Children-focused nonprofit names CEO

FORT MYERS — Child Care of Southwest Florida Inc. named veteran Lee Health board member and Lee County Department of Public Safety executive Chris Hansen as its new CEO.

Child Care of Southwest Florida operates six early learning centers accredited by the National Accrediting Council in Lee and Hendry counties. It helps child care centers qualify for, administer and maintain USDA child care food programs to provide for the nutritional requirements of early childhood. 

It also provides Florida Department of Children and Families Introductory Child Care Training classes and competency exams to promote the continuing education of teachers and other educational professionals.

Hansel succeeds retiring CEO Carol Conway, who has led the organization for four years.

“I’m truly honored to work with the staff, the volunteers, the board and the community partners to advance Child Care of Southwest Florida’s mission and to shine a light on the positive impact the organization makes for the children and families in our community,” Hansen says in a press release.  

Hansen joined the Lee County Department of Public Safety as an emergency medical technician in 1980. During his 28 years with the agency, he advanced to deputy director of public safety. He was responsible for community relations, marketing, social media and business development for a six-county area as director of business development for Park Royal Hospital the past three years.

Hansen is an executive board member for the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Lee, Charlotte and Hendry Counties, and he also sits on the board of the First Baptist Church of Fort Myers Inc.