Foothill Family Service Welcomes New CEO Steve Allen

Foothill Family Service is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, Steve Allen, who officially joined the Foothill team September 5, 2013.

Following the June 11th retirement of former CEO Helen Morran-Wolf, who led the agency for the past 21 years, the executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles concluded its search, with Foothill Family Service naming Allen as CEO. The firm collaborated with a search committee comprised of current and former board members, and received input from Foothill’s Senior Management team.

Foothill’s Board of Directors Chairman Michael Buchanan said, “We are thrilled that Steve has accepted the role of CEO for Foothill Family. He brings such a rare combination of program experience, development, and community building skills to the organization. We feel like he is the perfect fit for the agency at this moment of such change in how mental health services are delivered to our greater community.”

According to Buchanan, the Board made a unanimous decision to extend Allen an offer after the search firm screened more than 100 applicants and the Search Committee and Senior Management Team interviewed the top candidates.

Allen comes to Foothill with a strong nonprofit, social service and development background, having served as the Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army, Southern California Division, where he was responsible for an array of child, youth and family-based social services programs, along with oversight of 700 full-time staff. He successfully completed a16-year tenure at the Salvation Army, serving four years as the Executive Director of Development.
Most recently, Allen assumed responsibility as the Chief Development Officer for The American Red Cross, LA region, where under his leadership, local fundraising more than doubled in just three years!

Born in London, England, Allen was an active member of the community from an early age and became a volunteer youth leader in his hometown. As an undergraduate student at the University of Manchester, Allen majored in Youth and Community work and went on to complete his Post Graduate studies in Social Work at the University of Liverpool. Following a 10-year career as a probation officer and manager of a center for high risk youth, he moved with his wife and two sons to the San Gabriel Valley.

Allen is excited to join Foothill Family Service and feels privileged to be appointed as the agency’s new CEO. He looks forward to continuing the quality traditions already in effect and providing leadership to support Foothill’s mission of building brighter futures for children and families.

Foothill Family Service has seven Family Centers located in Pasadena, Duarte, El Monte and West Covina, where services are provided to reach the most vulnerable populations including high-risk and underserved children, teens and families in need. Programs include Mental Health, School-Based Counseling for Children, Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment, Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment, Early Child Development, Supportive Services for Pregnant and Parenting Teens, Family Counseling, and Youth Development.

For more information, call (626) 564-1613 or visit www.foothillfamily.org.