Lavallee named CEO of Children’s Home Society of South Dakota
Sept. 19, 2019
Michelle Lavallee has been named CEO of the Children’s Home Society of South Dakota.
Lavallee succeeds Bill Colson, who will retire at the end of the year after a decade as CEO.
She has served in executive leadership at Raven Industries, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center and USD. She was the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018.
“South Dakota’s children and families will benefit greatly from Michelle’s strong leadership skills in strategy development, fundraising and workforce development,” Meg Warder, CHS board chair, said in a statement.
“Michelle is a well-respected and experienced leader in South Dakota, grounded to lead CHS to future growth. She also has an incredible passion to advance our mission to empower our communities to be resilient, safe, healthy and strong. We are excited for CHS’s future with Michelle at the helm.”
Lavallee is the 10th leader in CHS’s 126-year history and the first woman to lead the organization. Lavallee and Colson will work together during the leadership transition through the rest of the year. Colson shared his retirement plan in 2016, according to a statement from the organization.
“I’m so inspired by the work of Children’s Home Society and am humbled to further expand its mission,” Lavallee said. “It will be an honor to work with this passionate team and positively impact the lives of so many children, adults and families within communities in South Dakota.”
Lavallee’s primary office will be at the CHS campus in Sioux Falls, which houses the main administrative center, but she will be regularly serving within the Black Hills campus, the organization said.
Established in 1893, Children’s Home Society of South Dakota is the state’s oldest human service nonprofit organization. Serving as South Dakota’s primary orphanage and adoption agency for more than 70 years, it has rescued, cared for and provided permanent families for thousands of children.
