Lawrence Hall Welcomes New CEO Kara Teeple

 
After an extensive search, the Lawrence Hall Youth Services Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of Kara Teeple as our new Chief Executive Officer.  We are very fortunate to have someone as experienced and qualified as Kara who can be a continued advocate for our youth and their families.

Kara joined Lawrence Hall in 2013 and has served as our Chief Operating Officer and most recently as our Interim CEO since June 2014.  Kara exemplifies our mission and is committed to providing the most innovative and effective programming and clinical-based treatment designed to provide our youth with better opportunities to step down into a safe and reliable family or caregiver home setting.

In her time at Lawrence Hall, Kara directed numerous new programs and implemented important system reforms with a focus on clinical social work that have improved overall treatment outcomes for our youth in 2014.  Her continued day-to-day operations include over-seeing residential treatment, foster care, independent and transitional living, workforce development, the therapeutic day school, and specialized service programming.

Additionally this year, Kara was instrumental in securing a grant from the Alliance for Children and Families and the Annie E. Casey Foundation to receive personalized, expert assistance to help transition our operating model towards more advanced home- and community-based models.

Kara brings to the position over twenty years of experience in working in social services and child welfare, including various senior roles in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and positions with Catholic Charities and the Allendale Association. She also served as the President of the National Association of State Foster Care Managers from 2011 to 2013.

We thank Kara for her steadfast leadership and look forward to working with her to guide Lawrence Hall through our 150th anniversary this year and into the future.

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