The Presbyterian Home for Children has announced changes in its leadership in the wake of the passing of its Senior Vice President of Program Operations and Services.
Felicia Ayers Storey spent her entire professional career of 37 years at the Home, starting as a social worker and working up to Senior Vice President over the Home’s programs for at-risk and homeless children, youth, young adults and families. She died unexpectedly on Feb. 18.
The Home, in its Secure Dwellings Program, is one of few organizations in the state caring for Alabama’s homeless boys and girls, along with their female caregivers. In its Moderate Residential Care Therapeutic Program, the Home serves teenage girls who have previously experienced extreme trauma or neglect, and it serves young female adults in crisis in its Transition to Adult Living Program. Families in crisis in seven East Central Alabama counties receive In-Home Intensive Services through the Home’s Family Bridges Program.
President and CEO Doug Marshall and the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees announced the promotion of two longtime directors to oversee these social and clinical services. Cordelia Stanley, who has served as Director of Moderate Residential Care for over four years, has been named Vice President of Moderate Residential Care and Intensive In-Home Services. Sharon Moore, who has served as Director of Transitional Housing encompassing both Secure Dwellings and Transition to Adult Living Programs for over five years, has been named Vice President of Transitional Housing and Family Services. Both will now report to Marshall.
“Ms. Stanley and Ms. Moore are experienced professionals and leaders in this field of social and clinical services,” Marshall said. “They are highly respected and well known by our Board of Trustees and staff and by the agencies and churches who refer children and families to us.”
Stanley initially joined the Home in 2011 as the Assistant Director of the Moderate Residential Care Program and returned in 2017 in the same role. She was promoted as Director of the Moderate Residential Care Program in 2018. She has a combined 24 years of experience in children and family services, mental health, public health and domestic violence. Stanley brings a wealth of knowledge in these areas and has helped the Home maintain superior ratings in compliance with its current state contracts.
Moore has over 37 years of experience at the Home, most of which have been in a senior leadership role with residential programs. She was the Director of the Basic Residential Social Services Department and was promoted to Director of the Basic Residential Program after serving several years as the Social Services Director. When the Home transitioned to serving homeless young women and homeless children and their single mothers or female caregivers, Moore was appointed Director of Secure Dwellings and the Director of Transition to Adult Living. In addition, Moore is a Social Worker Field Instructor for the University of Alabama, Jacksonville State University, and Talladega College Social Work students.
“The Executive Committee and I are confident that Ms. Stanley and Ms. Moore will continue to lead our legacy of compassionate and professional care for children and families at risk and in need, dating back 155 years,” Marshall said.
Linda Harris, the Home’s Director of Education, has been given the additional responsibility of Assistant to the President in a senior advisory role with respect to the Home’s overall programs and services. Harris was responsible for building and leading the Cognia-accredited Ascension Leadership Academy, formerly Hope Academy, for the last 20 years. Prior to joining the Home, she had 25 years of experience in elementary and secondary education, many of which were in senior leadership roles with the Alabama State Department of Education and Jacksonville City Schools.
Jennifer Braxton has been promoted from Director of Development to Director of Development and Mission Outreach to reflect Braxton’s leadership in the Home’s commitment to and expansion of care for children and youth living in extreme poverty in Wilcox and Marengo counties and surrounding areas. Braxton, who joined the Home in April 2021, has four years of experience in nonprofit resource development and donor relations after 15 years of leading industrial recruitment projects at the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.
Claude “Bud” Kitchin IV, former mayor of Lincoln and an experienced executive, retailer and nonprofit consultant, was recently promoted to Vice President of Operations for the Home. Kitchin is responsible for facilities and maintenance, land management, information technology, volunteer coordination, and the Union Village Permanent Supportive Housing Community for blind, deaf, deafblind and multi-disabled individuals in partnership with the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. He also oversees the PHFC Thrift Store, which recently moved to a larger, more visible and functional location on Highway 77 in Talladega. Kitchin joined the Home in February 2021 as Assistant to the President/Director of Operations.
Harris, Braxton and Kitchin will continue to report to Marshall.
About PHFC
Now in its 155th year of service, Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega, Alabama, is one of few organizations in the state caring for Alabama’s homeless boys and girls, along with their female caregivers in its Secure Dwellings Program. In its Moderate Residential Care Therapeutic Program, the Home also serves teenage girls who have previously experienced extreme trauma or neglect. In addition, the Home serves young female adults in crisis through its Transition to Adult Living Program and serves families in crisis over seven counties through its In-Home Intensive Services, Family Bridges. All of its programs are accredited by Social Current, formerly Council on Accreditation, and the EAGLE Accreditation Commission under the United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries. Our Ascension Leadership Academy features a fully Cognia-accredited academic curriculum focusing on academics and leadership for our residential children and youth in addition to children and youth from the surrounding communities. PHFC is rated 4-Star by Charity Navigator and received a Gold Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly Guidestar.
