The Chicago Tribune is reporting that George Sheldon is in talks with Our Kids to become their new CEO. Sheldon is the current Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and has a long career in politics and child welfare (wikipedia).
According to the Tribune, Our Kids’ board chair Keith Ward supports Sheldon. “He wants to come home. … We’re very fortunate,” Ward told the board, the Tribune reports. “He’s just No. 1 on anybody’s list.” But back in Illinois, Sheldon is facing ethics probes due to favoritism in contracting and hiring, and public controversy over the death of a child one day after investigators declared her safe. The Miami Herald got Sheldon’s side of the story.
Sheldon was Secretary of Florida DCF from 2008 to 2011 when Governor Scott took office. During his tenure Sheldon continued the reduction in out-of-home care started under Secretary Butterworth. To my knowledge, no former DCF Secretary has ever become CEO at a CBC.
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