It is my pleasure to officially welcome Charlie McEachron as Board Chair of Raphael House. Charlie is no stranger to our community. He has been a consistent leader here for seven years, most recently as Board Treasurer and a member of our Executive Committee, and on August 1, 2026, he officially became our Board Chair.

I am grateful that Charlie has generously stepped forward to lead at this moment, and I could not be more excited for what we will do together. I cannot think of a better match for this time in Raphael House’s history. We are deeply fortunate to benefit from his leadership.

Anyone who has worked with Charlie knows his calm, grounded presence. As Treasurer, he helped lead us through what was arguably the most challenging period in Raphael House history. That work brought our board to a decision that was new for us: after more than five decades as a privately funded organization, we pursued government funding. In January, the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing announced a $4.2 million grant to Raphael House.

That diversification of operational funding plus capital investment, made it possible to open the third floor of our Residential Shelter. On September 23, Charlie gave the opening remarks as Mayor Daniel Lurie cut the ribbon on eight newly renovated rooms. He reminded the room that the City’s investment and the work of our staff have increased the number of families we can shelter by 50%. The result is an already measurable successful partnership, resulting in serving more families in need of shelter in San Francisco.  

Charlie joined our board in 2019, and that same holiday season his Drawbridge colleagues came to Raphael House to wrap and deliver gifts for children. He has been showing up for our families ever since.

Charlie also led the executive search that brought me to Raphael House. I experienced firsthand the thoughtfulness he brings to the decisions that shape our future, and I have relied on his counsel ever since. I am grateful for his essential contribution in inviting me to lead this organization that brings me so much joy and meaning. 

When you are tackling a challenge with Charlie, you feel warmth, care, and a commitment to excellence. He asks the questions that lead to good decisions, and he offers the support to carry them out.

For someone with such depth of experience in his field and at Raphael House, Charlie continues to show up as a learner alongside our team. That kind of leadership creates a welcoming presence of growth for all of us working to advance this mission with him.

Charlie steps into this role at a time of real potential and growth for Raphael House. This is a season of realizing our strengths. It is also a season of responsibility: making sure we give our utmost best to the families we serve today, sustainably, while we strive to serve more families with the depth of care and outcomes Raphael House has produced for generations.

I can think of no one better suited to lead our board through it. Charlie brings strength, stability, and consistency, along with the right combination of practicality and ambition that the nonprofit sector needs in our leaders right now.

It is a true honor to serve as Board Chair of Raphael House and help build on the remarkable impact the organization has had on families experiencing homelessness. I look forward to working with Tina and the dedicated staff at Raphael House to support their extraordinary work and help even more families build paths toward long-term stability.

Outside of Raphael House, Charlie is the Chief Executive Officer of Drawbridge Realty, a real estate investment company headquartered in San Francisco. He joined Drawbridge in 2006, served as Chief Operating Officer for many years, and became CEO in 2025. Earlier in his career he worked in commercial development at Greco Development in Minneapolis and as a strategy consultant at Deloitte. He holds a finance degree from Boston College and an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

Please join me in congratulating Charlie and thanking him for his leadership. You can meet our full Board of Directors on our website. If you are interested in volunteer leadership at Raphael House or other ways to engage with us, please contact Mitchell Felton.

With appreciation,

Tina Burgelman 

Executive Director