Hope’s Door hires new CEO
Malatich previously served as director of business operations at The Samaritan Inn
Kevin Cummings
Staff writer, Plano Star Courier
One look at Jim Malatich’s resume will show that he is someone who has dedicated a large portion of his professional life to helping others. No stranger to the needs of some of Collin County’s often overlooked residents, Malatich has begun a new chapter in his career as the new CEO of Hope’s Door Inc. - a Plano-based domestic violence shelter.
Assuming the role this Monday, Malatich has become part of a team providing an invaluable service as one of the only domestic violence shelters for women and children in North Texas and beyond making the choice to escape abusive relationships. However, he said he is confident past experiences in his career will give him the understanding he needs to keep the nonprofit’s doors open to all who seek their services.
“If you look at my background, the three elements that really come together are homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse issues and domestic violence, and what better place to touch all three of those than Hope’s Door,” he said. “A big thing in my life or part of my own belief is ... I like to give back, I like to give without asking for anything in return, which is why I’ve probably always been in some form of public social service.”
Before coming to Hope’s Door, Malatich served as the director of adult public mental health in Travis County for nine year. In 2000, he moved to the North Texas region working with NorthSTAR, a public behavioral health and substance abuse care initiative. He also worked with Homeward Bound Inc., a substance abuse treatment program and Crossroads Family Services before working as the director of business operations at The Samaritan Inn - Collin County’s only homeless shelter.
Malatich said his work with mental health issues and substance abuse largely coincide with domestic violence, and will allow him to bring a certain set of knowledge and skills to his new position.
“I’ve always wanted to work in my own community, that’s just something I’ve always enjoyed ... and building a community kind of impact in trying to bring about change or trying to help people that need help,” he said. “A lot of the previous employment that I had always had an element of domestic violence involved with it, so it became something that I really learned a lot about and was always wanting to be a part of [professionally] in some form or fashion.”
Looking ahead, Malatich plans to focus on improving the strengths that he said he already sees in the Hope’s Door staff, as well as spreading awareness of the mission and goals of the organization to a larger audience. While based in Plano, many of the domestic violence victims the organization helps come from all over the DFW area, including some who have even come from neighboring states.
While content with knowing that the work he does is helping other members of the community, he said sometimes the hardest part of the job is not being able to see the final conclusion and transformation of the people that seek assistance through the programs he has worked with. To supplement that, he enjoys activities such as gardening and building, which allow him to see a “finished product,” something different than peoples’ lives, which are an “ongoing” process.
“I just like connecting a whole bunch of different dots together in order to help people, that’s where I get my personal ‘Wow, this person came from over here;’ [it’s] an unexpected pulling together of an idea or a concept or a way of helping or a way of assisting,” Malatich said. “I don’t expect anything back and that’s just the way that I’ve always walked through life. I just enjoy trying to help, assist.”