The Board of Directors of Hephzibah Children’s Association has named Merry Beth Sheets as the agency’s new executive director effective July 1, 2017. She succeeds Mary Anne Brown, who announced her retirement effective June 30, 2017.
“Merry Beth Sheets’ experience, compassion and savvy will ensure Hephzibah continues to thrive,” said Tom Yates, president of Hephzibah’s Board of Directors. “Ms. Sheets is a leader who has dedicated her career to helping children and others in need. Under her leadership, Hephzibah will continue to provide the very best care for children and families for many years to come.”
Sheets was most recently the executive director of Chicago Services for Rosecrance, Inc., a large provider of substance abuse and behavioral health services in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. In this position, she led the start-up of a 30-bed, recovery home and outpatient treatment center located in Lakeview. Previously, she served as vice president of clinical services and quality assurance at Pillars, a non-profit provider of mental health and social services in the western suburbs. At Pillars, Sheets oversaw clinical services provided through the agency’s six treatment centers, and was responsible for a budget exceeding $8 million. Prior to Pillars, Sheets managed behavioral health services for Presence Health. Throughout her career, Sheets has worked with children, adolescents, adults and families in a variety of social service settings, as well as individuals with severe developmental disabilities. She has managed a variety of programs, including specialized foster care, group homes, respite/crisis center, outpatient clinics, residential and housing programs, and prevention programs.
“Hephzibah is recognized throughout the state of Illinois for the strength and depth of its programs, and for its experienced, dedicated staff of child welfare professionals, and it is my great honor to be a part of this remarkable team,” Sheets said. “This is a turbulent and uncertain time and while demand for our services is growing, we must address continued funding threats and budget challenges. I am excited to be in the position to harness the collective creativity, ingenuity and passion of the Hephzibah staff, auxiliaries and volunteers to continue to fulfill our mission of helping children thrive and families flourish for the decades to come.”
Sheets holds bachelor’s degree in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, and a master’s degree in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University. She is the past chair of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health, formerly the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. She resides in Willowbrook.
