Board of Directors
Denny Hancock
President of Mamma’s Hands
Denny Hancock is the visionary behind Mamma’s Hands. His idea of a “mother’s unconditional love for her child” is at the heart of its mission and work. The House of Hope was born out of his desire to help mothers and children in crisis, and its family-centered focus reflects Denny’s deep love of family. Denny has made it his life’s work to aid those in need by being right there on the front lines. When he’s not helping at the House of Hope or taking Phone Home volunteers to the streets of Seattle, Denny loves spending time with wife Leslie, his five children, fifteen grandchildren and friends.
Leslie Hancock
Board Chair
Leslie Hancock is the Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Mamma’s Hands. Her compassion, dedication and commitment to homeless mothers and children is unwavering, and has allowed us to serve thousands of families at the House of Hope over the last 30 years. Founder of Team Hancock, Leslie is a widely-recognized and respected leader in the Seattle-Eastside real estate. Her soft-spoken approach hides an iron will and inexhaustible enthusiasm to help others achieve their life goals. Leslie is also a mother of 5 grown children and “Nana” to 15 grandchildren. She has been married to her sweetheart and Mamma’s Hands Co-Founder Denny for over 41 years. Leslie is an avid skier and former instructor. She loves motorcyling with her husband and the many adventures it brings. In her free time Leslie can be found running, playing tennis, road biking and boating.
Renee Colleran
Board Member
Renee Colleran retired after 41 years of teaching elementary and adaptive physical education. She was deeply involved in professional development and held various roles on the state, district, and national boards of SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Education). Renee is a strong advocate for children with special needs and co-created a nationally recognized elementary PE/Music program through grant writing. She plans to use her grant-writing skills to secure funding for projects at Mamma’s Hands. Renee and her husband Tom have known Leslie and Denny for over 45 years ago and strongly support their cause. They have three wonderful sons, two amazing daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren and have lived on the Eastside for 70 years. Renee is excited to serve on the board of Mamma’s Hands and work with the team to further its mission.
Alton Stewart
Board Member
A former Navy Nuclear Submarine Officer, Alton has always been driven by a deep sense of service. After his time in the Navy, he built a successful 20+ year career leading teams and driving operational excellence in diverse fields, from military vehicles to e-commerce at Amazon and cloud technology at Google. But beyond the corporate world, Alton finds the greatest satisfaction in empowering others—whether as a former Toastmasters Club President or as a local business owner, he is determined to build bridges and create opportunities. He’s passionate about supporting such a critical organization as Mamma’s Hands, and deeply admires the commitment to offering a fresh start and a supportive environment for mothers and children at the House of Hope. Having witnessed firsthand the transformative power of community support, Alton is eager to contribute his strategic planning, financial modeling, and project management expertise to the Mamma’s Hands Board of Directors.
Skyler Nelson
Board Member