12/13/2024
Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) Welcomes Nicole Binkley as New CEO
The Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) announced today that Nicole Binkley will serve as its new CEO beginning January 2, 2025. TRAC, which provides pathways to safe, stable housing and independent living for young people ages 16-24 in North Texas, welcomes Binkley as its new leader following an extensive search. Binkley currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Austin Street Center, one of the largest homeless shelters in Dallas.
Binkley’s appointment comes at a crucial time in the history of TRAC. Founded in 2003, TRAC operated under the umbrella of CitySquare (originally Central Dallas Ministries). In 2023, TRAC began its separation to become an independent organization and has built new executive leadership and administrative infrastructure to support its mission.
"I'm incredibly honored to step into the role of CEO at TRAC and join such a talented and experienced team. The successes achieved here are a testament to the dedication and expertise of this staff and board. I’m excited to build on that strong foundation as we continue to make a meaningful impact together," Binkley said.
With drop-in centers in Dallas and Fort Worth, serving all of North Texas, TRAC annually assists 1,200 disconnected young people who are moving to independent living without families to support them. TRAC offers transition planning, life skills training, crisis intervention, housing (temporary, transitional, and permanent), workforce support, education assistance, and connections to physical and mental health services.
"We are fortunate to have Nicole on board to lead our efforts. She is a proven, compassionate leader in the crisis housing field, and her dynamic leadership will catalyze the expansion of TRAC’s work. There is no doubt that she will make a positive impact on TRAC and on the lives of countless youth throughout North Texas,” said Evy Kay Washburne, TRAC’s Board Chair and Founding Director.
As Chief Operating Officer at Austin Street Center, Binkley has overseen daily functions for a 451-bed shelter through a period of expansion that saw the shelter move into a brand-new facility. Prior, Binkley held leadership roles at Metrocrest Services, where she guided the organization through a significant expansion in services, increasing revenue from $6 million to over $12 million annually and spearheading a capital campaign. Her expertise spans corporate and foundation giving, grant management, and operational restructuring to align resources with mission-critical objectives.
A proud alumna of the University of North Texas with a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management, Binkley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and is active in community leadership. She serves as the Chair of the UNT Public Administration Advisory Committee and is a member of the Junior League of Dallas. She has been recognized as a Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year nominee.
About TRAC: TRAC connects young people ages 16–24 in North Texas who are transitioning out of foster or juvenile care and their unhoused peers with the support they need to reach self-sufficiency, through individualized support, planning, and access to housing and community services. TRAC is the state-designated transition center for the Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services (DFPS) Region 3, which covers 19 different counties in the DFW area. According to DFPS the “Transition centers provide a central clearinghouse of one-stop services to serve the diverse needs of older foster youth, homeless youth, or other at-risk youth… Transition centers are independently funded and operated and supported by partnerships between DFPS and their providers, and the Texas Workforce Commission…”
