Voices for Virginia’s Children Announces Amy Strite as New CEO
RICHMOND, Va. – Today, Voices for Virginia’s Children, the commonwealth’s leading child advocacy and policy organization, announced the appointment of Amy Strite as its new chief executive officer. Strite will assume responsibilities on November 2, 2020 and will succeed Interim Executive Director Johanna Schuchert.
Strite has 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience in change management, resource development, clinical services and education, early childhood and family development, and building effective systems of service. Specifically, Strite brings a strong commitment to organizational culture, team development and social justice that facilitates systemic change.
“Amy is the right leader for Voices,” said Keith Hare, chair of Voices for Virginia’s Children board of directors. “As champions for children, it’s important we have someone at the helm with a proven track record as a child advocate. Amy’s work has impacted the lives of thousands of people in Virginia, where she has built lasting relationships with professionals, community partners, donors and volunteers across many sectors.”
“We are excited for the energy and vision she will bring to help the organization grow across all of our work,” Hare added.
“I’ve worked with Voices for years and I am continuously impressed by the organization’s ability to influence policies that affect the lives of children in a bipartisan way,” said Strite. “I’m excited for the opportunity to focus on system-level change, racial equity and trauma-informed care, where we focus on underrepresented communities that are often ignored and left behind. This is not always easy work, but the organization has a dedicated and skilled team of people who are strong advocates for our children. I look forward to growing our advocacy and doing more to amplify the voices of children and families in Virginia.”
Since 2012, Strite has served as the president and CEO of Family Lifeline, a nonprofit that delivers home- and community-based services for children, families and seniors. Prior to that role, she was the executive director of Children’s Health Involving Parents (CHIP) of Greater Richmond from 2007 to 2012, leading the merger of the organization with Family Lifeline.
Strite’s previous positions also include: director of clinical services and education, CHIP of Greater Richmond, 2006-07; vice president for early childhood and family development, Family Lifeline, 2002-06; associate director, Greater Richmond SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now), 1999-2002; associate director, Sacred Heart Center, Richmond, 1996-99; director of client services, Richmond AIDS Ministry 1992-96, and interim director spring 1996; treatment specialist, St. Joseph’s Villa, 1990-92.
In the past year, Voices successfully secured major budget investments at the General Assembly to improve the well-being and quality of life for children; including increased financial support for kinship caregivers, additional early childhood education opportunities for 3 and 4-year olds and mental health support for child care and preschool programs.
The organization also led the way in preparing communities for the 2020 Census and Virginia’s COVID-19 response. Recently, Voices has expanded its network and programming around racial equity and resilience, especially in the trauma-informed space, with inaugural events such as Resilience Week Virginia and Racial Truth & Reconciliation VA.
“Voices has accomplished a lot throughout its 25-year history, including key legislative wins during this year of transition,” said Hare. “We are only able to do that – even in the middle of a pandemic – thanks to our amazing staff and the exemplary direction of Johanna Schuchert. We are grateful for her ability to manage day-to-day operations and ensure we maintained a high level of service in our pursuit of excellence.”
“Great things are on the horizon for the organization and we are thrilled for where Amy will take us.”
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About
Founded in 1994, Voices for Virginia’s Children is the Commonwealth’s only independent, multi-issue child policy and advocacy organization. We are home to the KIDS COUNT data center for Virginia, which includes more than 200 state- and locality-level indicators on child well-being over time. Using data and independent policy research, we advocate for sound policy solutions and mobilize support to meet the needs of Virginia’s children. Learn more at vakids.org.