In August, we welcomed our new CEO, Krystal Thompson, who worked as a social worker in the CHSVA Roanoke office in the 1990s! What a full-circle moment!
Krystal officially started her new role in August after our interim CEO Mel Tull finished his time leading CHSVA.
As the CEO, Krystal is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the agency. She works with the senior leadership team and the Board of Directors serving children, youth, and families with foster care experience.
“The Board of Directors conducted an extensive search process to fill the CEO position,” said Board Chair John Owen Gwathmey. “Krystal was the clear choice for this important role. She brings the experience and skill set needed to lead CHSVA into the future, and we look forward to working with her in the years to come.”
Keep reading our blog where we dive into Krystal’s professional experience, her passions, what drew her back to CHSVA, and more!
Krystal Thompson | Professional Experience
Krystal earned her bachelor’s degree in family and childhood development and her master’s degree in counseling education and student personnel services from Virginia Tech. After graduating from Virginia Tech, she completed a mission-based leadership and organization development certification from the University of Notre Dame and Catholic Charities USA.
Krystal comes to CHSVA from New River Community Action where she was also the CEO. Before that, she was the State Director of Family Preservation Services, the Executive Director for the Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia, and the Chief Operating Officer at Commonwealth Catholic Charities.
Krystal is a human service professional and has many years of experience in the nonprofit, for-profit, and public arenas. She has experience in program development and implementation, grant writing, fundraising, strategic planning, budgeting, regulatory compliance, and human resource management.
What does a typical day look like for Krystal? What is she most passionate about? What are her biggest challenges as CEO? We conducted an interview with her where she answered those questions and more!
Behind the Scenes with Krytal Thompson, CHSVA CEO
- What drew you to CHSVA?
Early in my career, I worked at CHSVA in Roanoke as an adoption social worker. During that time, I developed a love and respect for the important work of the agency. CHSVA is where I developed a passion for child welfare work, which I now consider to be child well-being work. CHSVA’s mission of “building strong permanent families and lifelong relationships for Virginia’s at-risk children and youth” aligns with my personal passion for promoting and improving the well-being of individuals and the community. Thriving children and youth are paramount to a healthy community.
The My Path Forward program which provides case management, educational, employment, housing, and health support to youth aging out of foster care plays a critical role in the community and in the well-being of the youth that we serve. Growing this program and supporting these youth attracted me to CHSVA. For the last few years, I have been part of an organization serving the most vulnerable by providing safety net services, including emergency food and emergency shelter. I want to be part of the solution mitigating poverty and the My Path Forward program sets these youth up for success.
- What are you most passionate about working at CHSVA?
Developing lifelong permanent relationships improves the well-being of children and youth and helps them to thrive; it also makes a positive impact on the larger community. Thriving kids and families build a thriving community.
- What does a typical day look like for you as the CEO?
A typical day starts early with coffee and the news. I am a planner and organizer, with few things ever left to the last minute. I build tasks into my calendar and set aside time for the completion of projects. With that being said, things arise at the moment that may take priority and need attention, so you pivot and the day you planned is not where you end up. Building relationships, problem-solving, networking, staying abreast of trends, and responding to the needs of consumers and the needs of our team make up my days.
- What are the biggest challenges you will face as a CEO?
As CEO at CHSVA, there is an opportunity and obligation to grow programs to fulfill our mission. With 500-600 youth in Virginia aging out of foster care annually, there is a lot of work to do in this space.
- Can you recall situations where you “failed” at something and how you overcame those setbacks?
We learn more from those “fail” experiences than we do from our successes. Learning from those “fails” is a win. What is most important is that we make attempts and we do not let the chance of failure limit our eagerness, or our willingness, to achieve more and do better.
- What do you hope to accomplish in the rest of 2023 and next year in 2024?
I want to play a role in growing CHSVA programs and services targeted to meet the needs of children and youth – primarily decreasing the number of youths aging out of the foster care system. When youth do age out, we want to ensure they have the tools, relationships, and supports necessary to thrive as young adults.
- Why do you think CHSVA has continued to thrive year after year, since its founding in 1900?
CHSVA continues to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of children, families, and the community we serve. The agency is fortunate to have cultivated a Board of Directors that is forward-thinking and willing to adjust programming as needs emerge, and we have a committed and generous donor base that believes in our mission and the importance of their role in building strong, stable families and enriching communities.
- In your own words, why is permanency so important?
Permanency is a parachute. Permanency is belonging – belonging when you are at your best, when you are struggling, and every time in between. We all need people we can count on to encourage us, help us grow, and catch us as we are falling. Having a parachute allows us to reach higher and take chances. Growth isn’t easy or linear – it is hard. Permanent relationships are a safety net.
- How do donations help CHSVA? Where does this money go?
Donor dollars are critical to our mission and imperative to our success. We envision a community in which all people thrive, including youth exiting the foster care system without a supportive family. Donations help us provide educational, employment, housing, and support services to youth entering adulthood without the parachute and belonging that permanency provides. The cost of supporting and developing these youth is much lower than the cost of failing them.
Donations support our advocacy work that is necessary to move our community forward and promote systemic change. Donations help us to provide tools important to parenting success to those adopting children who have experienced trauma and loss in their young lives. Improving the well-being of our children and youth transforms their lives, has a positive multigenerational impact, and improves our community.
- Why is advocacy an important pillar of the work CHSVA does?
We advocate on behalf of children and youth that do not have a voice; improving the system tasked with protecting the most vulnerable among us.
- What makes the training CHSVA provides to adoptive families before they adopt a child different and special from other adoption agencies?
CHSVA conducts our pre-service training several times a year, based on interest from prospective adoptive parents. Training is required prior to the completion of a home study for adoption. The purpose of pre-service training is to provide families with an understanding of how abuse and neglect impact a teen’s ability to trust others. Topics include Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma and its impact on the brain, attachment and bonding, the stages of child development, the importance of permanency, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI).
We are excited for our next chapter with Krystal leading us, and we can’t wait to see all that she accomplishes!
The Children’s Home Society of Virginia | Support Virginia Adoption
If you have any follow-up questions, Krystal would be happy to answer them. Please email [email protected].
We encourage you to share this blog with your family and friends! Spreading the word is how we get more people to understand why permanency is so important and to learn how they can help Virginia’s at-risk youth.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support! If you are interested in adopting, please click here. If you would like to make a monetary donation that would allow us to help more at-risk youth, we would greatly appreciate it!
