Liberty House, the Catholic Charities NH program that provides transitional housing and a community pantry for New Hampshire veterans, today announced the promotion of Ashley Kitchell to Executive Director.

In her role, she will oversee the operations and staff for the Manchester-based program that provides pathways to independence and stability for New Hampshire veterans facing homelessness, post-traumatic stress, substance misuse and other challenges.

With nearly a decade of service to Liberty House, Kitchell brings to her leadership role a wealth of experience and passion for honoring and supporting those who have served. Kitchell first joined the organization as Operations Manager in 2017 and was later promoted to Assistant Director, where she managed case management services and resident activities for the program’s substance-free transitional housing.

“It’s an incredible honor to lead a program that has impacted so many lives in transformative ways,” said Kitchell. “I’m excited to strengthen our presence in the veteran, recovery, and homelessness communities, while also expanding awareness and support to ensure we continue meeting the growing need.”

“Ashley has a heart for service and knows what it takes to meet struggling veterans where they are – and lead them toward a path of independence,” said Tom Blonski, president and CEO of Catholic Charities NH. “She’s the right leader at the right time to guide Liberty House as it continues to meet the critical needs of those who have given so much for us.”

In the past year alone, Liberty House provided life-changing services for more than 300 veterans, a 25% increase over the previous year, fostering a safe and supportive environment to help them rebuild their lives. This included 5,296 collective nights of transitional housing for residents working to overcome homelessness, as well as 50,546 food, clothing and other items distributed through the program’s community pantry for local veterans seeking basic needs assistance.

Kitchell, a resident of Manchester, holds a bachelor’s degree in human services and a master’s degree in leadership from the University of New Hampshire.