The Board of Directors of the Center for Humanistic Change (The Center) has selected Kristen (Kris) Hettrick as the agency’s next executive director, effective February 26, 2021. Kris will succeed Arlene J. Lund, who has served as CHC’s executive director since 2016 and who retires at the end of February.

Kris brings more than 35 years of corporate and nonprofit experience to her new position. Kris served in the non- profit arena in the Lehigh Valley since 2011, most recently as the Senior Director of Prevention and Student Assistance Programs at the Center. Over the past year, Kris collaborated with Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the completion of the needs assessment as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programming (DDAP) strategic planning efforts. She has deep business and multi-cultural experience in working with adults and families from diverse academic, socio economic and cultural backgrounds having served in Antigua, Guatemala as a health clinic manager and associate director of a children’s recreational educational camp. Before coming to the Center, Kris provided five years of educational leadership that drove three programs in the Lehigh Valley: Adult Literacy, Family Literacy with Early Childhood Education, and Summer Learning (K through 4). In Kris’s 25 years working in the for-profit community, Kris gained strong relationship building, sales and marketing experience.

Under the leadership of Arlene J. Lund, the Center increased market penetration of prevention education and the Student Assistance Program to all schools and districts within the Lehigh Valley; increased overall revenue by 56%; and diversified revenue streams reflecting a 63% increase in ‘grant’ income. With a refined mission, vision and objectives, Arlene developed a “Continuum of Prevention and Life Skills Services Education” highlighting the best single and multi-session prevention programs for students, educators, parents, and members of the community with a focus on evidence-based programs with the highest ratings of success. These, among many other accomplishments, allowed CHC to serve more people in our community and increase staff with the skill sets/expertise to best fit the needs of our community.

The Center for Humanistic Change, Inc. (CHC), founded in 1979. Our mission is to “give people, especially youth, the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices.” CHC does this through providing the Student Assistance Program (SAP) and evidence-based, evidence-informed and custom-designed prevention education and life skills programs. The ability to make healthy choices is critical when people face alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues, peer pressure, loss, painful transitions, and other difficulties. CHC equips people with positive skills to make healthy decisions and avoid destructive behaviors while building resiliency.

Information provided to TVL by:
Pam James
Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director
Center for Humanistic Change, Inc.
http://www.thechc.org/

 

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