Maria Droste Counseling Center Announces Interim CEO

Greetings!

It is the new year. A time when many of us are reflecting on past experiences and envisioning new ones. Seems like a good time to share an update on Maria Droste Counseling Center and my role as Interim CEO.

In December, we said farewell to outgoing CEO, Dr. Sandra Mann. Under Sandy’s leadership, our organization grew from a staff of 6 to 26 in 5 years. We have expanded our services to meet the increasing need in our communities, increased our partnerships and diversified our revenue sources, and deepened our work as a training program for mental health and behavioral health clinicians. Our mission-aligned team values the work they do to provide culturally-responsive therapeutic services. Many of you have worked with Dr. Mann for years and know of her commitment to the work. We have much to thank her for and we wish her well in her next endeavors.

I am a former member of the Board of Directors; I just ended my Board term in September 2023. During my time on the Board, I served as Vice Chair of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Strategic Planning Taskforce, and led a review of our business model. I also facilitated the collaborative endeavor and strategic plan for Diversifying the Behavioral Health Workforce. My Board experience and the years that I worked with Sandy have provided a solid foundation for my onboarding, making the transition a bit easier through prior experience and relationships. 

My appointment will last the full year of 2024. This will allow the time for some much-needed organizational catchup with our growth. We are implementing a new EHR this year and improved data and billing systems. All of our departments will begin using project management software to more accurately track our efforts and goals. Understanding and managing our organizational capacity is an ongoing priority. We will be analyzing our current capacity and organizational structure to identify gaps, needs, and prioritize hiring. Assessing capacity and addressing issues are important practices toward preventing burnout. And there is even a rebrand on the horizon… stay tuned! (How many different pronunciations of “Droste” have you heard?!) 

Most importantly, we will continue to prioritize putting our organizational values — equity, diversity of representation, inclusivity, access, and belonging — into action. My colleagues and I are dedicated to learning and evolving to create more welcoming, inclusive spaces for staff, interns, fellows, contract therapists, and supervisors with the interwoven goal of providing the same for the people we serve.

Thank you to all of our partners for your continued collaboration. If you have any questions or want to connect, please reach out. Although we are in a time of transition, it has been intentional to extend it through the year to give more time and energy to strengthen our organization, our business, and our culture. Each of you are a key part of our work and I look forward to connecting, learning more, and continuing to support our community through excellent care.

I can be reached at Michelle_Wiley@MariaDroste.org or on LinkedIn.

 Peace and health to you all in 2024~

 Michelle