It’s hard to believe my first day as CEO of ACH began 25 years ago. It felt like I was coming home.  My 10 years of previous experience with ACH taught me what a great organization we were to truly help children. But returning after a brief hiatus doing consulting, it was clear that  being CEO was different. 

I knew the visionary group of women who founded ACH in 1915 had high expectations for being responsive to needs of children in this community. I also knew those needs were changing and the community was growing, so we had our work cut out to continue to honor the vision of our founders.

Little did I know how rewarding the next 25 years would be. The adventure included mergers, new buildings, relocations, new services, and piloting a new model of child welfare for the entire state. In many ways we are now a completely different organization than we were 25 years ago.

But we aren’t. Despite the changes, our focus on protecting children and preserving families has remained constant. We are clear on our mission, and we know this community is counting on us to get it right.

Some think I’m crazy to have spent my career in child welfare. Yes, we see very sad stories every day and it can be hard to witness what children have endured. But the joy of seeing what can happen when the right help is available is incredibly rewarding.  And we witness this regularly at ACH.

I’ve also had the incredible fortune of working with the best humans ever: our staff, our board, and our donors. I’ve met so many people who truly want their lives to matter and unselfishly want to make the world better for others. These angels among us have given me hope, encouragement, and motivation to continue this wonderful work.

The amazing 110-year history of ACH could not have been possible without all of you. There  is still much work to be done and I look forward to continuing this journey with you.

Sincerely,

Wayne Carson, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer