DePaul Community Resources has announced the election of Renee Brown, LPC, CSAC to the board of directors for the Family Focused Treatment Association (FFTA). Ms. Brown is the Vice President of Child and Family Services at DePaul Community Resources where she oversees the organization’s foster care, adoption, and community-based programs.
FFTA undertook an exhaustive and targeted board recruitment effort in late 2020 to fill four slots on the board of directors due to terms expiring at the end of the calendar year. The process was conducted by FFTA’s Board Development Committee under the leadership of committee Chairperson, Viviane Ngwa, Executive Director of NYAP-Illinois.
“Under Viviane’s leadership and through the work of our board development committee, we bring not only a high caliber of professional expertise to our board, but also expanded diversity in key areas of representation, which will certainly enhance our governance and impact as a leader in the human service sector,” said Dr. Susan Miklos, Board President.
According to the Building Movement Project’s Race to Lead Study, 60% of respondents in a survey of nonprofits reported that their board of directors included only 25% or fewer people of color. Yet the child welfare field, where many FFTA members serve and operate, report disproportionate over-representation of non-white children, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. FFTA’s board recruitment process focused efforts on expanding the diverse representation of board members, including those with lived experience in the field.
Ryan Dowis is FFTA’s Executive Director and offers, “I’m extremely proud to lead an organization with a board that’s focused, intentional, and effective in bringing this level of diversity and expertise to our FFTA governance table. It’s my honor to work with this dynamic group of new directors, as well as our existing board, as we continue to support our members while they do the important work of serving children and families across North America.”
“FFTA’s mission will be well-served by Renee’s presence and leadership. She is a forward-thinking executive with a track record of creativity, compassion, and collaboration,” said DePaul President & CEO Amanda Stanley.
Before joining DePaul in 2017, Ms. Brown spent over 20 years at Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare serving in leadership positions within the Child and Family Services division. She holds a master’s from Virginia Tech and is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor. Renee grew up in a military family and lived in eight states before settling in Virginia in 1991. She is a proud mother and grandmother who enjoys kayaking and traveling with her fiancé.
