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Lesli Suggs With a background in social work and over two decades of experience in child welfare and behavioral health, Lesli understands the specific needs of the children served by The Home for Little Wanderers and how best to meet them. Throughout her career, Lesli has worked with vulnerable children and families in a variety of different roles and settings, including residential & special education, adoption & foster care, community mental health, sexual abuse and trauma. Her passion, dedication, direct service expertise and extensive knowledge of the field of child welfare place her in a unique position to lead The Home. Lesli joined The Home in January 2011 as Senior Director of Community Based and Behavioral Health Programs and then became the Vice President for Program Operations. In January 2018, she was named President and CEO, becoming the first social worker in a generation to head the agency. Overseeing more than 750 employees, Lesli is charged with ensuring that every one of The Home’s 20 programs are succeeding in making a positive impact on the lives of some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable children and families. Lesli holds an M.S. in Social Work from Simmons College. She received her B.A. in Social Work from Texas Christian University. Before joining The Home, Lesli served as Vice President of Program for Communities for People in Boston and Assistant Vice President at Health and Education Services on the North Shore. Lesli’s leadership in the field of child welfare is also apparent through her membership on a variety of boards of directors. She serves on the Executive Committee at the Children’s League of Massachusetts and co-chairs the taskforce on transitional age youth. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Providers’ Council, as well as the Association for Behavioral Healthcare. Furthermore, she is also an active member of the Mayor’s Coalition to End Youth Homelessness. In addition to her many leadership roles, Lesli also dedicates a portion of her time to teaching the next generation of child welfare enthusiast. In the past, she has taught at Salem State University, and is currently a part time faculty at Boston University. |
