experience with grant writing and reporting, program management, communications and marketing, events, fund development, and volunteer management.

Stephanie Kaple is an advocate for the homeless and affordable housing, working on community housing challenges for more than 15 years. She is originally from Ohio and began her professional career with the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition (FKOC), growing within the agency to become the executive director. In her time at FKOC, Kaple worked to expand services to special needs populations, increase homelessness prevention programs, and reduce barriers to services. In 2021, she moved to Savannah to join the team at Union Mission Inc., overseeing their Special Needs Housing Programs. While at Union Mission, Kaple was a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and worked to strengthen and increase services throughout Chatham County and surrounding communities to those experiencing homelessness.