The Bill Wilson Center's director is Sparky Harlan. She joined the organization as its director in 1983. When she joined, the organization faced an imminent loss of 50% of its annual $300,000 budget; she was able to prevent the budget cut. In July 1993, she moved the center to The Alameda in Santa Clara, which unified its shelter and counseling center to be in the same location. The move also expanded its capacity from being able to house at most 16 homeless children, up from six. In 2012, the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs named Harlan a Champion of Change, an award given to people who help homeless children.
