Nonprofit agency appoints new CEO

SARASOTA — Jewish Family and Children's Service, one of the largest wraparound nonprofit organizations in the Sarasota-Manatee region, named area social services and health care executive Heidi Brown CEO.

Brown, former CEO of senior care community Aviva, takes over for longtime JFCS CEO Rose Chapman. The leadership change is effective Feb. 1, according to a statement.

“I am extremely humbled to have been chosen for this important role, which allows me to continue my life's work and fulfill my passion for building relationships, helping people and engaging in vital connections to improve the community,” Brown says in the release.

Brown was selected from a panel of JFCS board members and community leaders. JFCS Chairman and area restaurateur Stephen Seidensticker says Brown's role at Aviva as a community leader helped her stand out. (Aviva was formerly known as formerly Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson.)

JFCS was created in 1986. It provides education, counseling, food and financial assistance programs to people across the region. Brown will lead a team of 86 full-time and 27 part-time staff members, 25 contractors and 473 volunteers.

“Heidi is the perfect person to fill this role with her broad-based community support, life-long dedication to helping others and vast experience building engagement in communities,” Seidensticker says.

JFCS officials announced in September that Chapman would move into a new role as CEO emerita, a position created specifically for her. Official leadership of the organization will pass to Brown, but Chapman will continue to work with the organization. “I also look forward to working with Rose to continue her important legacy,” Brown says in the release.